Music by FRANZ LEHAR
English book and lyrics by HARRY GRAHAM
A new radio version by ALASTAIR SCOTT JOHNSTON
Introduced by John Palmer
The Land of Smiles is set partly in Vienna and partly in the old Imperial China - the land of smiles of the title-exotic and lovely, but vicious and cruel.
The story is concerned with an eternal problem: can true love overcome the frictions of two violently opposed ways of life? Or must the deep-rooted traditional prejudices of both inevitably lead to tragedy? It is the story of two people who tried to bridge the gap between East and West.
BBC CHORUS
BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA leader ARTHUR LEAVINS conducted by VILEM TAUSKY Produced by ALASTAIR SCOTT JOHNSTON and DAVID RAYVERN ALLEN
(Repeated: Sunday, 3.0 pm)