Newman Levy
Newman Levy (1888–1966) was a lawyer, poet, playwright and essayist. His autobiography and at least three books of his verse are extant. He worked as an Assistant District Attorney for New York City, but found time to write three books of light verse and an autobiography.[1] He socialized with New York's literary elite, and collaborated with Edna Ferber on $1200 a Year: A Comedy in Three Acts". When George Gershwin asked "I wonder if my music will be played a hundred years from now?" he is said to have answered, "Yes, if you're around to play it!"
Contents
Works
His verse and short fiction was published in The New Yorker[2] and also collected in three books: Opera Guyed,[3] Theatre Guyed, and Gay But Wistful Verses.
His papers are collected at the Fales Library.[4]
Thais
His review of the opera Thaïs by Massenet is arguably his best known work. The complex rhyme scheme, light approach to a tragic opera, and bouncy tune[5] helped popularize it.
- One time in Alexandria, in wicked Alexandria,
- Where nights were wild with revelry, and life was but a game.
- There lived, so the report is, an adventuress and courtesan,
- The pride of Alexandria, and Thais was her name.
And the tragic ending of Thaïs is reduced to a rueful reflection on missed chances:
- Says he, "Now that's a joke on me for that there dame to croak on me,
- I hadn't oughter passed her up the time I had the chance."
Bibliography
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found., reviewed in Kirkus Reviews
- ↑ Contributor's page
- ↑ Guyed: the past tense of the verb "guy," meaning "subject to laughter or ridicule"
- ↑ Fales Library: The Newman Levy Papers
- ↑ (composer unknown)
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