354:. These have caused her to reject proposals from King Louis. She goes to seek the mysterious poet at an inn, but King Louis shadows her in disguise. Louis is incensed to hear Villon mocking the failures of his reign and saying what he would do instead "if I were king." The infuriated monarch reveals himself. The king gives Villon a hard choice: as punishment for speaking treasonously, he must either stop courting Katherine or accept the position of Grand Marshal, with all the powers of King, for 24 hours, during which time he must make good on his boasts and free Paris. At the end of the 24 hours, Villon will hang. Villon's dilemma is that he has promised himself to Huguette, his mistress, but now is deeply in love with Katherine.
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discovers that
Thibault, one of Louis's advisors, is a traitor. When Thibault ambushes Villon and tries to stab him to death, Huguette steps in front of the blade and takes the blow, thus sacrificing her life, and freeing Villon to be with Katherine. He kills Thibault in retaliation and then leads the Paris rabble to fight the Burgundians. The Parisians emerge victorious. After the battle is over, Katharine offers to sacrifice herself to the hangman in order to save Villon. Louis, realizing he cannot shed noble blood without a just cause, rewards Villon with exile instead of death, and the two lovers leave together.
199:
357:
Villon and
Katherine declare their love for each other ("Only a Rose"). Hugette describes her means of livelihood ("Love for Sale"). Villon accepts Louis' challenge. Rather than sending the King's Scottish mercenaries against the Burgundians, Villon rouses the Paris mob to defend the city. Huguette
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as Villon and
Carolyn Thomson as Katherine and ran for a very successful 511 performances. The production was lavish and used an unusually large pit orchestra. It received unanimously enthusiastic reviews. The operetta then had a successful run in London in 1927 at the
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were at the beginning of their careers. They created a musical version of the McCarthy play for a
Manhattan girls' school and then looked for a more prestigious venue for their collaboration. Broadway backers turned down the young team, but producer
44:
258:, running for 480 performances, and toured extensively. Its revivals include a 1943 Broadway revival. It was also performed regularly in the 1970s and 1980s in New York by the
217:, that borrowed the king-for-a-day theme, allowing Villon to defeat France's enemies and win the hand of an aristocratic lady, all in under 24 hours. The author adapted it as a
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and ran for 511 performances. The operetta then played in London, toured extensively and enjoyed revivals and two film adaptations, including one with King and
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is at a low point. Villon – poet, braggart, thief and darling of the Paris rabble – has sent anonymous love poems to the beautiful
Katherine de
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co-starred. It was long thought lost, but was recovered and restored in 1998. Several non-Friml songs were added in this version. The film was
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play the same year and in London in 1902, and it was revived several times. In 1923,
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Victory March ("Song of the
Vagabonds" reprise) and Finale, Act IV – Ensemble
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Thibault d'Aussigny, his traitorous Grand
Marshal (non-singing) – Bryan Lycan
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Waltz
Huguette (Huguette Waltz - "Never try to Bind Me") – Huguette du Hamel
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Isabeau and
Jehanneton, harlots (non-singing) – Vivian Kelley and Mimi Hayes
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were featured in villainous roles. This remake was not a success.
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to adapt the piece into a musical, increasing the comedy roles.
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579:, Samuel French, Ltd., 1922 edition, accessed December 6, 2012
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Drinking Song (A Flagon of Wine) – Guy
Tabarie and Male Chorus
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Scotch Archers' Song – Captain of Scotch Archers and Archers
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Love for Sale – Huguette du Hamel, Chorus and Dance Ensemble
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234:"borrowed" their idea and commissioned the more established
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Fat Margot, keeper of a tavern-brothel – Catherine Hayes
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Serenade – Oliver Le Dain, Guy Tabarie and Lady Mary
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Casin, an astrologer (non-singing) – Leon Cunningham
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19:This article is about the operetta. For films, see
488:Hunting – Noel Le Jolys, Chorus and Dance Ensemble
342:Paris is under siege by the forces of the Duke of
622:. MusicalTheatreGuide, accessed January 27, 2011
601:, pp. 57–71, University of Illinois Press, 2008
404:Oliver, Keeper of the Royal Bath – Julian Winter
460:Life is Like a Bubble in Our Glasses – Ensemble
407:Captain of the Scotch Archers – Charles Carver
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688:
478:Only a Rose and Finale – Katherine and Villon
273:, with Dennis King reprising his stage role.
8:
576:If I were king: a romantic play in four acts
437:Jehan, a thief (non-singing) – Marius Rogati
269:with the same title was filmed in two-color
213:sentimentalized Villon's career in a novel,
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469:Song of the Vagabonds – Villon and Chorus
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401:Noel, a Court popinjay – Herbert Delmore
143:in four acts, with a book and lyrics by
655:The Cambridge guide to American theatre
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494:Tomorrow – Katherine, Villon and Chorus
518:Love Me Tonight – Katherine and Villon
245:The original production opened at the
434:The Queen (non-singing) – Tamm Cortez
419:King Louis (non-singing) – Max Figman
381:Lady Mary, a courtier – Olga Treskoff
7:
320:The McCarthy novel was adapted as a
413:The Herald of Burgundy – Earl Waldo
249:on September 21, 1925. It starred
178:The original production opened on
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874:The Adventures of François Villon
639:at the Internet Broadway Database
564:, IBDB, accessed December 6, 2012
1022:Musicals set in the 15th century
836:Ballade des dames du temps jadis
509:Nocturne – Ensemble & Ballet
155:'s 1901 romantic novel and play
667:Broadway musicals, show by show
392:in the 1956 film) – Dennis King
324:and as a 1938 nonmusical film,
644:Broadway theatre program, 1925
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25:The Vagabond King (1956 film)
21:The Vagabond King (1930 film)
16:1925 operetta by Rudolf Friml
410:Rene, a rogue – Robert Craik
346:; popular support for King
285:in regular Technicolor and
202:Title page from 1901 novel
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987:English-language operettas
521:Finale, Act III – Ensemble
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395:Guy Tabarie (baritone) –
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573:McCarthy, Justin Huntly
475:– Katherine de Vaucelles
260:Light Opera of Manhattan
362:Roles and original cast
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877:(1914 film series)
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856:Ballade des pendus
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275:Jeanette MacDonald
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188:Jeanette MacDonald
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997:1925 operas
949:(1956 film)
941:(1945 film)
932:(1938 film)
925:(1930 film)
917:(1927 film)
901:(1920 film)
721:The Firefly
367:Katherine (
334:as Villon.
299:Rita Moreno
287:VistaVision
271:Technicolor
251:Dennis King
227:Lorenz Hart
184:Dennis King
105:Productions
981:Categories
753:Rose-Marie
729:High Jinks
607:0252033817
547:References
374:Huguette (
194:Background
135:is a 1925
352:Vaucelles
315:Jack Lord
165:Vaucelles
858:" (1489)
745:Sometime
473:Some Day
386:baritone
348:Louis XI
344:Burgundy
338:Synopsis
219:Broadway
180:Broadway
169:Louis XI
137:operetta
120:Broadway
115:West End
110:Broadway
957:Related
831:(1461)
737:Katinka
369:soprano
123:revival
772:(1928)
764:(1925)
756:(1924)
748:(1918)
740:(1915)
732:(1913)
724:(1913)
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61:Lyrics
848:Poems
526:Act 4
504:Act 3
483:Act 2
455:Act 1
390:tenor
118:1943
113:1927
108:1925
91:Basis
51:Music
603:ISBN
388:; a
313:and
305:and
277:and
225:and
147:and
76:Book
23:and
665:in
653:in
139:by
97:by
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584:^
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27:.
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