The Rose of Algeria is a musical in two acts with music by Victor Herbert and both book and lyrics by Glen McDonough.[1] The work features two songs which have become a part of the classical canon of concert repertoire, "Rose of the World" and "Twilight of Barakeesh".[2] The work is set in the country of Algeria at an oasis in the Sahara desert and at a palace in the nation's capital, Algiers.[1] First staged on Broadway under the title Algeria in 1908, the work was a critical failure in its original version.[3] Believing the work was a strong one, Herbert made numerous revisions to the work after the original Broadway production closed.[4] The revised version, now titled The Rose of Algeria, was mounted at Broadway's Herald Square Theatre in 1909 with a completely different cast and a new director.[3] This second version was more successful with critics and audiences.[4]
