▁May ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁as ▁Marian ne ▁Be a un oir ▁in ▁Sig mund ▁Rom berg ' s ▁The ▁New ▁Moon ▁opposite ▁Walter ▁Cass el . ▁This ▁was ▁followed ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁by ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁N ina ▁H ager up ▁in ▁the ▁world ▁premi ere ▁of ▁Robert ▁Wright ▁and ▁George ▁For rest ' s ▁Song ▁of ▁Norway ▁which ▁adapted ▁its ▁music ▁from ▁works ▁by ▁Ed vard ▁Gr ieg . ▁A ▁triumph ▁with ▁both ▁audience ▁and ▁critics , ▁this ▁production ▁became ▁Bl iss ' ▁first ▁major ▁success . ▁In ▁late ▁June ▁the ▁show ▁was ▁presented ▁to ▁enthus i astic ▁response ▁by ▁the ▁L AC LO ' s ▁sister ▁organization , ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Light ▁Opera ▁Company ▁( SF LOC ); ▁after ▁which ▁it ▁was ▁transport ed ▁by ▁the ▁L AC LO ▁to ▁New ▁York ▁City . ▁ ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁Bl iss ▁made ▁her ▁Broadway ▁debut ▁as ▁N ina ▁H ager up ▁at ▁the ▁Imperial ▁Theatre ▁to ▁enthus i astic ▁reviews . ▁The ▁show ▁ran ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁ 8 0 0 ▁performances , ▁and ▁its ▁cast ▁recording ▁was ▁listed ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁Billboard ''' s ▁most ▁popular ▁releases ▁of ▁March ▁ 1 9 4 5 . ▁She ▁later ▁port rayed ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Count ess ▁Louis a ▁Giovanni ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 2 ▁rev ival ▁of ▁Song ▁of ▁Norway ▁at ▁the ▁L AC LO ▁with ▁Jean ▁F enn ▁in ▁the ▁part ▁of ▁N ina . ▁ ▁After ▁leaving ▁the ▁New