Which Broadway musical introduced the song “If I Loved You”?

Carousel introduced the song “If I Loved You.”

Carousel premiered on Broadway in 1945, with music by Richard Rodgers and a book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. “If I Loved You” is a central romantic duet for Billy Bigelow and Julie Jordan. The song expresses their feelings indirectly, because the characters struggle to say openly what they feel.

The musical is based on Ferenc Molnár’s play Liliom, relocated from Europe to the New England coast. Its score also includes “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” which became an enduring anthem far beyond the theatre.

Carousel is sometimes confused with other Rodgers and Hammerstein shows because the songwriting team created many famous romantic standards. “Some Enchanted Evening” belongs to South Pacific, while “Getting to Know You” belongs to The King and I. “If I Loved You” is specifically associated with Carousel’s tragic love story.