''Princess Flavia'' is a 1925

operetta Operetta is a form of theatre and a genre of light opera. It includes spoken dialogue, songs and including dances. It is lighter than opera in terms of its music, orchestral size, and length of the work. Apart from its shorter length, the oper ...

in three acts based on

Anthony Hope Sir Anthony Hope Hawkins (9 February 1863 – 8 July 1933), better known as Anthony Hope, was a British novelist and playwright. He was a prolific writer, especially of adventure novels but he is remembered predominantly for only two books: ''T ...

's novel ''

The Prisoner of Zenda ''The Prisoner of Zenda'' is an 1894 adventure novel by Anthony Hope, in which the King of Ruritania is drugged on the eve of his coronation and thus is unable to attend the ceremony. Political forces within the realm are such that, in o ...

'', with book and lyrics by Harry B. Smith and music by

Sigmund Romberg Sigmund Romberg (July 29, 1887 – November 9, 1951) was a Hungarian-born American composer. He is best known for his Musical theatre, musicals and operettas, particularly ''The Student Prince'' (1924), ''The Desert Song'' (1926) and ''The New Moo ...

. It is set in the fictional European country of Zenda.

Production

''Princess Flavia'' was staged by J. C. Huffman and produced by

Lee Shubert Lee Shubert (born Levi Schubart; March 25, 1871 – December 25, 1953) was a Lithuanian-born American theatre owner/operator and producer. He was the eldest of three brothers of the notable Shubert family. Biography Born to a Jewish family, th ...

and J. J. Shubert. The

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

show opened November 2, 1925, at the Century Theatre. On February 1, 1926, it moved to the Shubert Theatre, continuing for a total run of 152 performances. The large cast was led by

Harry Welchman Harry Welchman (24 February 1886 – 3 January 1966) was an English star of musical theatre. He made several appearances in non-musical plays, but was remembered as, in the words of ''The Times'', "perhaps the most popular musical comedy hero on t ...

, a popular tenor of the London stage, and soprano Evelyn Herbert in her first starring role.

Cast

as Rudolf Rassendyl and Rudolph, Crown Prince of Ruritania * William Pringle as General Sapt * John Clarke as Rupert of Hentzau * William Danforth as Franz Teppich * James Marshall as Lieut. Fritz van Tarlenheim * Alois Havrilla as Gilbert Bertrand *

Douglass Dumbrille Douglass Rupert Dumbrille (October 13, 1889 – April 2, 1974) was a Canadian actor who appeared regularly in films from the early 1930s. Life and career Douglass Dumbrille ( ) was born in Hamilton, Ontario. As a young man, he was employed ...

as Michael * Evelyn Herbert as Princess Flavia * Margaret Breen as Helga * Felicia Drenova as Antoinette de Mauban * Maude Odell as Sophie * Dudley Marwick as Lackey * Edmund Ruffner as Marshal Momsen *

Joseph Calleia Joseph Calleia ( ; born Joseph Alexander Caesar Herstall Vincent Calleja, August 4, 1897 – October 31, 1975) was a Maltese-born American actor and singer on the stage and in films, radio and television. After serving in the Merchant Navy (Un ...

as Senor Poncho * Earle Lee as Lord Topham * Stella Shiel as Princess Edelstein * Dudley Marwick as Innkeeper * Alois Havrilla as Josef * Donald Lee as Cardinal

Songs

;Act I * Yes or No * On Comrades * Marionettes * What Care I? * Convent Bells are Ringing * I Dare Not Love You * By This Token ;Act II * Dance With Me * Twilight Voices * Only One ;Act III * I Love Them All * In Ruritania

Reception

''The New York Times'' review of the premiere of ''Princess Flavia'' described the show as "beautiful, tuneful, majestic and splendid in all its appointments."

Last night's audience, a gathering of habitual theatregoers who have known the splendors of ''
The Student Prince ''The Student Prince'' is an operetta in a prologue and four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. It is based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's play ''Old Heidelberg (play), Old Heidelberg''. The piece has a scor ...
'' and ''
Rose-Marie ''Rose-Marie'' is an operetta-style musical with music by Rudolf Friml and Herbert Stothart, and book and lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. The story is set in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and concerns Rose-Marie La Flemme, a F ...
'' and ''The Love Song'' during recent months, was forced to pay homage repeatedly throughout the evening to the even greater lavishness … and the stirring choruses evoked prolonged ovations at the end of each act.

Particular praise was accorded the performances of Welchman, Herbert, Dumbrille and the large chorus, as well as the sets by Watson Barratt.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Princess Flavia 1925 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on novels Musicals by Sigmund Romberg Musicals set in Europe Musicals set in fictional countries Musicals by Harry B. Smith