Credits:

Abraham, Paul (1892-1960)

Description:

The Hungarian-born Jewish composer Paul Abraham's comic opera "The Savoy Ball," premiered in December 1932, has a comical plot reminiscent of Johann Strauss II's "Die Fledermaus," in which a married man lies to his wife about attending a ball, and when she finds out, she gets even with him. The inclusion of a jazz band and tango, which were popular at the time, in the music created a sensation in Weimar and Berlin, and the film eventually became a worldwide hit on a par with Lehar's works. In 1933, however, Abraham, who had been working at a film studio in Berlin, was forced by the Nazis to leave Germany and return to Budapest, where he was banned from performing his works because they were considered "degenerate music. Nevertheless, Abraham's works remained popular in other European countries, and he continued to create film music and comedy operas in Vienna and Paris, where he had taken refuge. However, with the invasion of fascism, he fled to Cuba and then to New York in 1940. He made a fresh start here, but unfortunately, Gershwin and Cole Porter were gaining popularity in New York at the time, and Abraham's works did not attract much attention. He returned to Germany, but lived a lonely last years of his life, quietly passing away in 1960. This is the world premiere recording of the English version. Naxos Japan

Tracklisting:

1.Ball at the Savoy~Prelude: Waltz: Ball at the Savoy
2.Ball at the Savoy~Introduction: My Dear Venezia Bella Venezia! - Will You Be True?
3.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 1: Where Are They?
4.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 1: Sevilla: A Toast to Madame, a Toast ot Marquis!
5.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 2: What a Pleasure It Is to See You All Again
6.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 2: There's Only One Lady for Me - Duet: Without Your Love, Where Would I Be?
7.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 3: What a Lovely Garden
8.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 4: Who Needs Gin When I'm Here!
9.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 4: My Father, on the Other Hand - At Home Along the Bosporus: Halla, Halla, hai!
10.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 5: Aristide! How Was the Honeymoon?
11.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 6: Hey, Do You Know Who Just Pulled Up Outside?
12.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 6: Hi Everybody! I'm Here! - Kangaroo: Nobody Wants to Do the Foxtrot Today
13.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 7: Daisy! When Did You Get Here?
14.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 8: Did You Really Cross the Ocean Just to See Me?
15.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 8: What's It Like to Be Newlyweds? - The Wedding Night: Duet: The Very First Thing I Recall
16.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 9: Mustafa, There's No Time to Waste
17.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 10: Aristide, I'm So Excited to Have You All to Myself Tonight
18.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 11: I Can't Believe He's Leaving Me on Our First Night at Home
19.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 11: An Eye for an Eye, a Kiss for a Kiss! - A Woman Is Faithful, But Why?: A Man Doesn't Have to Be Faithful
20.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 12: Ah, Miss Daisy, en Grande Toilette!
21.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 12: Duet: Mr Brown and Lady Claire: Every Night at the Bar
22.Ball at the Savoy~Act I: Scene 13: Finale: I'll Have a Ball at the Savoy!
23.Ball at the Savoy~Act II: Entrance Music
24.Ball at the Savoy~Act II: Scene 1: Gentlemen, You Won't Believe Who's Here! - Entrance of Tangolita: Tangolita!
25.Ball at the Savoy~Act II: Scene 1: Bella Tangolita: The Fellas Call Me 'Bella Tangolita'
26.Ball at the Savoy~Act II: Scene 2: To See All Six of You Here Together...
27.Ball at the Savoy~Act II: Scene 2: We Turks Are All 'Polygamied' Out - Turkish Kissing: Constantinople Isn't a Place
28.Ball at the Savoy~Act II: Scene 3: Come Out of Retirement, Marquis?
29.Ball at the Savoy~Act II: Scene 3: How Could a Man Betray a Woman of Such Beauty and Charm? Toujours L'amour: I Was in Love