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Magyar Melody

Romance with Music : Adapted by Eric Maschwitz and George Posford from the play by Eric Maschwitz, Fred Thompson and Guy Bolton. Music by George Posford and Bernard Grun. Revised from Paprika

Premiered at the Opera House, Manchester - 29 Nov, 1938
His Majesty's Theatre, London - 20 January, 1939 (105 perf.)

Magyar Melody was the first musical to be broadcast directly from a theatre and shown on television on 27 March 1939

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The play in its original version was presented at His Majesty's Theatre, London with the following players in the principal parts

ROSZI BELVARY - Binnie Hale
MICHAEL - Roger Treville
JULIKA - Betty Warren
MIKKI (JARvIS) - Jerry Verno
COUNT FERENC - Arthur Margetson
THE EMPRESS - Stella Arbenina
BARDOS - Jimmy Godden

Story Outline

A simple tale of an aristocratic Englishman and opera composer, whose Hungarian gypsy love becomes an operetta star and conquers Budapest, but fails to conquer the social world of London. She returns to her homeland, to be followed, at the last moment, by her lover.

The story remained very similar to the original Paprika, except that Roszi is now just an Hungarian actress (her violin solos have been cut!),and she does not return to London with Michael. Most of the action now takes place in Hungary, with very little staged in London.

Michael is informed of the death of his uncle, the Duke of Firth and is obliged immediately to return to England, with no time to explain to Roszi. Count Ferenc, entrusted to deliver the farewell message and explanation, fails to do so and consequently Roszi believes she has been abandoned.

Cast:

(in order of appearance)

• Julika - Tenant of a Hungarian Farm
• Mikki - A Photographer
• The Mayor
• Town Councillors
• Count Ferenc - A Wealthy Land Owner
• Michael - A Composer of Music
• Roszi Belvary - An Actress
• Miklos - A Peasant
• The Empress Elizabeth
• Istvan - A Maître d'Hotel
• Bardos - A Theatrical Manager
• Major Lonay - An Army Officer
• Marika, Zita , Ilona - Actresses
• Theatrical Mamma
• Sisters
• Claque Leader
• Waiter
• Bandmaster
• Village Band
• Hunters
• Herr Steffan - Landlord of the Golden Horn
• Shot Gun Cousins
• Shot Gun Uncle
• Shot Gun Grandpa
• Maria - Maid at the Hotel
  
  
  
• Hungarian Peasants, Actresses, Audience, Guests, Villagers, Huntsmen, etc., etc.

MUSICAL NUMBERS

ACT I

OVERTURE

1. Harvest Festival — Home is the Harvest - Chorus and Dancers
   1A. Fanfare
   
2. Roszi - Julika and Chorus
   
3. My Song is Born - Michael and Chorus
   3A. Exit Chorus
   3B. Entrance of Roszi
   
4. Magyar Melody - Roszi, Michael and Chorus
   4A. Melos
   
5. Boy Meets Girl - Roszi, Michael, Chorus and Dancers
   
6. Just Like a Gipsy Band - Julika and Mikki
   6A. Czardas - Gipsy Dancers and Peasants
   
7. Empress's Anthem - Chorus
   
8. Hungarian Anthem (Exit of the Empress)
   9. Finale, Act I — Reprise — Roszi - Julika and Chorus
   
   ENTR'ACTE
   

ACT II

10. Café Continental - Istvan and Clientele
    
11. Never Bring Mamma! - Marika, Ilona, Zita and Actresses 1
    1A:. Exit
    
12. Reprise — Magyar Melody - Roszi and Chorus
    
13. Reprise — Boy Meets Girl - Roszi and Michael
    
14. My Heart Belongs to Budapest - Roszi and Michael
    14A. Dramatic Melos
    I4B. My Heart Belongs to Budapest - Chorus
    
15. Link to Scene 3
    
16. Operetta Scene - Roszi and Tenor
    16A. Fanfare and Hungarian Anthem - (Entrance of the Empress)
    
17. Link to Scene 4
    
18. Music for Romance - Roszi, Guests and Dancers
    18A. Exit
    
19. No Married Men Need Apply - Julika, Mikki and Bardos
    
20. Mine Alone - Roszi, Michael and Chorus
    20A. Melos and Roszi Waltzing
    20B. Finale — Dramatic Melos
    
    ENTR'ACTE

ACT III

21. A Truly Tyrolean Band - Bandmaster, Chorus and Dancers
    21A. Music for Romance (Brass band effect)
    
22. The Waltz I Would Rather Forget - Roszi and Chorus
    22A. Exit — Reprise — A Truly Tyrolean Band - Chorus
    22B. Melos - Mine Alone
    
23. Shot Gun Wedding - Julika, Mikki, Chorus and Dancers
    23A. Melos — Hunting Music
    23B. Melos — Mine Alone
    
24. Day Dream - Michael
    24A. Entrance of Julika, Mikki and Bardos
    
25. Finale — Mine Alone - Roszi, Michael and Company
    
26. Finale Ultimo - The Company

Scenes and Settings:

ACT I

A Farmhouse on the Great Plain of Hungary

ACT II

SCENE 1. The Café Continental, Budapest (A few months later)
SCENE 2. Outside the Royal Theatre (A few weeks later)
SCENE 3. Behind the Theatre Gallery (The same evening)
SCENE 4. The Café Continental (Later the same evening)

ACT III

The Inn of The Golden Horn in the Tyrol (One year later)