Show Synopsis:
Three friends join the Austrian army, but one of them advances more quickly than his friends, becomes a lieutenant, and is forced to distance himself from them. The lieutenant and one of the soldiers both fall in love with a poor girl who loves the soldier but longs for the financial stability that the lieutenant offers her, so she marries him instead. The soldiers go to America and the lovesick soldier marries another woman and has a child, but struggles to support them. The girl from Vienna goes to America and pursues a life with him, but then discovers that he has a child and decides to return to the lieutenant so that he does not have to choose between the two of them. Forty years later, the girl has become a grandmother to a granddaughter who she believes must marry rich to save the family?s finances. The girl is in love with the soldier?s grandson, a poor composer, and the woman consents to the marriage while mourning her deceased love. After her granddaughter and the composer marry, the woman sees the spirit of her soldier and her own spirit leaves her to join him in the afterlife.
Characters:
The Soldiers.
Song Context:
The close friends reminisce on their time in the beautiful city that they will leave to serve their country.
Fun Facts:
1. Sigmund Romberg was concerned about the political stability of Central Europe during the composition of this score, which influenced the lyrics in this song. 2. This was the first film that Oscar Hammerstein II ever worked on.
A place for life to live and go,
A place for love to ebb and flow,
Vienna is her name, ?The fairly-land of fame
When once you?ve heard her laugh all day,
You keep when you are far away
A thousand mem?ries pull you back ?For one more day.??As the years roll on,?After youth has gone,
You will remember Vienna.
Nights that were happy and hearts that were free
All join in singing a sweet melody?
When your race is run,
Whether lost or won,
You will remember Vienna.
You will recall evenings in May,
Sweethearts that came and vanished away.
Whence did they come? Where did they go?
Vienna will never let you go.?
When your race is run, whether lost or won,
You will remember Vienna.
You will recall evenings in May,
Sweethearts that came and vanished away.
Whence did they come? Where did they go??
Vienna will never let you go.