The Land of Smiles presented by Chicago Folks Operetta at Stage 773

The operetta begins in Vienna and ends in China. The plot revolves around Lisa, a young European woman who marries the Chinese Prince Sou Chong. She realizes too late that the customs of her newly adopted country will never allow her to be happy there - especially when she discovers that Prince Sou Chong, despite his protestations, is forced to take more wives. When she first expresses her desire to return to Vienna, he refuses to let her go. Only after seeing how terribly unhappy she is does he relent and allow her to go back to Europe. This ending was, in the words of one critic, "the beautiful, and also brave, operetta conclusion, which instead of a hackneyed finale" provided "a worthwhile and psychologically correct solution." The Land of Smiles thus broke new ground in the genre of operetta. It will also be a new direction for our company, as we explore the richly romantic operettas of Lehar's later years.