Das Dreimäderlhaus - English Language Versions - British Version: Lilac Time

British Version: Lilac Time

In 1922, in England, Das Dreimäderlhaus was adapted as Lilac Time by Adrian Ross with music by G. H. Clutsam. Clutsam, an Australian composer, moved to London and wrote, among other things, a 1912 biography of Schubert. Later, he turned to the more profitable field of composing scores for musical comedies. Clutsam's adaptation hews more closely to Berté's original than does Romberg's. Lilac Time opened at the Lyric Theatre on December 22, 1922 and ran for 626 performances, starring Courtice Pounds and Clara Butterworth. Among many revivals was a 1928–1929 production at Daly's Theatre. In 1959, June Bronhill and Thomas Round recorded Lilac Time for HMV when they were stars of Sadler's Wells Opera. The piece enjoyed numerous revivals in London.

The plot of Lilac Time is close to the German original. As in the other adaptations, however, the names of the three sisters are changed. The dialogue is very dated, and a more recent libretto written by Phil Park in 1973 is available, with a new musical adaptation by Ronald Hanmer.