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Operetta and Composer Charts

London Charts

English Adaptations of Operettas from the German Stage: London 1907–38

(Ranked in order of the highest number of performances of the first production.)

  1. Lehár, The Merry Widow (Daly’s Theatre, 1907) 778
  2. Cuvillier, The Lilac Domino (Empire Theatre, 1918) 747
  3. Benatzky, White Horse Inn (London Coliseum, 1931) 651
  4. Berté/Schubert/Clutsam, Lilac Time (Lyric Theatre, 1922) 628
  5. Strauss Sr & Jr, Waltzes from Vienna (Alhambra Theatre, 1931) 607
  6. Gilbert, The Lady of the Rose, Daly’s Theatre, 1922) 515
  7. Gilbert, Katja, the Dancer (Gaiety, then Daly’s, 1925) 514
  8. Straus, The Chocolate Soldier (Lyric Theatre, 1910) 500
  9. Fall, Madame Pompadour (Daly’s Theatre, 1923) 461
  10. Benatzky and Strauss, Casanova (London Coliseum, 1932) 429
  11. Fall, The Dollar Princess (Daly’s Theatre, 1909) 428
  12. Mackeben and Millöcker, The Dubarry (His Majesty’s, 1932) 398
  13. Gilbert, The Girl in the Taxi (Lyric, 1912) 384
  14. Kálmán, Soldier Boy (Apollo, 1918) 374
  15. Fall, The Girl in the Train (Vaudeville Theatre, 1910) 339
  16. Lehár, The Count of Luxembourg (Daly’s Theatre, 1911) 339
  17. Lehár, Gipsy Love (Daly’s Theatre, 1912) 299
  18. Stolz, Wild Violets (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, 1932) 290
  19. Straus, The Last Waltz (Gaiety Theatre, 1922) 283
  20. Gilbert, Yvonne (Daly’s, 1926) 281
  21. Fall, Princess Caprice (Shaftesbury Theatre, 1912) 265
  22. Straus, My Son John Shaftesbury Theatre, 1926) 255
  23. Hirsch, Toni (Shaftesbury Theatre, 1924) 248
  24. Stolz, Whirled into Happiness (Lyric Theatre, 1922) 245
  25. Kollo, The Girl on the Film (Gaiety, 1913) 232
  26. Kálmán, A Little Dutch Girl (Lyric Theatre, 1920) 215
  27. Kálmán, The Gipsy Princess (Prince of Wales’s Theatre, 1921) 212
  28. Straus, Mother of Pearl (Gaiety Theatre, 1933) 181
  29. Benatzky, The Apache (Palladium, 1927) 166
  30. Künneke, The Song of the Sea (His Majesty’s, 1928) 155
  31. Straus, A Waltz Dream (Hick’s Theatre, 1908) 146
  32. Abraham, Ball at the Savoy (Drury Lane, 1933) 146
  33. Lehár, The Blue Mazurka (Daly’s, 1927) 138
  34. Strauss, Nightbirds (Lyric, 1911) 133
  35. Stolz, The Blue Train (Prince of Wales’s, 1927) 126
  36. Lehár, The Three Graces (Empire, 1924) 121
  37. Straus, Cleopatra (Daly’s, 1925) 111
  38. Lehár, Frederica (Palace Theatre, 1930) 110
  39. Gilbert, The Cinema Star (Shaftesbury, 1914) 108
  40. Gilbert, Mam’selle Tra-La-La (Lyric, 1914) 107
  41. Künneke, The Cousin from Nowhere (Prince’s Theatre, 1923) 106
  42. Gilbert, The Joy-Ride Lady (New Theatre, 1914) 105
  43. Abraham, Viktoria and Her Hussar (Palace Theatre, 1931) 100
  44. Lehár, Clo-Clo (Shaftesbury, 1925) 95
  45. Kálmán, A Kiss in Spring (Alhambra, 1932) 83
  46. Eysler, The Laughing Husband (New Theatre, 1913) 78*
  47. Kálmán, Autumn Manoeuvres (Royal Adelphi Theatre, 1912) 74
  48. Benatzky, The Flying Trapeze (Alhambra Theatre, 1935) 73
  49. Lehár, The Land of Smiles (Drury Lane, 1931) 72
  50. Fall, The Merry Peasant (Strand Theatre, 1909) 69
  51. Eysler, The Girl Who Didn’t (Lyric, 1913) 68
  52. Kálmán, Maritza (Palace Theatre, 1938) 68
  53. Lincke, Castles in the Air (Scala Theatre, 1911) 65
  54. Straus, Love and Laughter (New Theatre, 1913) 65
  55. Reinhardt, The Spring Maid (Whitney Theatre, 1911) 63
  56. Lehár, Paganini (Lyceum, 1937) 59
  57. Lehár, Mitislaw (London Hippodrome, 1909) 56
  58. Straus, The Dancing Viennese (London Coliseum, 1912) 48**
  59. Granichstaedten, Hearts and Diamonds (Strand, 1926) 43
  60. Künneke, Love’s Awakening (Empire Theatre, 1922) 37
  61. Weill, A Kingdom for a Cow (Savoy Theatre, 1935) 18
  62. Benatzky, My Sister and I (Shaftesbury, 1931) 8
  63. Gilbert, Lovely Lady (Phoenix, 1932) 4

* Revised version produced at the Lyric in Dec. 1913 as The Girl Who Didn’t.

** Preceded by 48 performances in German.

40 have 100 performances or more.

5 new German operetta adaptations produced in the West End in 1912, 3 in 1913, 3 in 1914. In 1912, Fall’s Darby and Joan (Brüderlein fein) produced at Coliseum, and Lincke’s The H’arum Lily at the London Pavilion) both one-act operettas. In 1914, Reinhardt’s The Daring of Diane (one act) was produced at the Pavilion.

5 new productions in 1922, 3 in 1925, 5 in 1931, 5 in 1932. No productions of new operetta from the German stage after Maritza (1938) until Three Waltzes (Oscar Straus) in 1945.

Operettas to English texts (1906–36) by composers for the German stage:

  1. Felix, The Merveilleuses (Daly’s, 1906) 197
  2. Fall (L.), The Eternal Waltz (London Hippodrome, 1911) 100
  3. Fall (R.), Arms and the Girl (London Hippodrome, 1912) 95
  4. Straus, Love and Laughter (Lyric Theatre, 1913) 67
  5. Kálmán, The Blue House (London Hippodrome, 1912) 64
  6. Stolz, Rise and Shine (Drury Lane, 1936) 44
  7. Gilbert, The Girl from Cook’s (Gaiety, 1927) 30
  8. Künneke, Riki-Tiki (Gaiety Theatre, 1926) 18
  9. Künneke, Lover’s Lane (1923) ?

Operetta to French text by composer for German stage:

Straus, Mariette (His Majesty’s Theatre, 1929) 21

Operettas adapted directly from the Hungarian stage:

  1. Jacobi, The Marriage Market (Daly’s, 1913) 423
  2. Jacobi, Sybil (Daly’s, 1921) 374

Top Composers:

  1. Lehár 10
  2. Gilbert 9
  3. Straus 9
  4. Kálmán 7
  5. Fall 6
  6. Benatzky 5

The Top Twenty adaptations of silver-age operettas ranked in order of the highest number of West End performances, 1907–38. Date of first London performance given.

  1. Lehár, The Merry Widow (1907) 1317
  2. Berté/Schubert/Clutsam, Lilac Time (1922) 1092*
  3. Cuvillier, The Lilac Domino (1918) 747
  4. Benatzky, White Horse Inn (1931) 651
  5. Strauss Sr & Jr, Waltzes from Vienna (1931) 607
  6. Straus, The Chocolate Soldier (1910) 599
  7. Gilbert, The Girl in the Taxi (1912) 597
  8. Gilbert, The Lady of the Rose (1922) 543
  9. Gilbert, Katja, the Dancer (1925) 514
  10. Fall, The Dollar Princess (1909) 497
  11. Fall, Madame Pompadour (1923) 461
  12. Benatzky and Strauss, Casanova (1932) 429
  13. Jacobi, The Marriage Market (Daly’s, 1913) 423
  14. Mackeben and Millöcker, The Dubarry (1932) 398
  15. Jacobi, Sybil (Daly’s, 1921) 374
  16. Fall, The Girl in the Train (1910) 339
  17. Lehár, The Count of Luxembourg (1911) 339
  18. Lehár, Gipsy Love (1912) 299
  19. Stolz, Wild Violets (1932) 290
  20. Straus, The Last Waltz (1922) 283

In top twenty are 3 by Gilbert, 3 by Lehár, 3 by Fall, and 2 by Jacobi, and 2 by Straus.

* 35 performances were given in German at the Aldwych (1933).

London Charts (MS Word document)

New York Charts

English Adaptations of Operettas from the German Stage: New York 1907–38

(Ranked in order of the highest number of performances of the first production.)

  1. Berté/Schubert/Romberg, Blossom Time (Ambassador, 1921) 516
  2. Romberg (orig. Kollo), Maytime (Shubert Theatre, 1917) 492
  3. Lehár, The Merry Widow (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1907) 416
  4. Eysler, The Blue Paradise (Casino Theatre, 1915) 356
  5. Kálmán, Countess Maritza (Shubert Theatre, 1926) 321
  6. Strauss Jr. & Sr., arr. Korngold & Bittner, The Great Waltz (Center Theatre, 1934)
  7. Straus, The Chocolate Soldier (Lyric Theatre, 1909) 296
  8. Fall, The Dollar Princess (Knickerbocker Theatre, 1909) 288
  9. Gilbert, The Lady in Ermine, (Ambassador Theatre, 1922) 238
  10. Benatzky, White Horse Inn (Center Theatre, 1936) 233
  11. Kálmán, Miss Springtime (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1916) 224
  12. Stolz, Sky High (Shubert Theatre, 1925) 217
  13. Reinhardt, The Spring Maid (Liberty Theatre, 1910) 208
  14. Kálmán, Her Soldier Boy (Astor Theatre, 1916) 198
  15. Kálmán, The Circus Princess (Winter Garden Theatre, 1927) 192
  16. Straus, The Last Waltz (Century Theatre, 1921) 185
  17. Berény, Little Boy Blue (Lyric Theatre, 1911) 184
  18. Granichstaedten, The Rose Maid (Globe Theatre, 1912) 181
  19. Lehár, Alone at Last (Shubert Theatre, 1915) 180
  20. Gilbert, The Red Robe (Shubert Theatre, 1928) 167
  21. Benatzky, Meet My Sister (Shubert Theatre, 1930) 167
  22. Künneke + Offenbach, The Love Song (Century Theatre, 1925) 157
  23. Kálmán, Sari (Liberty Theatre, 1914) 151
  24. Künneke, Caroline (Ambassador Theatre, 1923) 151
  25. Fall, The Siren (Knickerbocker Theatre, 1911) 136
  26. Reinhardt, The Purple Road (Liberty Theatre, 1913) 136
  27. Straus (+Strauss Sr & Jr) Three Waltzes (Majestic Theatre, 1937) 122
  28. Lehár, The Count of Luxembourg (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1912) 120
  29. Eysler, Vera Violetta (Winter Garden Theatre, 1911) 112
  30. Cuvillier, Flora Bella (Casino Theatre, 1916) 112
  31. Gilbert, Katja (44th Street Theatre, 1925) 112
  32. Straus, A Waltz Dream (Broadway Theatre, 1908) 111
  33. Nedbal, The Peasant Girl (44th Street Theatre, 1915) 111
  34. Fall, The Rose of Stamboul (Century Theatre, 1922) 111
  35. Cuvillier, The Lilac Domino (44th Street Theatre, 1914) 109
  36. Kollo, Three Little Girls (Shubert Theatre, 1930) 104
  37. Gilbert, The Queen of the Movies (Globe Theatre, 1914) 104
  38. Ziehrer, Mlle. Mischief (Lyric Theatre, 1908) 96
  39. Lehár, Frederika (Imperial Theatre, 1937) 95
  40. Ziehrer, The Kiss Waltz (Casino Theatre, 1911) 88
  41. Fall, The Doll Girl (Globe Theatre, 1913) 88
  42. Burgess, et al. (orig. Straus), Naughty Riquette (Cosmopolitan,’26) 88
  43. Mackeben + Millöcker, The Du Barry (Cohen Theatre, 1932) 87
  44. Fall, Madame Pompadour (Martin Beck Theatre, 1924) 80
  45. Kálmán, The Yankee Princess (Knickerbocker Theatre, 1922) 80
  46. Eysler, The Love Cure (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1910) 78
  47. Romberg (orig. Ascher), Follow Me (Casino Theatre, 1916) 78
  48. Kálmán, The Riviera Girl (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1917) 78
  49. Berény, The Girl from Montmartre (Criterion Theatre, 1912) 72
  50. Kollo, Springtime of Youth (Broadhurst Theatre, 1922) 68
  51. Jarno, The Girl and the Kaiser (Herald Square Theatre, 1910) 64
  52. Kollo, The Girl on the Film (44th Street Theatre, 1913) 64
  53. Winterberg, The Girl from Brazil (44th Street Theatre, 1916) 61
  54. Gilbert, A Modern Eve (Casino Theatre, 1915) 56
  55. Lehár, The Man with Three Wives (Weber and Fields’ Music Hall, 1913)
  56. Eysler, The Laughing Husband (Knickerbocker Theatre, 1914) 48
  57. Winterberg, The Lady in Red (Lyric Theatre, 1919) 48
  58. Kálmán, The Gay Hussars (Knickerbocker Theatre, 1909) 44
  59. Fall, The Girl in the Train (Globe Theatre, 1910) 40
  60. Fall, Lieber Augustin (Casino Theatre, 1913) 37
  61. Heuberger, The Opera Ball (Liberty Theatre, 1912) 32
  62. Kálmán, The Woman Haters (Astor Theatre, 1912) 32
  63. Lehár, Gypsy Love (Globe Theatre, 1911) 31
  64. Gilbert, Modest Suzanne (Liberty Theatre, 1912) 24
  65. Berté, The Rose of Panama (Daly’s Theatre, 1912) 24
  66. Lehár, Eva (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1912) 24
  67. Straus, My Little Friend (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1913) 24
  68. Lehár, Maids of Athens (New Amsterdam Theatre, 1914) 22
  69. Straus, My Lady’s Glove (Lyric Theatre, 1917) 16
  70. Kollo, Phoebe of Quality Street (Shubert Theatre, 1921) 16
  71. Fall, The Eternal Waltz (Palace Theatre, 1913) 12
  72. Gilbert, Marching By (Chanin’s 46th Street Theatre, 1932) 12
  73. Weill, The Threepenny Opera (Empire Theatre, 1933) 12
  74. Lehár, The Star Gazer (Plymouth Theatre, 1917) 8
  75. Lehár, Where the Lark Sings (Manhattan Opera House, 1920) 5

36 have runs of over 100.

Last operetta here is Three Waltzes, which closed on 9 Apr. 1938. Last to be performed was Blossom Time on 26 Dec. 1938, closing after 19 perfs in Jan. 1939. Then nothing till 15 Jul. 1942, Merry Widow revival at Carnegie Hall (39 perfs). No Broadway production of a new operetta from the German stage until the belated New York premiere of Lehár’s Das Land des Lächelns in 1946, which then ran for just 36 performances under the title Yours Is My Heart. Kálmán’s Marinka (1945) was composed to an English text, and did well (165 perfs). Sky High was the title given to Stolz’s operetta Der Tanz ins Glück (1920), produced in London as Whirled into Happiness (Lyric Theatre, 1922).

Operettas to English texts (1908–1938) by composers for the German stage:

  1. Goetzl, The Royal Vagabond (Cohan and Harris, 1919) 348
  2.  Jacobi & Kreisler, Apple Blossoms (Globe, 1919) 256
  3. Kálmán, Golden Dawn (Hammerstein’s, 1927) 184
  4. Weill, Knickerbocker Holiday (Ethel Barrymore, 1938) 168Felix, Lassie (Nora Bayes, 1920) 159
  5. Künneke, The Love Song (Century, 1925) 157
  6. Weill, The Eternal Road (Manhattan Opera House, 1937) 153
  7. Felix, Pom-pom (Cohan, 1916) 128
  8. Jacobi, Rambler Rose (Empire, 1917) 72
  9. Weill, Johnny Johnson (44th Street, 1936) 68
  10. Sirmay, Ripples (New Amsterdam, 1930) 55
  11. acobi, The Half Moon (Liberty, 1920) 48
  12. Felix, Peg-o’-My-Dreams (Jolson, 1924) 32
  13. Felix, Tantalizing Tommy (Criterion, 1912) 31
  14. Jacobi, The Love Letter (Globe, 1921) 31
  15. Holländer, The Charity Girl (Globe, 1912) 21
  16. Fall, The Eternal Waltz (Palace, 1913) 12

Operettas adapted directly from the Hungarian stage:

  1. Jacobi, Sybil (Liberty, 1916) 168
  2. Jacobi, The Marriage Market (Knickerbocker, 1913) 88

Top Composers:

  1. Lehár 10
  2. Kálmán 9
  3. Fall 8
  4. Gilbert 7
  5. Straus 6
  6. Eysler 4
  7. Kollo 4

The Top Twenty adaptations of silver-age operettas ranked in order of the highest number of Broadway performances, 1907–38. Date of first New York performance given.

  1. Berté/Schubert/Romberg, Blossom Time (1921) 651
  2. Lehár, The Merry Widow (1907) 520
  3. Straus, The Chocolate Soldier (1909) 441
  4. Eysler, The Blue Paradise (1915) 356
  5. Strauss Jr. & Sr., arr. Korngold & Bittner, The Great Waltz (Center Theatre, 1934) 347
  6. Kálmán, Countess Maritza (1926) 337
  7. Fall, The Dollar Princess (1909) 288
  8. Gilbert, The Lady in Ermine, (1922) 238
  9. Benatzky, White Horse Inn (1936) 233
  10. Kálmán, Miss Springtime (1916) 224
  11. Stolz, Sky High (1925) 217
  12. Reinhardt, The Spring Maid (1910) 208
  13. Kálmán, Her Soldier Boy (1916) 198
  14. Kálmán, The Circus Princess (1927) 192
  15. Straus, The Last Waltz (1921) 185
  16. Berény, Little Boy Blue (1911) 184
  17. Lehár, Alone at Last (1915) 180
  18. Granichstaedten, The Rose Maid (1912) 176
  19. Jacobi, Sybil (Liberty, 1916) 168
  20. Gilbert, The Red Robe (1928) 167
  21. Benatzky, Meet My Sister (1930) 167

In the top twenty are 4 by Kálmán, 2 by Benatzky, 2 by Gilbert, 2 by Lehár, and 2 by Straus.

New York Charts (MS Word document)