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''The Maid of the Mountains'', called in its original score a musical play, is an operetta or musical comedy in three acts. The music was by Harold Fraser-Simson, with additional music by James W. Tate, lyrics by Harry Graham and additional lyrics by Frank Clifford Harris and Valentine, and the book was written by Frederick Lonsdale, best known for his later society comedies such as ''On Approval''. After an initial try-out at the Prince's Theatre in Manchester on 23 December 1916, the show was rewritten and opened at Daly's Theatre in London on 10 February 1917. Produced by Robert Evett (after being turned down by Frank Curzon) and directed by Oscar Asche (who had directed the record-setting hit ''Chu Chin Chow''), ''The Maid of the Mountains'' ran for 1,352 performances in its initial London run—closing mainly because of the nervous exhaustion of its female lead, José Collins. This highly profitable run saved the George Edwardes estate, then being managed by Evett, from bankruptcy.〔(Lamb, Andrew. Sleeve notes from the Hyperion recording (2000) ), accessed May 4, 2008〕 The original New York production (1918) did not catch on, only running for 37 performances. However, Asche also directed the first Australian production for J. C. Williamson in Australia in 1917, followed by another production in 1923. This became as successful as the London production, with soprano Gladys Moncrieff becoming famous as Teresa. The show had major London revivals in 1921, 1930, 1942 (starring Sylvia Cecil at the London Coliseum)〔''The Times'', 2 April 1942, p. 6〕 and 1972 in an Emile Littler production at the Palace Theatre in the West End, and at the Finborough Theatre, London, in December 2006 with a West End cast including Anita Louise Combe,〔(Description of the 2006 Finborough production from IndieLondon )〕 as well as numerous other professional productions elsewhere. The musical was popular with amateur theatre groups, particularly in Britain, from the 1930s to about 1970.〔Bond, Ian. ("Rarely Produced Shows" ). St. David's Players, accessed 22 July 2010〕 ==Background== ''The Maid of the Mountains'' was one of the three most important musical hits of the London stage during World War I (the other two being a revue entitled ''The Bing Boys Are Here'' and the musical ''Chu Chin Chow'', music or scenes from all of these have been included as background in many films set in this period, and they remain intensely evocative of the "Great War" years.〔Cooke, Mervyn. (''The Cambridge Companion to Twentieth-century Opera'' ), p. 296 (2005) Cambridge University Press ISBN 0-521-78009-8〕 Other hit shows of the period were ''Theodore & Co'' (1916), ''The Boy'' (1917), and ''Yes, Uncle! (1917)''. Audiences wanted light and uplifting entertainment during the war, and these shows delivered it.〔(''Chu Chin Chow'' ), Musical Theatre Guided Tour (PeoplePlay UK), accessed October 3, 2008〕 Some of the most popular songs were: "Love Will find a Way", "A Bachelor Gay", "A Paradise for Two", "My life is Love", and "Live for Today". The "romantic" ending, with Teresa finally united to Baldassaré, was personally insisted on by José Collins〔 (in the play as originally written, she ended up with the faithful but less colourful character of Beppo). Beppo and Teresa's duets remain, however, and the role of Baldassaré remains a non-singing part. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Maid of the Mountains」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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