Benjamin Britten "RAPE OF LUCRETIA" Kitty Carlisle / Giorgio Tozzi 1948 Playbill

Description

This is a rare December 29th, 1948 (Opening Night) playbill from the Original Broadway production of the BENJAMIN BRITTEN and RONALD DUNCAN musical drama "THE RAPE OF LUCRETIA" which played the Ziegfeld Theatre in New York City. (The production opened December 29th, 1948 and ran for only 23 performances.) .....
It is the first work to which Britten applied his term "
chamber opera
."
The opera was first performed at
Glyndebourne
in
England
on July 12th, 1946.
The opera's first performance in the United States was on June 1st, 1947 at the Shubert Theatre in Chicago, Illinois. T
his production, staged by AGNES de MILLE,
starred KITTY CARLISLE and featured EDWARD KANE, BRENDA LEWIS, HOLGER SORENSEN, EMILE RENAN, GIORGIO "George" TOZZI, VIVIAN BAUER, MARGUERITE PIAZZA, LIDIJA FRANKLIN, KAZIMIR KOKIC, LUCAS HOVING, ROBERT PAGENT, STANLEY SIMMONS, BUNTY KELLEY, DONALD CLARKE, PATRICIA NEWAY, EDWIN STEFFE, ANDREW GAINEY, EUNICE ALBERTS, ADELAIDE BISHOP and BELVA KIBLER in the starring role at matinee performances ..... CREDITS: Music by BENJAMIN BRITTEN; Book by RONALD DUNCAN; Musical Direction by PAUL BREISACH; Musical Direction by GEORGE BAUER; Entire Production Staged by AGNES de MILLE; Produced by MARJORIE and SHERMAN EWING and GIOVANNI CARDELLI ..... DETAILS: The 34 page playbill measures 6 1/2" X 9" inches and includes full production credits, cast list, synopsis of scenes, bios of each of the leading actors and wonderful vintage advertising, but no cast photos ..... CONDITION: With the exception of light edge wear, this playbill is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.