Toronto Operetta Theatre - Perchance To Dream

Ivor Novello's Most Successful Musical

As Canada's only professional operetta company, the Toronto Operetta Theatre is dedicated to keeping the art form of the operetta, a short humour opera with spoken dialogue, alive with new adaptations of beloved works by legendary tunesmiths like Offenbach, Strauss, Lehar and Gilbert & Sullivan. This March, they present the Canadian premiere of Ivor Novello's classic musical romance 'Perchance To Dream'.

The only operetta in which the celebrated Welsh entertainer wrote both the music and lyrics, 'Perchance To Dream' premiered in London in 1945, going on to run for over 1000 performances. Novello's most well known songs 'We'll Gather Lilacs In The Spring Again' and 'Love Is My Reason For Living' embellish the story of Sir Graham Rodney, a Regency-era gentleman, part-time highway man and full-time womaniser for his sins. When he dies in his lover Melinda's arms, he vows to find her again one day and returns to haunt his magnificent former home Huntersmoon, along with a set of other restless spirits. Three decades later, Graeme's descendent Valentine owns the manor, and becomes embroiled in his own love triangles and tribulations.