The Rothschilds is a musical with a book by Sherman Yellen, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick and music by Jerry Bock. Based on The Rothschilds by Frederic Morton, it tells of the rise of the Rothschild family from humble beginnings in Germany, to their founding of their financial empire and growing political influence under the guidance of patriarch Mayer Rothschild, to their assistance in funding Napoleon's defeat, and how they secure a declaration of rights for European Jews in the midst of an oppressive era. The Rothschilds was the last collaboration between Bock and Harnick. The musical ran on Broadway in 1970, earning nine Tony Award nominations, and was revived successfully Off-Broadway in 1990. A 2015 reworking of the show was not a success.
In 1772 Frankfurt, Germany, Jews are restricted to living in the ghetto and frequently are the victims of violence. Mayer Amschel Rothschild returns from Hanover, where he was an apprentice banker, to make his fortune in his home town. Because only twelve Jewish marriages are permitted in a given year, he is forced to come up with a plan in order to marry his fiancée Gutele. He reopens his shop, carrying goods and rare coins. At the Frankfurt Fair, he entices Prince William of Hesse with fanciful tales about rare coins, then bribes the prince in order to marry Gutele. Later, Mayer becomes agent for the court bankers, but he wants more. By 1778, Mayer and Gutele have five “Sons”, each of whom enters the business as soon as he is old enough. As they age, they and their father chafe at the many restrictions and indignities heaped upon Jews. In 1804, their success and their chutzpah take them to Denmark as superior court agents to the Danish king when Hesse must loan money to him to help fight a war. However, Hesse is overthrown by Napoleon, and Minister of Police Joseph Fouché takes over. When Mayer and his sons return to Germany, they find no court for which they can be agents. Mayer sends his older sons off to collect Hesse's debts before the French can get them, and sends his younger son, Nathan, to London to invest the money. Initially awkward in England, Nathan soon displays considerable investing talents. He falls in love with Hannah Cohen, an aristocratic English "Jewish Joan of Arc" devoted to charitable works. He eventually wins her over by pledging to loan money to England to help win their war against Napoleon if the Chancellor of the Exchequer Herries pledges to make Germany and Austria lift their restrictions on Jews. In Germany, Prince Metternich promises roughly the same thing if the Rothschilds make the loan. In 1818, Metternich reneges on his bargain, and old Mayer dies, broken-hearted. His sons scheme to force Metternich to come to terms by continually undercutting his price for peace bonds, although the plan brings them to the brink of bankruptcy. Metternich not only concedes but is forced to guarantee that all state bonds will be handled by the House of Rothschild. The ghetto walls are torn down, and Mayer's dream is realized.
Song list
;Act I
Prologue: Pleasure and Privilege – Prince William of Hesse
One Room – Mayer and Gutele
He Tossed a Coin – Mayer, Vendors and Ensemble
Sons – Mayer, Gutele, Young Amshel, Young Solomon, Young Nathan and Young Jacob
Everything – Nathan, Gutele, Solomon, Kalman, Amshel and Jacob
Rothschild and Sons – Mayer, Nathan, Solomon, Kalman, Amshel and Jacob
Have You Ever Seen a Prettier Little Congress? – Prince Metternich
Stability – Prince Metternich and Ensemble
Bonds – Nathan, Solomon, Kalman, Amshel, Jacob, Prince Metternich and Ensemble
Adaptation: ''Rothschild & Sons''
In 2015, Harnick and Yellen revised the musical as Rothschild & Sons, greatly restructuring the book as a one-act show and adding previously written Harnick and Bock songs. The story focuses on Mayer Rothschild's relationships with his sons. It was produced off-Broadway by York Theatre and directed by Jeffrey B. Moss. Robert Cuccioli, who played Nathan Rothschild in the 1990 production, played Mayer, Glory Crampton was Gutele. The production was unfavorably reviewed, although Cuccioli and some of the designs were praised.
