Maytime

A Musical Play

Book by Lyrics by Ride Johnson Young

The Classic Sigmund Romberg Operetta.

The 1917 musical play Maytime was a mega hit of its time. It now stands as a hallmark of early American musical theatre. 

Its success during the World War I era reflects the public's yearning for escapist entertainment and timeless love stories amid uncertainty. The operetta helped establish Sigmund Romberg’s reputation in musical theatre and would later influence his work on celebrated operettas such as The Student Prince and The Desert Song.

The plot of Maytime spans generations, following the love story of Ottilie Van Zandt and Richard Wayne, who are kept apart by circumstance and social conventions. The story is structured around the tradition of the "maypole," a symbolic device that marks the passage of time and evokes the seasonal bloom of love and the eventual withering that comes with separation. The couple's unfulfilled romance endures as their spirits revisit the maypole annually, transforming Maytime into a bittersweet tale of love that transcends time. By shifting the story through different decades, librettist Rida Johnson Young captures both the timelessness and transience of love, allowing audiences to experience the depth of romantic sacrifice.

Maytime represents the kind of romantic, nostalgic storytelling that was popular in American theatre during the early 20th century, bridging European operetta with American musical sensibilities. By combining Young’s lyrics with Romberg’s melodies, “Maytime” exemplifies the cultural and artistic trends of its time while leaving a lasting impact on the genre of romantic musical drama.

ISBN  979-8300865221 

$12.95

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