News From VHSource, LLC Vol 10 October 2017 Herbert Creative Teams Every Team Herbert Worked With eginning in December of 2010, VHSource began 4. The Serenade (‘97) a “step back” look at all the Victor Herbert works The Bostonians - producers Bwe had discussed to see if we could develop any Harry B. Smith - librettist patterns or formulas of interest. We continued the process E. Schuberth - publishers through the entire body of work over a three year period. W.H. Fitzgerald - director What follows is all those listings and the insights that Samuel L. Studley - music director The Knickerbocker Theatre accompanied them in one place. Here then are the creative teams that placed Victor Herbert’s work in front 5. The Idol’s Eye (‘97) of the New York public. Frank Daniels - producer Harry B. Smith - librettist 1. Prince Ananias (1894) E. Schuberth - publishers The Bostonians - producers Julian Mitchell - stage director Francis Neilson - librettist Frank Palma - music director E. Schuberth - publishers The Broadway Theatre Henry Clay Barnabee - possible director Samuel L. Studley - music director 6. The Fortune Teller (‘98) The Broadway Theatre The Alice Nielsen Opera Company - producers Harry B. Smith - librettist 2. Wizard of the Nile (‘95) M. Witmark & Sons - publishers Kirke LaSalle/Arthur F. Clark - producers Julian Mitchell - stage director Harry B. Smith - librettist Paul Steindorff - music director E. Schuberth - publishers Wallack’s Theatre Napier Lothian, Jr. - stage manager Frank Palma - music director 7. Cyrano de Bergerac (‘99) The Casino Theatre Francis Wilson - producer Stuart Reed - librettist 3. The Gold Bug (‘96) Harry B. Smith - lyricist Thomas Canary/George W. Lederer - producers M. Witmark & Sons - publishers Glen MacDonough - librettist A. M. Holbrook - stage director E. Schuberth - publishers John McGhie - music director Max Freeman - director The Knickerbocker Theatre Gustave Kerker - music director The Casino Theatre 2 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 10 October 2017 8. The Singing Girl (‘99) 14. Miss Dolly Dollars (‘05) The Alice Nielsen Opera Company - producers Charles C. Dillingham - producer Stanislaus Stange - librettist Harry B. Smith - librettist Harry B. Smith - lyricist M. Witmark & Sons - publishers M. Witmark & Sons - publishers A. M. Holbrook - stage director Julian Mitchell - stage director Sig. A. De Novellis - music director Paul Steindorff - music director Lew Fields Theatre The Casino Theatre 15. Wonderland (aka Alice and The Eight Princesses) (‘05) 9. The Ameer (‘99) Julian Mitchell - producer Frank Daniels - producer Glen MacDonough - librettist Frederick Ranken/Kirke LaShelle - librettists M. Witmark & Sons - publishers M. Witmark & Sons - publishers Julian Mitchell - stage director John Stapleton - stage director Carl Styx - music director Louis F. Gottschalk - music director The Majestic Theatre Wallack’s Theatre 16. Mlle Modiste (‘05) 10. The Viceroy (‘00) Charles C. Dillingham - producer The Bostonians - producers Henry Blossom - librettist Harry B. Smith - librettist M. Witmark & Sons - publishers M. Witmark & Sons - publishers Fred G. Latham - stage director William H. Fitzgerald - stage director John Lund - music director Samuel L. Studley - music director The Knickerbocker Theatre The Knickerbocker Theatre 17. The Red Mill (‘06) 11. Babes In Toyland (‘03') Charles C. Dillingham - producer Fred L. Hamlin/Julian Mitchell - producers Henry Blossom - librettist Glen MacDonough - librettist M. Witmark & Sons - publishers M. Witmark & Sons - publishers Fred G. Latham - stage director Julian Mitchell - stage director Max Hirschfield - music director Max Hirschfield - music director The Knickerbocker Theatre The Majestic Theatre 18. Dream City and The Magic Knight (‘06) 12. Babette (‘03) Joe Weber - producer Charles C. Dillingham - producer Edgar Smith - librettist Harry B. Smith - librettist C.K. Harris - publishers M. Witmark & Sons - publishers A. M. Holbrook - stage director Fred G. Latham - stage director Louis F. Gottschalk - music director John Lund - music director Weber’s Theatre The Broadway Theatre This survey now becomes much easier, and one can start 13. It Happened in Nordland (‘04) formulating some observations regarding Herbert’s Fred L. Hamlin/Julian Mitchell/Lew Fields - producers creative teams. Glen MacDonough - librettist M. Witmark & Sons - publishers Julian Mitchell - stage director Producers put the whole production together and are Max Hirschfield - music director therefore the cog that both drives each operetta wheel as Lew Fields Theatre well as creates the wheel in the first place. Charles C. Dillingham is the clear winner in this category with four productions under his supervision beginning with Babette (‘03), Miss Dolly Dollars (‘05), Mlle Modiste (‘05) and 3 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 10 October 2017 The Red Mill (‘06). Glen MacDonough comes in second with 4 works as Please note not only is he librettist: The Gold Bug (1896), Babes In Toyland (‘03), responsible for the most It Happened in Nordland (‘05) and Wonderland (aka but also some very Alice) (‘05). Henry Blossom comes on board very late significant operettas. with Mlle Modiste (‘05) followed immediately by The Second place goes to The Red Mill (‘06), a small but major contribution which will Bostonians with 3 bode very well for future years to come. Four other presentations: Prince individuals were “one and done,” including that fellow Ananias (1894), The named Edgar Smith (no relation to Harry B.). You will Serenade (‘97) and The read more about him in the Spotlight On ... Series later Viceroy (‘00); as well as in this newsletter. to Julian Mitchell who was either a member of The stage director is responsible for the movement of the producing team or actors and in these early years also the dancers. The clear sole producer for 3 leader here is Julian Mitchell (the same fellow who works: Babes in Toyland produced) with six directing projects for Herbert between Charles C. Dillingham (‘03), It Happened in 1897 and 1905: The Idol’s Eye (‘97), The Fortune Teller Nordland (‘05) and (‘98), The Singing Girl (‘99), Babes In Toyland (‘03), It Wonderland (‘05). The Alice Neilsen Opera Company Happened In Nordland (‘04), and Wonderland (aka and Frank Daniels are tied with 2 productions. However, Alice) (‘05). Note: it always helps immensely if you are Frank Daniels has the distinction of commissioning, also the Producer. Tied for second are A.M. Holbrook producing, and starring in both The Idol’s Eye (1897) with 3: Cyrano de Bergerac (‘99), Miss Dolly Dollars and The Ameer (‘99), while The Alice Neilsen Opera (‘05) and Dream City and The Magic Knight (‘06); and Company produced The Fortune Teller (‘98) and The Fred G. Latham with 3: Babette (‘03), Mlle Modiste Singing Girl (‘99) as starring vehicles for Alice Neilsen (‘05) and The Red Mill (‘06). While Mr. Mitchell’s before going out of business when she gave up the output is sterling, one certainly cannot sniff at Mr. theatre. All other producers were pretty much one and Latham’s three classic Herbert works. Everyone else is done. The Bostonians did give Herbert his first ever a one and out, with the exception of William H. production, but it’s interesting to note that it took them 3 Fitzgerald, who worked basically for The Bostonians for years to do a second and six years before they undertook both The Serenade (1897) and The Viceroy (‘00). the third one. The last important person on the creative wheel is the The primary member of any creative team other than the music director, responsible for preparing the singers as producer and the composer is the librettist. The clear well as the orchestra. While Herbert often conducted leader here is Harry B. Smith who amassed 8 important first performances both out-of-town as well as productions as librettist/lyricist: The Wizard of the Nile Broadway openings, someone had to prepare everyone (1895), The Idol’s Eye (‘97), The Serenade (‘97), The musically and then conduct every performance. There is Fortune Teller (‘98), Cyrano de Bergerac (‘99 writing no clear winner here. This is a bit surprising as one would as Stuart Reed), The Viceroy (‘00), Babette (‘03), and surmise that Herbert would 1) consider this position most Miss Dolly Dollars (‘05). As if that were not quite important, 2) have a hand in hiring and 3) be fairly loyal enough, Smith served as lyricist on The Singing Girl to a music director. (‘99), making his participation on the “team” a grand total of 9 times between the years 1895 and 1905 or, in In reality, the wealth is spread around fairly evenly with other words, exactly half of Herbert’s 18 production Max Hirschfield tied with Samuel L. Studley with 3 output. No matter what you may think about his work, he operettas each. Hirschfield was on the podium for Babes was the go-to-guy much of the time. In Toyland (‘03), It Happened in Nordland (‘04) and 4 News From VHSource, LLC Vol 10 October 2017 The Red Mill (‘06). Studley worked for The Bostonians, Finally, it’s clear that for the most part Herbert had only and therefore was the man with the baton for Prince two publishers, Edward Schuberth & Co. and M. Ananias (‘94), The Serenade (‘97) and The Viceroy Witmark & Sons. E. Schuberth was and remains a (‘00). Everyone else either guided two productions: German music publisher whose selection would have Palma, Steindorff, Gottschalk, and Lund; or simply been a very logical choice for Herbert, given his long served one and out: Kerker, McGlie, De Novellis and residence and education in Austria and Germany prior to Styx. arriving in America. He simply chose the familiar as he began his operetta composing career. He used E. This gives one a clearer picture of the creative teams that Schuberth from Prince Ananias (1894) through The surrounded Herbert for his first 18 productions. Are there Serenade (‘97). It’s also safe to assume that the main conclusions that can be drawn? It seems clear that offices of E. Schuberth were in Germany with only a Herbert the composer was not terribly involved in putting branch office in New York.