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Khachaturian

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Feodor Chaliapin

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Lotte Lehmann:
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Anna Russell:
First Farewell Concert
Crown Princess of Comedy

The Great Waltz
Munsel, Novotna

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D’Oyly Carte

Naughty Marietta
Munsel, Drake

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De Los Angeles,
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La Gran Scena
Opera parodies by the
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Vera: Life of a Diva
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produced by the founder of
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Peter Schickele's zany comedy

What The Universe Tells Me
A Film About
Mahler's Third Symphony
- narrated by Stockard Channing

The Lovers' Exile (Chikamatsu)

The Great Waltz - A Musical Based on the Life and Music of Johann Strauss, Jr.
VAI, DVD 4249, $34.95 now $29.95

1955 complete live television production starring opera greats Patrice Munsel and Jarmila Novotna with comedian Bert Lahr. Conducted by Charles Sanford.  Produced by Max Liebman.  Approx. 79 minutes, USA, Black & White, DVD or VHS - NTSC or PAL

Resi Ebesteder - Patrice Munsel
Johann Strauss, Jr. - Keith Andes
Mme. Baranska - Jarmila Novotna
Hans Ebesteder - Bert Lahr
Johann Strauss, Sr. - Henry Sharp
Ferdi - Lee Goodman
Otto Hartkopf - Henry Sharp
Ballerina - Mia Slavenska

The Great Waltz, the popular musical based on the life and times of Johann Strauss, Jr., was one of a number "Spectaculars" presented by pioneer TV producer Max Liebman in the mid 1950s. A stellar cast was assembled: Patrice Munsel was then a star of the Metropolitan Opera, having sung more than a dozen roles with the company before the age of 27!  Jarmila Novotna, the great Czech soprano, made her Metropolitan Opera debut in 1940, and sang with the company for sixteen seasons. Both Munsel and Novotna were acclaimed for their performances in the immensely successful Met production of Johann Strauss's Die Fledermaus, which showcased their talents as comic actresses as well as singers. The role of Hans Ebesteder is played by Bert Lahr, the popular star of vaudeville and radio who is best known for his film role as The Cowardly Lion in The Wizard of Oz. Keith Andes is best known for his roles in such feature films as: The Farmer's Daughter, Clash by Night and Tora! Tora! Tora!

In an age when the medium was still defining itself, Max Liebman produced a wide range of high quality television programming. His early efforts yielded television's first variety show, The Admiral Broadway Review, which later evolved into the legendary series, Your Show of Shows. He later produced a series of specials which aired under the blanket title Max Liebman Presents. We offer The Great Waltz as a tribute to one of the visionaries of the formative years of television.