Bitter Sweet (operetta)
The songs from the score include "The Call of Life", "If You Could Only Come with Me", "I'll See You Again", "Dear Little Café", "If Love Were All", "Ladies of the Town", "Tokay", "Zigeuner" and "Green Carnation".[1] Coward's third choice, Peggy Wood, made a considerable success in the part, and Laye, realising her mistake in turning it down, willingly accepted the role in the subsequent Broadway production.[3] In 1929, the elderly and widowed, but still lively, Marchioness of Shayne is holding a party at her home in London to celebrate the impending society marriage of a young woman, Dolly Chamberlain, who is in love not with her fiancé but with a poor musician ("That Wonderful Melody").Nearly 55 years earlier, in 1875, Lady Shayne is the young Sarah Millick, a wealthy London society debutante, who is having a singing lesson with her dashing music teacher, Carl Linden.The captain challenges him to a duel, which he wins easily, killing Carl; Sari is distraught, as Manon reprises a sad waltz number ("Kiss Me").Sari, now a Viennese star singing Carl's music ("Zigeuner"), is pursued by the Marquis of Shayne, who seeks to restore her youthful spirit.[7] When the piece was revived in 1988, Jeremy Kingston wrote in The Times, "Coward's melodic gift reached its peak in this show, with its gipsy music, drinking song, witty jokes about the gay Nineties and the waltzes that, once heard, are imperishable.[14] The first professional revival in London was in 1988 at Sadler's Wells; Valerie Masterson and Ann Mackay alternated as Sari, with Martin Smith as Carl and Rosemary Ashe as Manon.
Nelson EddyJeanette MacDonald1940 film versionoperettaNoël CowardAustria-HungaryI'll See You AgainIf Love Were AllWest EndBroadwayGertrude LawrenceEvelyn LayeC. B. CochranPeggy WoodGeorge MetaxaBilly MiltonAlan NapierIvy St HelierIsla BevanAustin TrevorRobert NewtonThe TimesStanley GreenGay NinetiesJames AgatePalace Theatre, ManchesterHis Majesty's TheatreLyceumIvy St. HelierAlfredAllan JonesSt. Louis Municipal OperaSouthern CaliforniaShirley JonesSadler's WellsValerie MastersonAnn MackayMartin SmithRosemary AsheOhio Light Operain 1933Herbert WilcoxAnna NeagleFernand Gravetin 1940W. S. Van DykeThe Daily ExpressVanessa LeeJune BronhillTa-ra-ra Boom-de-ayNoël Coward SocietyThe New York TimesWayback MachineInternet Broadway DatabaseTams-Witmark Music Library, Inc.London Calling!On with the DanceThis Year of GraceWords and MusicSet to MusicSigh No MoreOh, Coward!Cowardy CustardConversation PieceOperettePacific 1860Ace of ClubsAfter the BallSail AwayThe Girl Who Came to SupperThe Rat TrapI'll Leave It to YouThe Better HalfThe Young IdeaThe VortexHay FeverFallen AngelsEasy VirtueThe Queen Was in the ParlourSemi-MondeThis Was a ManSiroccoThe MarquiseHome ChatPrivate LivesPost-MortemCavalcadeDesign for LivingPoint ValaineTonight at 8.30Present LaughterThis Happy BreedBlithe SpiritPeace in Our TimeSouth Sea BubbleRelative ValuesQuadrilleNude with ViolinLook After Lulu!Waiting in the WingsSuite in Three KeysIn Which We ServeBrief EncounterThe Astonished HeartPomp and CircumstancePresent IndicativeFuture IndefiniteThe Noël Coward DiariesBitter SweetTonight Is OursWe Were DancingMeet Me TonightPretty PollyRed PeppersHigh Spirits