Helen Traubel

"A scandalous and satisfying behind-the-scenes look at the glamorous world of opera, from an insider who was herself the lead soprano at the Met for many years, and a popular performer on radio and television. The backstage drama at the Metropolitan Opera often rivals the onstage performances but generally doesn't prove fatal. Not so for prompter Rudolf Salz, who chose a most inopportune moment during the second act of Wagner's Die Walküre to die...

While Broadway swings to the jazzy beat of ragtime, Sigmund Romberg continues to play the beautiful waltzes of his native Austria at the Cafe Vienna. Persuaded by the cafe owner to compose in the new style, he creates a hit song, which leads to great musical success, but the woman he loves is reluctant to return his feelings.