The Prima Donna
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''The Prima Donna'' is a
comic opera Comic opera, sometimes known as light opera, is a sung dramatic work of a light or comic nature, usually with a happy ending and often including spoken dialogue. Forms of comic opera first developed in late 17th-century Italy. By the 1730s, a ne ...
in two acts with music by
Victor Herbert Victor August Herbert (February 1, 1859 – May 26, 1924) was an American composer, Cello, cellist and conducting, conductor of English and Irish ancestry and German training. Although Herbert enjoyed important careers as a cello soloist and co ...
and a
libretto A libretto (From the Italian word , ) is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to th ...
by
Henry Blossom Henry Martyn Blossom Jr. (May 10, 1866 – March 23, 1919) was an American writer, playwright, novelist, opera librettist, and lyricist. He first gained wide attention for his second novel, '' Checkers: A Hard Luck Story'' (1896), which was succes ...
. Written as a starring vehicle for
Fritzi Scheff Fritzi Scheff (born Friederike Scheff; August 30, 1879 – April 8, 1954) was an American actress and singer. Biography Born Friederike Scheff in Vienna to Dr. Gottfried Scheff and Anna Yeager, she studied at the Hoch Conservatory in Frank ...
, the work premiered at the Studebaker Theater in Chicago on October 5, 1908. The production moved to
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 ...
where it had its New York City debut at the Knickerbocker Theatre on November 30, 1908. It ran at that theatre for total of 72 performances; closing on January 30, 1909. The original production was produced by
Charles Dillingham Charles Bancroft Dillingham (May 30, 1868 – August 30, 1934) was an American theatre manager and producer of over 200 Broadway theatre, Broadway shows. Biography Charles Bancroft Dillingham was born on May 30, 1868, in Hartford, Connecticut, ...
, staged by Fred G. Latham, and conducted by musical director John Lund. The sets were designed by
Homer Emens Homer Farnham Emens (May 9, 1862 – September 15 , 1930) was an American scenic designer who specialized in creating outdoor scenes. Life and career Born on May 9, 1862 in Volney, New York, Homer Emens was the son of Peter Walter Emens and Elizab ...
, and the costumes were created by
Elsie de Wolfe Elsie de Wolfe, Lady Mendl ( Ella Anderson de Wolfe; December 20, c. 1859 – July 12, 1950) was an American actress who became a prominent interior designer and author. Born in New York City, de Wolfe was acutely sensitive to her surroundings ...
. The leading cast included Fritzi Scheff as Mlle. Athenee, a.k.a. "The Prima Donna";
Donald Hall Donald Andrew Hall Jr. (September 20, 1928 – June 23, 2018) was an American poet, writer, editor, and literary critic. He was the author of more than 50 books across several genres from children's literature, biography, memoir, essays, and inc ...
as her love interest, Lieutenant Fernand Drouillard; William K. Harcourt as Athenee's thwarted suitor, Captain Bordenave; James E. Sullivan as the French music hall impresario, Herr Max Gundelfinger; and W. J. Ferguson as Athenee's father, Monsieur Beaurivage.


References


External links


The Prima Donna
at the
Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade asso ...
1908 operas 1908 musicals Operettas Broadway musicals Operas by Victor Herbert Operas by Henry Blossom Musicals by Victor Herbert {{opera-stub