The Most Happy Fella

From the composer of Guys and Dolls comes this touching, dramatic and intensely personal love story. Your heart will be warmed by this May-to-December romance, when a city bride is wooed by an aging Italian grape farmer who nearly botches everything... until his true goodness shines through. With a gorgeous score and spirited dancing, it's a simple and touching love story that makes for an extraordinary night of theatre.

Tony, a middle-aged vintner, makes a mail order marriage proposal, which is accepted under the girl's mistaken assumption that a photo of his young, handsome foreman is her intended husband. Her hurt and humiliation when she learns the truth, as well as a terrible accident that nearly kills Tony as he hurries to meet her, almost ends the relationship before it begins, but a loving understanding blossoms between them during Tony's long convalescence.

Filled with sweeping ballads, intense dramatic arias and tuneful, splashy Broadway-style numbers, this ambitious "Broadway opera" has found a home on opera and musical-theatre stages alike. Its sizable score showcases strong singers, including a mature operatic baritone and a young soprano ingénue for the two lead roles. The rest of the large cast consists of a winsome comic duo for the secondary leads and a host of other compelling characters. The show's lasting popularity has led to two Broadway revivals, the latter with a two-piano accompaniment that is available for rental.