Begun in Austria in 1944/45, finished and released in 1949, this is a biography of the minor Austrian composer Carl Michael Ziehrer, who overcomes hypersensitivity in competitive situations which leads initially to failures in both career and romance.
Lehar's The Land of Smiles touches the heart as it provides unforgetable melodies from start to finish. There are no weak links in the cast. Too often, we think of operetta as musical fluff, tired cliches, and obligatory dance scenes when things start slowing down. Not so in this classic operetta....
This semi-musical stars Lenv Marenbach as Jana, a naïve farm girl who falls in love with a neighbor boy. It isn't long before she realizes that the romance is a mistake, but by now the couple is engaged. At the very last moment, Jana balks at the altar and runs off with her true love, her fiance's...
Crown Prince Don Carlos reunites with reformer Marquis Posa, who urges him to govern Flanders and broker peace. Carlos confesses forbidden love for his stepmother, Queen Elisabeth, who bids him serve Spain instead. Intrigue by the jealous Princess Eboli and Duke of Alba convinces King Philip II of...
