The Student Prince
The Student Prince is an operetta in four acts, with music by Sigmund Romberg and book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly. [1].
Contents
The original text
Based on Wilhelm Meyer-Förster's German play Alt-Heidelberg, it was first performed in 1924, opening on December 2 at Jolson's 59th Street Theatre on Broadway and went on to become the most successful of Romberg's works, running for 608 performances.
Translations and adaptations
Adapted as a famous film, featuring the voice of Mario Lanza and actors Ernst Lubitsch made a silent film also based on Förster's work, titled The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg, starring Ramón Novarro and Norma Shearer. Its orchestral score did not use any of Romberg's score, although it did include "Gaudeamus igitur". The operetta was revived twice on Broadway – once in 1931 and again in 1943. Mario Lanza's performance on the soundtrack of the 1954 MGM film The Student Prince renewed the popularity of many of the songs.
Translated into Afrikaans as Die Studente Prins by an unknown author. The text of the translation was published by DALRO in 1967.
Performance history in South Africa
1969: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society
1979: Staged by the Port Elizabeth Gilbert & Sullivan Society
Sources
Go to ESAT Bibliography
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Return to PLAYS I: Original SA plays
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Return to PLAYS III: Collections
Return to PLAYS IV: Pageants and public performances
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