Geoffrey Gaskell wrote: >Would anyone care to put in a good word for these two composers? Benatzky's *Im weissen Roess'l* ("The White Horse Inn") is a fine, frothy operetta; the title song, especially is a genuinely delightful waltz melody. The excerpts on a Brilliant set of operetta recordings gives the impression of a carefree review typical of the 20s or 30s. Kalman is perhaps best known for his *Csardasfuerstin* (translated, I believe, as "Gypsy Princess") and *Die Graefin Maritza* (The Countess Maritza) both highly tuneful operettas. A friend of my parents had a job in the Kalman household typing librettos. From her I heard the story that he and a friend were held up at a border crossing. It seems Kalman had no proper ID. The friend grew indignant and asked the official, "Don't you know who this is? This is the great Emmerich Kalman." The official had no idea who that was. "Why, he's the famous composer of operettas," said the friend. The official was dubious and asked the friend to whistle or hum some of his music, which he did. This apparently satisfied the official and they were both permitted to pass. Afterwards Kalman said to the friend, "That was very nice but the music you hummed was by Lehar." Walter Meyer