The Fortune Teller is an operetta in three acts written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Harry B. Smith. After a brief tryout in Toronto, it premiered on Broadway on September 26 1898 at Wallack's Theatre and ran for 40 performances. It was revived on November 4 1929 at Jolson's 59th Street Theatre and ran for 16 performances.
Herbert wrote his sixth operetta for prima donna Alice Nielsen and her newly formed Alice Nielsen Opera Company. Nielsen having earned widespread praise in The Serenade, requested and received not one but three roles in The Fortune Teller. The story is set in Hungary and involves Irma, an heiress from Budapest, who is studying for the ballet. Irma is in love with a young Hussar captain but is being forced to marry the silly Count Barezowski. When a gypsy fortune teller, Musette, arrives, she is mistaken for Irma, a case of mistaken identity that fosters many complications.
Songs include the famous "Gypsy Love Song," ('Slumber on, my little gypsy sweetheart') and "Romany Life."
Fortune Teller is a song written by Allen Toussaint under the pseudonym Naomi Neville and first recorded by Benny Spellman (single B-side on Minit Records 644)
Cover versions exist by The Rolling Stones (on their first live album, "Got Live if You Want It! but overdubbed with screaming girls), The Hollies, The Who (on their famous Live At Leeds), The Merseybeats, Tony Jackson, the Hardtimes and many others, including more recently the October 2007 album Raising Sand, performed by Robert Plant and Alison Krauss.
The song was also a hit in Australia, recorded by The Throb. Rumour has it that the Australian band were played the Rolling Stones version by their studio producer before they recorded their version, to get an idea of how it should sound.
