Uploaded September 2012 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
While We Danced Till Dawn
Words and music by Ira Schuster and Henry Santly
Ted Lewis and His Band
Incidental singing by Ted Lewis
October 28, 1925
Columbia 504-D
Ted Lewis began his vaudeville career touring in small towns as a comedian assisted by his brother. It was during his first tour that he conceived the idea of burlesquing a scene from the opera, "Il Travatore." Lewis related, "The word 'jazz' was not yet in use. However our travesty was marked by the same kind of syncopation which later won popular favor. I really believe this act represented the first jazz opera."
Lewis often revived parts of this old act and it never failed to be amusing.
While We Danced Till Dawn
Words and music by Ira Schuster and Henry Santly
Ted Lewis and His Band
Incidental singing by Ted Lewis
October 28, 1925
Columbia 504-D
Ted Lewis began his vaudeville career touring in small towns as a comedian assisted by his brother. It was during his first tour that he conceived the idea of burlesquing a scene from the opera, "Il Travatore." Lewis related, "The word 'jazz' was not yet in use. However our travesty was marked by the same kind of syncopation which later won popular favor. I really believe this act represented the first jazz opera."
Lewis often revived parts of this old act and it never failed to be amusing.
