Few Broadway composers could write such ear-caressing melodies for the voice as Rudolf Friml (1879-1972), who dominated in the mid-1920s as the central pillar flanked by Victor Herbert and Sigmund Romberg of that remarkable edifice, American operetta. Nowadays there are still revivals of Rose Marie and The Vagabond King, and his best-known songs The Donkey Serenade, Indian Love Call and so on are familiar to all music-lovers. This Retrospective tribute to a musical genius of a bygone era, Love Everlasting (also the English title of one of his evergreen songs), offers 25 mellifluous tracks that lead the listener through his remarkable career, from his first success, The Firefly (1912) to the last film operetta, Northwest Outpost (1947) . The artist roster has been carefully selected to include the finest operetta exponents of the era, such as Richard Tauber, Mario Lanza, Nelson Eddy, Dennis King, Howard Keel, Allan Jones and so many more. Several of these vintage performances appear on CD for the first time. Love Everlasting joins five other notable tributes to the great song-writers on Retrospective: 'S Wonderful The Songs of George Gershwin (RTS 4176), With a Song in my Heart The Songs of Richard Rodgers (RTS 4223), Stardust The Songs of Hoagy Carmichael (RTS 4106), That Old Arlen Magic The Songs of Harold Arlen (RTS 4206) and Anything Goes! ­ The Songs of Cole Porter (RTS 4257).