Kismet (musical) London's West End and has been given several revivals. A 1955 film version was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The musical was commissioned by Edwin Lester, founder and director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, who conceived of a musical based on the 1911 play "Kismet" by Edward Knoblock. Lester had previously produced "Song of Norway", with the same composing team, adapting the melodies of Edvard Grieg. For "Kismet", the writers seized upon the melodies of Alexander Borodin, which they felt had a suitable exotic flavor and lush melodies. "Kismet" is set in a fictional Baghdad in the times of "The
Kismet (1955 film) Kismet (1955 film) Kismet is a 1955 American musical-comedy film directed by Vincente Minnelli and produced by Arthur Freed. It was filmed in CinemaScope and Eastmancolor and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It is the fourth movie version of "Kismet". The first "Kismet" was released in 1920, the second "Kismet" in 1930 by Warner Brothers, and the third "Kismet", starring Ronald Coleman and Marlene Dietrich, was released by MGM in 1944. The 1955 film is based on the successful 1953 musical "Kismet", while the three earlier versions are based on the original 1911 play by Edward Knoblock. In old Baghdad, an impoverished