Kismet (musical) Kismet (musical) Kismet is a musical with lyrics and musical adaptation (as well as some original music) by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin, and a book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis, based on "Kismet", the 1911 play by Edward Knoblock. The story concerns a wily poet who talks his way out of trouble several times; meanwhile, his beautiful daughter meets and falls in love with the young Caliph. The musical was first produced on Broadway in 1953 and won the Tony Award for best musical in 1954. It was also successful in
Robert Wright (writer) of these productions to Broadway. Wright and Forrest had an affinity for adapting classical music themes and adding lyrics to these themes for Hollywood and the Broadway musical stage. Wright said that the music was usually a 50-50 "collaboration" between Wright and Forrest and the composer. While both men were credited equally as composer-lyricists, it was Forrest who worked with the music. Forrest and Wright won a Tony Award for their work on "Kismet" and in 1995 they were awarded the ASCAP Foundation Richard Rodgers Award. He was cremated at Cofer-Kolski-Combs mortuary, Miami, and his ashes given to his executor.