Arizona Lady an Ode to Broadway and Musical Theater

The first musical theater productions in America were, not surprisingly, operas. Before the 20th century, light operettas imported from Europe dominated the American stage, until the innovations of George M. Cohan and others began to create a truly American form of musical theater in the early 20th Century. 

The full flowering of American musical theater took place in the 1920s and 30s, reaching maturity with Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! It was into this rich milieu that Emmerich Kálmán, a Hungarian immigrant fleeing the Nazis, arrived in 1940.

A Love Letter to Musical Theater

Kálmán would only stay in the United States for nine years, but during his time here he fell in love with American musical theater and Broadway productions like Oklahoma! and Annie Get Your Gun. Before he died in 1953, he would compose a love letter to America and the Southwest in Arizona Lady, a comic operetta.

Arizona Lady premiered in Munich in 1954, and would not come to the American stage until 2010. It has never been performed by a professional U.S. opera company—until now. The Arizona Opera is proud to premier Arizona Lady, with a new English/Spanish translation by Kathleen Kelly and Alberto Rios, this month in Phoenix and Tucson.  

Musical Theater Meets Operetta

Arizona Lady contains many elements fans of classic musicals like Oklahoma! will recognize: romance, comedy, upbeat music and a spunky leading lady—not to mention horses, lassos, cowboys and wide open spaces. There’s singing, of course, and dancing (with a few rope tricks thrown in for good measure!), thrilling sets, a silly subplot, and an exciting conclusion. 

From Tuscany to Tucson: Opera Returns the Favor

It’s all a fun-filled nod to American musical theater—which itself arose from the European operatic traditions of Italy, Germany and France—from a composer steeped in traditional operatic styles. Arizona Lady can be seen as bringing together the best of two great art forms. The Arizona Opera is very excited to bring this forgotton musical classic to Phoenix and Tuscon. Don’t miss this Lady!!

Arizona Lady comes to the Arizona Opera this fall, October 16 & 17 at 7:30 and October 18 at 2:00 pm at Symphony Hall in Phoenix, and October 10 at 7:30 and October 11 at 2:00 pm at the Tucson Music Hall. Tickets start at $25 at www.azopera.org or 602-266-7464