Cat and the Fiddle, The

Cat and the Fiddle, The (1931), a musical play by Otto Harbach (book, lyrics), Jerome Kern (music). [Globe Theatre, 395 perf.] In Brussels two young composers meet and fall in love. Unfortunately, their disparate goals soon drive them apart, for Victor Florescu ( Georges Metaxa) aims at composing the loftiest music, while Shirley Sheridan ( Bettina Hall) seeks merely to write popular songs. But the ardor of their affections triumphs over their separate ambitions, and by the end their music and hearts are in harmony. Notable songs: The Night Was Made for Love; She Didn't Say “Yes”; Try to Forget; I Watch the Love Parade. Although critics came down harshly on the book, with The New Yorker noting, “Mr. Harbach has really outdone himself in banality,” Kern's lovely score saved the Max Gordon production. A device he had used timidly before, the extended musical lead‐in was employed from beginning to end, and orchestral passages underscored much of the action. The orchestra itself was small (only eighteen pieces) but the musicians were so select that they were listed by name in the program.