Composer

:

Rudolf Friml

Genre

:

Opera

Style

:

Operetta

Compose Date

:

1912

Average_duration

:

121:02

The Firefly is an operetta composed by Rudolf Friml, with lyrics by Otto Harbach and Oscar Hammerstein II. The operetta premiered on December 2, 1912, at the Lyric Theatre in New York City. The plot of the operetta revolves around a young woman named Nina who is engaged to a wealthy man named Jack Travers. However, Nina falls in love with a man named Billy whom she meets while on vacation in the Adirondack Mountains. Billy is a composer who is struggling to make a living, and Nina decides to help him by secretly buying his music and passing it off as her own. The operetta is set in the early 20th century and features a variety of musical styles, including waltzes, marches, and ballads. The music is characterized by its catchy melodies and lush orchestration, with Friml's use of the harp and other instruments adding to the operetta's romantic and dreamy atmosphere. The Firefly was a huge success when it premiered, running for over 600 performances on Broadway and spawning several popular songs, including "The Donkey Serenade" and "When a Maid Comes Knocking at Your Heart." The operetta was also adapted into a film in 1937, starring Jeanette MacDonald and Allan Jones. Despite its popularity, The Firefly has fallen out of favor in recent years and is rarely performed today. However, its influence can still be felt in the world of musical theater, with its romantic plot and lush music inspiring countless other works in the genre.

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