I present Miss Lily Elsie (1886-1962) and Mr Joseph Coyne (1861-1947) in The Merry Widow in 1907
This Edwardian production in which Lily Elsie made her name, was the beginning of a glittering career for the actress on the musical stage. Everyone wanted to see the show which had music by Franz Lehar and lyrics by Adrian Ross. Based on the Viennese operetta Die Lustige Witwe by Victor Leon and Leo Stein, it was adapted from Henri Meilhae’s play L’Attaché d’Ambassade. Apparently, King Edward VII saw it four times. LilyElsie.com
Joseph Coyne was an American-born musical actor who started his career in Vaudeville. He first went to London to appear in 1901 and spent most of his career on the British stage. “It is no good their pretending to be any one else. We go to see themselves, and all we ask is that the authors and others shall give them every chance of being themselves in the most pronounced and personal fashion,” said one critic about Coyne. Wikipedia
The Merry Widow Bicycle Playing Cards by FirstNightDesign
I’m particularly fond of the image because I love the damage that age has wrought and was not inclined to repair it digitally when I first added to my Zazzle store a few years ago.
The Merry Widow iPhone 5 Case by FirstNightDesign
Available at the following galleries:
Zazzle US
Zazzle UK
Take care and keep laughing!
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06/02/2016 at 08:00
First Night Design | Parrot in a Gilded Cage #Art ‘Don’t Even Think It!’ | First Night Design
[…] I posted The Merry Widow image the other week, BeetleyPete assumed (it was a compliment) that I had coloured the central […]
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25/01/2016 at 00:30
Mary
This is vintage at its best Sarah – fabulous work on this one. Glad you didn’t repair and let the piece stand on it’s own.
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25/01/2016 at 13:32
First Night Design
Thank you, Mary. I’m glad you agree with me about not repairing that fabulous damage!
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23/01/2016 at 20:20
Ray
This is so cool!
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23/01/2016 at 23:25
First Night Design
Thank you, Ray!
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23/01/2016 at 18:27
beetleypete
An unusual and touching old photo. I like the way it has been ‘colourised’, and it suits the items very well.
Best wishes, Pete. x
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23/01/2016 at 23:25
First Night Design
If by colourise you mean the red framing, then thank you. The colour in the actual Play Pictorial cover is original!
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24/01/2016 at 01:11
beetleypete
I am happy to stand corrected , Sarah. I had presumed the original photo was B&W, and had been painted. (The red framing is very good too!) x
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24/01/2016 at 16:38
First Night Design
That’s not to say that the Play Pictorial bods didn’t colour it themselves!
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23/01/2016 at 17:37
chattykerry
Lovely as always and I now see the cute Peter Pan haircut!
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23/01/2016 at 23:24
First Night Design
Ha ha! Glad you like Merry Widow, Kerry.
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24/01/2016 at 00:03
chattykerry
😉
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23/01/2016 at 17:26
davidprosser
You do conjour up some names from the past Sarah. Haven’t heard those in years.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
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23/01/2016 at 23:23
First Night Design
I’m one of those sad people who live in the past to a great extent! Hugs. xxx
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23/01/2016 at 23:41
davidprosser
I can’t say anything since my favourite mode of dress is still my Edwardian frock coat and top hat.
xxx Hugs xxx
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23/01/2016 at 23:47
First Night Design
And so it should be! Marvellous.
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23/01/2016 at 13:49
olganm
I love this vintage images. Thanks, Sarah!
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23/01/2016 at 13:55
First Night Design
Thank you, Olga. Happy to please!
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23/01/2016 at 11:38
Tish Farrell
What a very merry widow, Sarah. Such panache.
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23/01/2016 at 13:47
First Night Design
I’m very pleased you like it, Tish!
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