Music in the Air

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Music in the Air
Music	Jerome Kern
Lyrics	Oscar Hammerstein II
Book	Oscar Hammerstein II
Productions	1932 Broadway 1933 London 1934 The Muny 1951 Broadway

Music in the Air is a musical written by Oscar Hammerstein II (lyrics and book) and Jerome Kern (music). It introduced songs such as "The Song Is You", "In Egern on the Tegern See" and "I've Told Ev'ry Little Star".

Contents 1 Productions 2 Principal Characters 3 Synopsis 4 Musical Numbers 5 References

[edit] Productions

The original Broadway production opened at the Alvin Theatre on November 8, 1932, and ran for 342 performances.^[1] It was directed by Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein, and featured in the cast Reinald Werrenrath, Natalie Hall, Tullio Carminati, Katherine Carrington, Al Shean, Walter Slezak, Nicholas Joy, Marjorie Main. The music was orchestrated by Robert Russell Bennett.^[2][3]

A London production opened at His Majesty's Theatre on May 19, 1933 and ran for 275 performances

The musical was staged at the St. Louis outdoor musical theatre The Muny in 1934, and again in 1937 and 1944.

The 1934 film version starred Gloria Swanson, John Boles, and Al Shean and was released by Fox Film Corporation.^[4]

A 1951 Broadway revival featured Jane Pickens, Dennis King and Charles Winninger.^[5]

[edit] Principal Characters

• Cornelius - a bird-seller - baritone
• Frieda Hatzfeld - an operetta star - soprano
• Bruno Mahler - a composer - baritone
• Sieglinde Lessing - a young singer - soprano
• Dr Walther Lessing - her composer and music teacher father - bass
• Karl Reder - Her lyricist friend, the local schoolteacher - baritone
• Ernst Weber - A publisher
• Lili Kirschner - wife of the producer

[edit] Synopsis

The musical takes place in Bavaria during the 1930s but some contemporary productions have modified it to present day.

The musical opens in the mountain town of Edendorff in Bavaria where music teacher Dr. Walther Lessing, has a beautiful daughter, Sieglinde. She is in love with Karl Reder, the local schoolmaster. Karl and Sieglinde travel to Munich and try to get a song. written by Walther and Karl, published. It is there that Karl is enamoured of operetta star Frieda Hatzfeld whilst Sieglinde is smitten by operetta librettist, Bruno Mahler with whom Frieda lives. Mahler wants Sieglinde to appear in his new work, Tingle, Tangle. At this, Frieda moves out of Mahler's apartment and moves to an hotel where she can see Karl on a regular basis.

One day Bruno takes Sieglinde to the Munich zoo where Sieglinde is warned by Cornelius, a bird-seller, that as she and Karl are country people, it is not wise to stay in a big town. Sieglinde spurns an unwanted pass from Bruno whilst Frieda finds Karl equally unresponsive. Frieda plans to leave for Berlin to star in a new film. Before she leaves she warns Karl that Bruno will cast Sieglinde aside as soon as he has used her. It is left to Karl to tell the producer of the show that Frieda has left. Bruno insists, to Karl's chagrin, that Sieglinde can take over the leading role in the operetta. Resulting from machinations of her father, and a somewhat chaotic dress rehearsal it becomes evident that Sieglinde is far too inexperienced to take on a leading role. As a result Bruno's affections vanish. Walther and Sieglinde are told in no uncertain terms that the theatre is no place for amateurs and they should return to their home. They do.

Frieda meanwhile has returned to take up the leading role and is an overwhelming success.

Karl returns to Edendorff - and Sieglinde: they have both learned a valuable lesson.

[edit] Musical Numbers

• I've Told Ev'ry Little Star
• There's a Hill Beyond a Hill
• And Love Was Born
• I'm Alone
• I Am So Eager
• One More Dance
• When the Spring Is in the Air
• In Egern on the Tegern See
• The Song Is You
• We Belong Together

[edit] References