Synopsis

Art expert Whitelaw Savory at last finds the statue of Venus which he has been seeking for years. His barber, Rodney, comes over to shave him and idly places his fiancée's ring on the statue's finger. Venus comes to life and falls in love with the man who resurrected her. At first, the terrified Rodney is unwilling. Undaunted, Venus pursues him, temporarily immobilizing his fiancée, and finally convinces him to be her lover. Then she realizes that she will have to live a suburban existence in Ozone Heights, and reconsiders. She is taken back to Olympus, but leaves behind a facsimile of herself so Rodney will never be alone again, as she had promised.

Song list

• New Art is True Art
• One Touch of Venus
• How Much I Love You
• I'm A Stranger Here Myself
• West Wind
• Way Out West in New Jersey
• Foolish Heart
• The Trouble with Women
• Speak Low
• Dr. Crippen
• Very, Very, Very
• Catch Hatch
• That's Him
• Wooden Wedding

Performance Information Cast: Singing roles -- Whitelaw Savory (baritone), Molly Grant (mezzo-soprano), Rodney Hatch (tenor), Venus (mezzo-soprano), Taxi Black (tenor buffo), Stanley (baritone), Gloria Kramer (mezzo-soprano), Mrs. Kramer (mezzo-soprano), bus starter, ensemble.
Speaking roles -- Mrs. Moats, two Anatolians, Rose, Zuvetli, Dr. Rook, Sam, store manager, police lieutenant, dancers.
Orchestra: Reed 1 (cl, alto sax), Reed 2 (cl, bass cl, alto sax), Reed 3 (cl, ten. sax, fl, picc,) Reed 4 (cl, alto sax, ten. sax, fl, picc); 3 tpt, tbn; piano, timp & perc; strings.
Duration: full evening, 65 minutes music
Authorized Translation: Swedish -- Lars Rudolfsson

Principal productions

• October 7, 1943, New York, Imperial Theater, Elia Kazan, dir., Maurice Abravanel, cond.
• August 3, 1953, St. Louis, Municipal Opera, Morton Da Costa, dir., Edwin McArthur, cond.
• October 21, 1994, Malmö Musikteater, Lars Rudolfsson, dir., Michael Adelson, cond. (in Swedish)
• March 28, 1996, New York, City Center, Leonard Foglia, dir., Rob Fisher, cond. (semi-staged performance)
• December 23, 1998, Freiburg, Freiburger Theater, Markus Kupferblum, dir., Patrik Ringborg, cond.

ORIGINAL PRODUCTION

Imperial Theatre, October 7, 1943 (567 perf.)

Director: Elia Kazan

Choreographer: Agnes de Mille

Musical Director: Maurice Abravanel

Whitelaw Savory- John Boles- Baritone

Molly Grant- Paula Laurence- Alto

Rodney Hatch- Kenny Baker- Baritone

Venus- Mary Martin- Mezzo

Mrs. Kramer- Helen Raymond- VTI

Gloria Kramer- Ruth Bond- VTI

Stanley- Harry Clark- Tenor

Taxi Black- Teddy Hart- Tenor

Chorus and Smaller Roles: 12F/12M, at least half of which dance well

Recordings

Decca 361 (5x78rpm) LP Decca DL 79122 LP Time-Life STL-AM10 (1982) CD AEI 1136 CD MCA 11354 CD Pearl GEMM CDS 9189 CD Stage Door Records (2009)		1943 Original Cast [excerpts] Chorus / Orchestra with Mary Martin, Kenny Baker Maurice Abravanel	I'm A Stranger Here Myself Ballet: Forty Minutes For Lunch Westwind Foolish Heart The Trouble With Women Speak Low That's Him Wooden Wedding Ballet: Venus In Ozone Heights Finaletto: Speak Low
CD Jay 21362 (2013)		Chorus National Symphony Orchestra Conducted by John Owen Edwards and Jim Holmes Venus: Melissa Errico Whitelaw Savory: Ron Raines Molly Grant: Victoria Clark Rodney Hatch: Brent Barrett Mrs. Kramer: Judy Kaye Gloria Kramer: Lauren Worsham Taxi Black: Jacob Smith Stanley: Michael “Tuba” McKinsey Mrs. Moats: Karen Ziemba Attendant: Matt Bogart	First Complete Recording + Bonus Orchestrations by Kurt Weill
CD Pearl GEMM CDS 9294			Very, Very, Very Wooden Wedding That's Him Speak Low Jersey Plunk The Trouble With Women
Tryout LP Heritage H0051 CD DRG 904		Kurt Weill (vocals, piano)	West Wind Very Very Very / Wooden Wedding Speak Low The Jersey Pluck / The Trouble With Women That's Him
LP Ariel KWH-10		Film Soundtrack 1948 Kurt Weill in Hollywood Dick Haymes, Olga San Juan, Eve Arden Eileen Wilson, Robert Walker
DVD VAI 4568 (2015)		Janet Blair Russell Nype George Gaynes Laurel Shelby Mildred Trares Iggie Wolfington