Revenge with Music

Dietz, inspired by a trip to Spain, wrote his libretto based on the Spanish novel El sombrero de tres picos by Pedro Antonio de Alarcón.{{cite book |last=Lamb |first=Andrew |author-link=Andrew Lamb (writer) |title=150 Years of Popular Musical Theatre |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wYfyNV5FUQEC&pg=PA184 |publisher=Yale University Press |year=2000 |page=184 |isbn=9780300075380 |chapter=The Musical Comes Ages |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wYfyNV5FUQEC&pg=PA171}} The duo had wanted to write something other than the revues they had been doing. The musical takes place in Spain in 1800, and involves a young Spanish couple, played by Libby Holman, as Maria a young, new bride, and Georges Metaxa as Carlos, her new groom. The story is based on a Spanish folk tale about seduction.Green, Stanley. The World of Musical Comedy (1984), Da Capo Press, {{ISBN|0-306-80207-4}}, p. 166 Carlos seeks revenge on Don Emilio, the Spanish governor, for his attempt at seducing newly-wed Maria on their wedding night, by seducing the governor's willing wife, Doña Isabella.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=GzeiySJZXF4C&q=%22Georges+Metaxa%22+press&pg=PA73 |last=Hischak |first=Thomas S. |title=Broadway Plays and Musicals: Descriptions and Essential Facts of More Than 14,000 Shows through 2007, "4530. Revenge with Music" |location=Jefferson, N.C. |publisher=McFarland & Co. |year=2009 |isbn=978-0-7864-3448-0 |page=386 |accessdate=March 9, 2015}}

Produced by Arch Selwyn and Harold B. Franklin, the Broadway production, opened on November 28, 1934, at the New Amsterdam Theatre for a total of 158 performances. The production had a brief closure from December 15, 1934, until December 24, 1934, to permit one of the leads, Charles Winninger, recover from a broken ankle so that he could return to his role without having to use crutches.{{cite web|url= https://archive.org/stream/variety116-1934-12#page/n102/mode/1up/search/Revenge |title=Variety, "Another Tough Break for Frankwyn" |date=December 11, 1934 |page=54, Column 2 |accessdate=March 15, 2015}}

The dance ensembles were by Michael Mordkin, direction by Theodore Komisarjevsky, orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett. The cast starred Charles Winninger as Don Emilio, Ilka Chase as Doña Isabella, Libby Holman and Georges Metaxa.{{cite web|url= http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=9389 |title=IBDB: Internet Broadway Database, "Revenge with Music" |accessdate=March 9, 2015}}

The composers and members of the Broadway cast presented a 30-minute condensed version of Revenge with Music over the CBS radio network on the night of December 8, 1934.{{cite web|url= https://archive.org/stream/variety116-1934-12#page/n86/mode/1up/search/Metaxa |title=Variety, Radio Reports section, "Revenge with Music" |date=December 11, 1934 |page=38, Column 3 |accessdate=March 15, 2015}}

The show was adapted for NBC radio's The Railroad Hour in 1950, with Gordon MacRae and Nadine Conner in the leads, {{cite web|url=http://www.otrsite.com/logs/logr1004.htm |title=Jerry Haendiges Vintage Radio Logs: The Railroad Hour |accessdate=August 8, 2015}} and for NBC television's Colgate Comedy Hour in 1954, starring Ray Middleton, Ilona Massey and Harpo Marx. {{cite web|url=http://www.tv.com/shows/the-colgate-comedy-hour/10-24-1954-revenge-with-music-253283/ |title=TV.com: The Colgate Comedy Hour Season 5 Episode 5, 10/24/1954 - Revenge with Music |accessdate=August 16, 2019}}

A planned 1986 revival by Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre Company was never staged, due to the death of the company's founding producer, Bill Tynes. {{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-01-29-ca-26538-story.html |title=New Amsterdam's Comeback : A Musical Theater Company Revives Itself |website=Los Angeles Times |date=29 January 1988 |accessdate=August 16, 2019}}

Although this show was considered a failure, it included two hit songs "You and the Night and the Music" and "If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You."Furia, Philip, Lasser, Michael L. America's songs (2006), CRC Press, {{ISBN|0-415-97246-9}}, p. 123 The former was used again in The Band Wagon.

A Revenge with Music medley was the subject of the first recording session by Andre Kostelanetz and his orchestra, on November 9, 1934. It was Victor Records' 12-inch release No. 36142.{{cite web|url=http://www.78discography.com/vic36000.html |title=The Online 78rpm Discographical Project: Victor Records, 36000 Series |accessdate=August 8, 2015}}

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Act I

• Flamenco – Dancing Soloists
• Never Marry a Dancer – Margarita
• If There Is Someone Lovelier Than You – Carlos
• In the Noonday Sun – Consuela and Ensemble
• That Fellow Manuelo – Alonzo, Carlos, Company, Dancing Soloists, Guitarists and Ensemble
• Think It Over – Don Emilio
• Maria – Carlos, Maria and Ensemble
• My Father Said – Carlos, Margarita and Ensemble
• You and the Night and the Music – Carlos and Maria

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Act II

• Once in a While – Margarita, Miguel Rodriguez and Ensemble
• In the Middle of the Night – Alonzo and Ensemble
• Wand’ring Heart – Maria

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{{reflist}}

• [http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=9389 Internet Broadway Database listing]

{{Arthur Schwartz}}

{{The Three-Cornered Hat}}

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Category:1934 musicals

Category:Broadway musicals

Category:Musicals based on novels

Category:Musicals by Arthur Schwartz

Category:Musicals by Howard Dietz

Category:Musicals set in Spain

Category:Musicals set in the 1800s

Category:Works based on The Three-Cornered Hat