The Land of Smiles - Performance History

Performance History

The work was originally produced under the title Die gelbe Jacke (The Yellow Jacket). This was presented at the Theatre an der Wien, Vienna on 9 February 1923 with Hubert Marischka as Sou-Chong. It was not a great success, and Lehár later revised it, under the new title of Das Land des Lächelns, which was first performed, at the Metropol Theatre, Berlin, on 10 October 1929. Tauber reprised his role in London (1931 and 1932) South Africa (1939) and New York (1946), as well as in Vienna in 1930 (again at the Theatre an der Wien) and in 1938 (at the Vienna State Opera and also in Prague). Tauber also sang it in London and on tour throughout Britain between 1940 and 1942.

Sadler's Wells Opera produced it in London in the late 1950s, after the success of Lehár's The Merry Widow starring June Bronhill had rescued the company from bankruptcy. Starring Charles Craig, Elizabeth Fretwell and Bronhill, the show didn't attract the same audiences as The Merry Widow. However, Craig's singing on a recording is outstanding, with some top D♭ notes at the end of his big numbers.