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;[2] 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. Gerald Bordman, Richard Norton (2010), American Musical Theatre, Oxford University Press, pp. 319–320, ISBN 978-0-19-972970-8
  2. Cullen, Frank; Hackman, Florence; McNeilly, Donald (2004). Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780415938532.


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