New-York tribune., 1921-05-08
''Last Waltz y at Century, Is 4
Shuberts' 2OOth Musical PIav.
Some Tunes of Yesteryear

With their presentation OF "The Last
Waltz at the Century Theater next
Tuesday evening. the new operetta by
Oscar Strauss, composer of "The Choco-
late Soldier" the Shuberts attain q
record OF 200 musical productions.
That "The Last Waltz" has been se-
lected as the banner attraction to round
of the record was due largely TO It's
exquisite score and the opportunities
afforded the scenic artist in the way of
brilliant pictures for that ample stage
which framed "Florodora," Mecca
and "In the Night Watch"
To have been the sponsors Of 200
operettas, comic operas, musical come
dies and reyues is record Of which
the Shuberts are deservedly proud. It
is an achievement that required amaz-
ing industry and resourcefulness and
an expenditure Of millions of dollars.
So these brothers who came to New
York from Syracuse more than twenty
years ago are entitled to sentimental
interest in "The Last Waltz" aside
from its values in rich music and dra-
matte elements.
In the gallery of musical plays which
the Shuberts have produced will be
found the works OF virtually all ma
tions. There are Viennese operettas,
French, English and German musical
comedies. American representations
have been many and notable. From
the banks of the Danube have come
scores teeming with waltzes and STIR
ving marches by such composers as
Oscar Straus, Franz Lehr, Leo Fall,
Walter Kollo, Edmund Eysler and Oscar
Nedbal. Lionel Monckton, Leslie Stuart,
Howard Talbot, Owen Hall, Arthur
Wimperis, Adrian Ross, Graham Hill,
Fred Thompson and others have con-
tributed musical plays from London.
France has been represented by Keroul
and Barre. Kalman, the Hungarian,
has place. Jean Gilbert and Victor
Hollander represent the German COM
posers.
All of the leading American COM
posers and librettists have a place in
the Shubert sun. The three Smiths
Harry B., Robert B. and Edgar-Rida
Johnson Young, Sigmund Romberg, who
learned to write music at the feet of
Lehar; Jerome Kern, Pixley and
Luders, those famous collaborators of
decade ago; Gustav Kerker, Raymond
Hubbell, Glen Marlborough, Reginald
De Koven, Rudolph Friml, Dorothy
Donnelly, Harold Atteridge,. Jean
Schwartz, Louis Hirsch, Harry Carroll,
Philip Bartholomae and many others
have appeared on the several programs.
The Shuberts have presented more
Viennese operettas than any other
American producers. "Alone at Last"
Lehar's greatest work, was their pro-
duction. AS staged at the Shubert
Theater few years ago it possessed
one Of the most prominent casts ever
assembled for musical play, including
Marguerite Namara, John Charles
Thomas, Jose Collins, Harry Conor and
Roy Atwell.
"The Peasant Girl" in which Emma
Trentini and Clifton Crawford ap-
peared, came from Vienna. It's music
was by Oscar Nedbal, with additional
numbers by Rudolph Friml, while the
book was the work of Leo Stein, the
author of "The Merry Widow" Miss
Caprice" in which De Wolf Hopper
starred, was composed by Leo Fall.
"The Man with the Three Wives"
Gypsy Love-" "The Star Gazer" and
"The Beautiful Unknown" were other
Lehar productions. "The Girl on the
Film" came from Vienna via London.
1t introduced Emmy Wehlen, the Wen
nese vocalist and comedienne, to this
country, after a success in London. The
music Of this production was composed
by Walter Kollo, who is responsible
for the score Of "Phebe of Quality
Street," the musical version of James
M. Barrie's equality Street"
Two Of the greatest successes on the
list were "Blue Paradise and "May-
time," the latter being adapted to the
American stage by Rida Johnson Young
and Sigmund Romberg.
No Viennese representation would be
complete without the name of Johann
Strauss. the waltz king. whose "Rl,a