Why was Fiorello! so successful?

The show was in 1959. WWII was still in peoples memories. The Cold War was heating up (sic) . The story just resonated w the public. One man ( ok not really in real life) went in and cleaned up one of the most politically corrupt environments. A man of the people who spoke German and Yiddish and Italian- it was a part of the "can do" image of America that reigned. His policies shaped New York as many NYers were well aware. They changed the name of the airport to recognize him and his legacy.

No I wasn't there but that's my take on why it was such a success then.

We're too sophisticated now ( the romantic story line esp) for such a show that paints the hero as one step short of perfect. ( except for his relationship w his secretary)

One reason why the show was so successful was that NY Times critic Brooks Atkinson loved it. The show did not open with a great advance sale, but his review (and I think the other six newspaper reviews at the time) was an open love letter to it. That really stimulated sales and lead to its almost two year run. Also, in the articles about the show after the opening, much was made that a complete unknown, Tom Bosley came out of nowhere to get the lead. A cinderella story if there ever was one. Ironically, when The Sound of Music opened a few weeks before, the reviews were not great---kind of mixed, many critics felt it was below the standard of the "great" Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. I saw Fiorello three times in its first two year, twice in NY and once on the road. I remember being slightly disappointed the first time I saw it--for me it was good but really did not live up to its hype. Ultimately I don't see it as a great musical but sometimes a critic for some reason gets carried away, as Atkinson did, and that made it.