This is a rare fold-open advertising herald (flyer) promoting ticket sales for the New Opera Company production of the FRANZ LEHAR, SIDNEY SHELDON and BEN ROBERTS Operetta "THE MERRY WIDOW" at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California. (The Original Broadway production opened October 21st, 1907 at the New Amsterdam Theatre in New York City and ran for 416 performances. This successful new version opened August 4th, 1943 at the Majestic Theatre in New York City and ran for 322 performances before going on the road.) ..... The musical starred JAN KIEPURA as "Prince Danilo" and WILMA SPENCE as "Sonia" (the Merry Widow) and featured MELVILLE COOPER, RUTH MATTESON, LISETTE VEREA, KARL FARKAS, ALEX ALEXANDER, DAVID MORRIS, JOSEPHINE GRIFFIN, MALCOLM LEE BEGGS, PAUL BEST, JOHN GARRIS, NORMAN BUDD, BABS HEATH, FLORENCE BERLINE, CYPRIENNE GABELMAN, MONNA MONTES, JACK GANSERT and KARL FARKAS ..... Historical Background: "THE MERRY WIDOW" ("Die Lustige Witwe") premiered on December 30th, 1905 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, Austria and was Lahar's first major success, becoming internationally the best-known operetta of its era. Lehar subsequently made changes for productions in London in 1907 (adding two new numbers), and Berlin in the 1920's, but the definitive version is basically that of the original production ..... CREDITS: Music by FRANZ LEHAR ("The Merry Widow", "Gypsy Love", "The Count of Luxembourg", "The Ziegfeld Follies of 1916", "Frederika"); New Book by SIDNEY SHELDON and BEN ROBERTS; New Musical Version by ROBERT STOLZ; Lyrics by ADRIAN ROSS; Sets designed by HOWARD BAY; Costumes designed by WALTER FLORELL; Orchestra conducted by FRITZ ZWEIG; Choreographed by GEORGE BALANCHINE; Directed by FELIX BRENTANO; Produced by YOLANDA MERO-IRION ..... DETAILS: Advertising handbills and heralds were distributed or inserted into the playbills of other productions to help generate ticket sales for upcoming shows and events. The four page herald measures 6 1/4" X 9 1/8" inches and includes wonderful graphics on the front, promotional text, cast list, production credits and excerpts from several New York reviews on the inside pages and a ticket order form on the back ..... CONDITION: With the exception of a vertical fold and light soiling, this rare flyer is in excellent condition and will make a wonderful addition to the collection of any musical theatre aficionado or historian. This item will be carefully packaged in a protective, carded sleeve and backed by stiff cardboard.