Uploaded by Leotaurus1975 on May 15, 2008
This is another early recording of Zarah Leander. She sings the famous "Vilja Lied" from Franz Lehar's "Die lustige Witwe" (The merry widow). Her interpretation of Hanna Glawari made her into a Scandinavian superstar...
The "Merry Widow" that premiered in 1931 was radically different from the classical operetta. It had been transformed into a modern musical, just keeping the original songs and changing everything else. Famed actor Gösta Ekman (star of FW Murnau's "Faust") was Danilo... One big problem was the fact that Hanna's part was written for a soprano which Zarah Leander clearly was not...
Gösta Ekman and composer/musician Jules Sylvain travelled to Vienna to obtain Franz Lehar's permission to change the score to accomodate Zarah Leander's deep voice... At first Lehar couldn't believe such a voice existed but authorized the necessary changes anyway. "The merry Widow" opened in Stockholm on 1 September 1931 and caused a sensation. Following its succes it went on tour throughout Scandinavia...
From this time on, Zarah Leander was not only considered a diva but also a very tough business woman... She had demanded and got 6000 Swedish Kroner per month, more than any female singer had ever been paid. Many years later, her financial shrewdness would be held against her....
Enjoy this unusual version!
All pictures/Images from personal collection.
Top Comments
All Comments (16)
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naja ich hab was unanständiges entdeckt
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This is the Odeon recording - O-9116 B 8765 with Sven-Olof Sondberg and Otto Dobrindt conducting the Orchestra. Class!!!
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nice, very nice, but better in german language.
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nice, but this is much lower than the original key...
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A real gem. I knew she had sung this role but never listened to her interpretation. thank you so much for this rare posting !
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großartig! es ewig.
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charming.but she sounds like a cabaret singer with good technique.Glad to have encountered her.Central Euro unusual pronunciation.
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really nice ...thankyou for posting
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Once again in English: it's not Zarah Leander, but Lale Andersen who sings "Lilli Marleen" (Unter der Laterne). Hope, I was able to help you.
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I am very glad to have found it here presented.
Quite unique story worth description.
Well... the voice itself which opened "so many doors" to stardom. Should only that voice had been a bit different how different might have been that life...:)
jurek46pink 3 years ago 3
great discovery for me!!! BRAVA!!!
Coloraturissimo 2 years ago 2