Italian Street Song-Naughty Marietta by Jeanette MacDonald

First opera and now operetta. For our middle piece in the trilogy of mixed choral examples, we have chosen the “Italian Street Song” from the 1935 movie version of Victor Herbert’s 1910 operetta, Naughty Marietta. Neither the play nor the movie had much of a plot; however, the joy of these shows lies in the scores not the libretto. In the clip that we have chosen, we see a gypsy soprano singing the song, joined by a lusty gypsy chorus. The beginning of the song is not intended to showcase a diva soprano; instead, the chorus must establish the robust nature of music, highlighted by the gypsy’s repetition of a series of high notes (“zing”). In their forever flirtatious on-screen war of the sexes (does she love him or not; does he love her or not), Nelson Eddy and Jeanette MacDonarld were at their very, fiery best in this scene. Nelson taunts Jeanette by repeating the gypsy’s musical theme and then asserting that it is a shame that Jeanette cannot sing.

Well, we all know that she could sing and that she could sing the dresses off most of the other sopranos of her day. Because of the decency code, the dresses had to stay on, but thankfully we can still listen to this incredible voice.