The Student Prince

The operetta is based on the 1901 German play "Old Heidelberg" by Wilhelm Meyer-Förster. The story follows Prince Karl Franz of Karlsberg, who falls in love with a barmaid named Kathie during his student days at Heidelberg University.

The original Broadway production ran for an extraordinary 608 performances, opening at Jolson's 59th Street Theatre in 1924. It was the longest-running Broadway production of the 1920s and helped establish Sigmund Romberg as one of the era's leading operetta composers.

Hungarian-born composer Sigmund Romberg wrote the music, with lyrics and book by Dorothy Donnelly. Romberg was already known for his 1917 hit "Maytime" and went on to compose many other popular operettas.

"The Drinking Song" (also known as "Drink! Drink! Drink!") and the serenade "Deep in My Heart, Dear" are the best-known numbers from the score. "The Drinking Song" became a popular standard and has been recorded by numerous opera singers, including Mario Lanza.

MGM released a 1954 film version directed by Richard Thorpe, though Mario Lanza, originally cast as the lead, was replaced by Edmund Purdom due to disputes with the studio. Lanza's voice was still used for the musical numbers, and the film also featured Ann Blyth.