Vera Violetta
Vera Violetta was an operetta, with a libretto by Louis Stein and music by Edmund Eysler, additional music by George M. Cohan, Jean Schwartz and Louis A. Hirsch, about the flirtatious wife of a professor. Vera Violetta was the name both of her Roger & Gallet perfume and a waltz which celebrated it.[1]
This was adapted by Harold Atteridge and Leonard Liebling for Shuberts' Winter Garden Theatre on Broadway. A variety of star turns were added including "The Gaby Glide" for celebrated dancer Gaby Deslys and her partner Harry Pilcer; and "Ta-Ra-Ra-Boom-Der-E" for José Collins – the song which had been popularised by her mother, Lottie Collins. Al Jolson had a supporting role as a blackface waiter but stole the show with his performances of "Rum-Tum-Tiddle" and "That Haunting Melody" which had regular encores.[1] Another rising star who appeared in the show was the young Mae West.
The programme was preceded by some vaudeville and then closed with Undine – a special performance by swimmer Annette Kellerman. The show opened on 20 November 1911 and ran for 112 performances.[1]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gerald Bordman, Richard Norton (2010), American Musical Theatre, Oxford University Press, pp. 319–320, ISBN 978-0-19-972970-8