Toronto Operetta Theatre opens their 2024-2025 season opens with a new production of The Student Prince, a musical by Sigmund Romberg that became a massive hit in the 1920s. The show takes the stage from November 1 to 3.
“Romberg’s tale of young love in Olde Heidelberg was the longest running show of its time,” says Toronto Operetta Theatre’s General Director Guillermo Silva-Marin in a statement. “At 608 performances it even outlasted Showboat, another popular hit from that era.”
Sigmund Romberg & The Student Prince
The Student Prince consists of a prologue and four acts with music by Sigmund Romberg.
An engineer who studied composition on the side, and who developed his skills as a violinist and organist, Romberg made the move from his native Vienna to New York City in 1909. He became a staff composer for Jacob Shubert, one of the major impresarios of the early 20th century in New York. Romberg ended up preparing the scores for 40 or so shows. His operetta Maytime was the first to garner critical notice in 1917.
The book and lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly are based on the German play Olde Heidelberg by Meyer-Förster, which debuted in 1901. The story has elements of romance and drama, and tells the tale of a young Prince Karl Franz who goes to university in a small town, only to fall in love with Käthie, an innkeeper’s daughter. But then, when his father dies and duty calls, he has to leave her to go back to his public life.
The work, with its setting in a fictitious German town Heidelberg where the students (then as now) flood the beer halls and bars, struck a chord with American audiences of the era. The song “Drink, Drink, Drink” became one of the most popular songs of the year, at a time when Prohibition had closed all the American bars and clubs, and romantic duets like “Deep in my Heart” and “Golden Days” add to its appeal.
Toronto Operetta Theatre: Casting
TOT supports Canada’s vocal talent through its performance seasons. The cast for The Student Prince includes many company debuts.
- Tenor Xavier Flory, who earned a double PhD in political philosophy and piano study before making the commitment to singing, debuts with TOT as Prince Karl Franz; (he takes over from Jacob Abrahamse, sidelined by illness).
- Soprano Brooke Mitchell is a graduate of Sheridan College’s music theatre program, and likewise makes a debut in the role of Kathie, the innkeeper’s niece.
- Baritone Ryan Hofman, a two-time Brian Law Competition Finalist, sings the role of Doctor Engel, Prince Karl Franz’s mentor at the University.
Supporting emerging artists in the production include Sebastien Belcourt, George Theodorakopoulos, Handaya Rusli and Minerva Lobato.
The student corps will be led by Marcus Tranquilli as Detlef, and Kate Carver, whose led the TOT production of The Guest At The Inn to a rousing success least season, makes a return to conduct the cast, chorus and Orchestra.
TOT 2024/25 Season
TOT’s season continues to celebrate the holidays with Countess Maritza by Emre Kalman (December 29, January 3, 4, 2025), and concludes with Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Gondoliers (Feb. 28, Mar 1, 2,
2025).
Find out more about the season, and tickets for The Student Prince at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, [HERE].
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