  Using a rather complete description of the in-medium $\rho$ spectral function
- being constrained by various independent experimental information - we
calculate pertinent dilepton production rates from hot and dense hadronic
matter. The strong broadening of the $\rho$ resonance entails a reminiscence to
perturbative $q\bar q$ annihilation rates in the vicinity of the phase
boundary. The application to dilepton observables in Pb(158AGeV)+Au collisions
- incorporating recent information on the hadro-chemical composition at
CERN-SpS energies - essentially supports the broadening scenario. Possible
implications for the nature of chiral symmetry restoration are outlined.
