Deborah

Deborah is a German play by Salomon Hermann Mosenthal ()[]

The original text

Based on the story of "Rebecca" in Sir Walter Scott's famous novel Ivanhoe, Mosenthal's version was first performed in Vienna in 1849.

Translations and adaptations

Besides many other theatrical works based on Ivanhoe, there were a number of English versions of Mosenthal's play.

Leah, the Forsaken by Augustin Daly ()[] was the first English version. Originally performed in New York in 1862, followed by a run in the Adelphi Theatre, London during 1863-4, it became immensely popular. (Also found as Leah the Forsaken, or The Jewish Maiden's Wrongs or simply Leah).

Two other versions of the Mosenthal play opened in 1864: Deborah, or The Jewish Outcast, written by an unnamed author, opened at the Grecian Theatre, Hoxton, in February while Deborah, the Forsaken, or The Jewish Maiden's Wrong! by Charles Smith Cheltnam ()[], opened at the Royal Victoria Theatre in Waterloo in July.

Nadia Valman. 2007. The Jewess in Nineteenth-Century British Literary Culture, Cambridge University Press: p.34-39[1]