Franz Lehar "MERRY WIDOW" Archie Gunn Cover Art / H. M. Higgs 1907 Sheet Music

Description

This is a rare large format piece of sheet music for the song "I LOVE YOU SO!" introduced by DONALD BRIAN and ETHEL JACKSON in the
Original Broadway production of the FRANZ LEHAR, VICTOR LEON and LEO STEIN Viennese Operetta "THE MERRY WIDOW" at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City. (The production opened October 21st, 1907 and ran for 416 performances.) ..... The musical starred DONALD BRIAN as "Prince Danilo" and ETHEL JACKSON as "Sonia" (the Merry Widow) and featured R. E. GRAHAM, LOIS EWELL, WILLIAM C. WEEDON, WALTER C. WILSON, CHARLES MEAKINS, HARRY HYDE, AURORA PIATT, F. J. McCARTHY, JANE MURRAY, FRED FREAR, BLANCHE RICE, HARRY H. MEYER, RALPH WHITING, FRED M. FISHER, NICHOLAS SZABO, JEAN WARD, EVA BENNETT, PAULINE WINTERS, ESTELLE LIBERT, SYLVIA LOTI, HELEN ROCKEFELLER, THERESA VAN BRUNE, PORTIA BELMA, BERNICE HARTE and SOPHIE WITT ..... Historical Background: "THE MERRY WIDOW" ("Die Lustige Witwe") premiered on December 30th, 1905 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, Austria and was
Lehár
's first major success, becoming internationally the best-known operetta of its era.
Lehár subsequently made changes for productions in London in 1907 (adding two new numbers), and Berlin in the 1920's, but the definitive version is basically that of the original production
.
.... CREDITS: Music by FRANZ LEHAR ("The Merry Widow", "Gypsy Love", "The Count of Luxembourg", "The Ziegfeld Follies of 1916", "Frederika"); Arranged for Piano by H. M. HIGGS; Book by VICTOR LEON and LEO STEIN; English Lyrics by ADRIAN ROSS; Sets designed by WALTER W. BURRIDGE; Costumes designed by Madame ZIMMERMAN and PERCY ANDERSON; Orchestra conducted by LOUIS F. GOTTSCHALK; Directed by GEORGE MARION; Produced by HENRY W. SAVAGE
..... DETAILS: The oversized eight page piece of sheet music measures approx. 10 1/2" X 13 3/4" inches, has wonderful cover graphics by ARCHIE GUNN and is copyrighted 1907 by Chappell and Co., New York City ..... CONDITION: With the exception of repairs on the inside seam with archival tape, a residual stamp in the lower right corner, light soiling to the covers and minor edge wear, this rare piece of sheet music is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.
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