Early life
Andrew Lloyd Webber was born in Kensington, London, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber (1914–1982), a composer, and Jean Hermione (née Johnstone; 1921–1993), a violinist and pianist.[4] His younger brother, Julian Lloyd Webber, is a renowned solo cellist.
Lloyd Webber started writing his own music at a young age, a suite of six pieces at the age of nine. He also put on "productions" with Julian and his Aunt Viola in his toy theatre (which he built at the suggestion of Viola, of whom he was fond). Later, he would be the owner of a number of West End theatres, including the Palace. His aunt Viola, an actress, took him to see many of her shows and through the stage door into the world of the theatre. He also claims that he had originally set music to Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats at the age of fifteen.
In 1965, Lloyd Webber was a Queen's Scholar at Westminster School and studied history for a term at Magdalen College, Oxford, although he abandoned the course in Winter 1965 to study at the Royal College of Music and pursue his interest in musical theatre.[5][6]
[edit] Professional career
[edit] Early years
Lloyd Webber's first collaboration with lyricist Tim Rice was The Likes of Us, a musical based on the true story of Thomas John Barnardo. Although composed in 1965, it was not publicly performed until 2005, when a production was staged at Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival. In 2008, amateur rights were released via the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA) in association with the Really Useful Group. The first amateur performance was by a children's theatre group in Cornwall called "Kidz R Us". Stylistically, The Likes of Us is fashioned after the Broadway musical of the '40s and '50s; it opens with a traditional overture comprising a medley of tunes from the show, and the score reflects some of Lloyd Webber's early influences, particularly Richard Rodgers, Frederick Loewe, and Lionel Bart. In this respect, it is markedly different from the composer's later work which tends to be either predominantly or wholly through-composed and closer in form to opera than to the Broadway musical.
Around this time, Rice and Lloyd Webber wrote a number of individual pop songs that were recorded as singles for record labels. Wes Sands, Ross Hannaman, Paul Raven, and Gary Bond are among the many artists to have recorded early Lloyd Webber/Rice tunes. A selection of these early recordings were re-released on the 5-CD compilation, Andrew Lloyd Webber: Now and Forever (2003).
In 1968, Rice and Lloyd Webber were commissioned to write a piece for the Colet Court preparatory school which resulted in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a retelling of the biblical story of Joseph in which Lloyd Webber and Rice humorously pastiche a number of musical styles such as Elvis-style rock'n'roll, Calypso and country music. Joseph began life as a short cantata that gained some recognition on its second staging with a favourable review in The Times. For its subsequent performances, Rice and Lloyd Webber revised the show and added new songs to expand it to a more substantial length. This culminated in a two-hour long production being staged in the West End on the back of the success of Jesus Christ Superstar.
In 1969 Rice and Lloyd Webber wrote a song for the Eurovision Song Contest called "Try It and See", which was not selected. The Demo version, sung by Rita Pavone (sounding remarkably like Lulu, for whom the song was written) is available on, 'Now and Forever' – The 5 CD box set. With rewritten lyrics it became "King Herod's Song" in their third musical, Jesus Christ Superstar (1970).
The planned follow up to Jesus Christ Superstar was a musical comedy based on the Jeeves and Wooster novels by P. G. Wodehouse. Tim Rice was uncertain about this venture, partly because of his concern that he might not be able to do justice to the novels that he and Lloyd Webber so admired.[7] After doing some initial work on the lyrics, he pulled out of the project and Lloyd Webber subsequently wrote the musical with Alan Ayckbourn who provided the book and lyrics. Jeeves failed to make any impact at the box office and closed after a short run of only three weeks. Many years later, Lloyd Webber and Ayckbourn revisited this project, producing a thoroughly reworked and more successful version entitled By Jeeves (1996). Only two of the songs from the original production remained ("Half a Moment" and "Banjo Boy").
[edit] Mid-1970s
Lloyd Webber collaborated with Rice once again to write Evita (1976 in London/1979 in U.S.), a musical based on the life of Eva Perón. As with Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita was released first as a concept album and featured Julie Covington singing the part of Eva Peron. The song "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" became a hit single and the musical was staged at the Prince Edward Theatre in a production directed by Harold Prince and starring Elaine Paige in the title role.
Patti LuPone created the role of Eva on Broadway for which she won a Tony. Evita was a highly successful show that ran for ten years in the West End. It transferred to Broadway in 1979. Rice and Lloyd Webber parted ways soon after Evita.
In 1978, Lloyd Webber embarked on a solo project, the "Variations", with his cellist brother Julian based on the 24th Caprice by Paganini, which reached number two in the pop album chart in the United Kingdom. The main theme was used as the theme tune for ITV1's long-running South Bank Show throughout its 32-year run.
[edit] 1980s
Lloyd Webber embarked on his next project without a lyricist, turning instead to the poetry of T. S. Eliot. Cats (1981) was to become the longest running musical in London, where it ran for 21 years before closing. On Broadway, Cats ran for eighteen years, a record which would ultimately be broken by another Lloyd Webber musical, The Phantom of the Opera.[8][9]
Starlight Express (1984) was a commercial hit but received negative reviews from the critics. It enjoyed a record run in the West End, but ran for less than two years on Broadway. The show has also seen two tours of the US, as well as an Australian/Japanese production, a three-year UK touring production, which transferred to New Zealand later in 2009. The show also runs full-time in a custom-built theatre in Bochum, Germany, where it has been running since 1988.
Lloyd Webber wrote a Requiem Mass dedicated to his father, William, who had died in 1982. It premiered at St. Thomas Church in New York on 24 February 1985. Church music had been a part of the composer's upbringing and the composition was inspired by an article he had read about the plight of Cambodian orphans. Lloyd Webber had on a number of occasions written sacred music for the annual Sydmonton Festival.[10] Lloyd Webber received a Grammy Award in 1986 for Requiem in the category of best classical composition. Pie Jesu from Requiem achieved a high placing on the UK pop charts.
Cricket (1986), also called Cricket (Hearts and Wickets), reunited Lloyd Webber with Tim Rice to create this short musical for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday, first performed at Windsor Castle. Several of the tunes were later used for Aspects of Love and Sunset Boulevard.
Lloyd Webber also premiered The Phantom of the Opera in 1986, inspired by the 1911 Gaston Leroux novel. He wrote the part of Christine for his then-wife, Sarah Brightman, who played the role in the original London and Broadway productions alongside Michael Crawford as the Phantom. The production was directed by Harold Prince, who had also earlier directed Evita. Charles Hart wrote the lyrics for Phantom with some additional material provided by Richard Stilgoe, with whom Lloyd-Webber co-wrote the book of the musical. It became a hit and is still running in both the West End and on Broadway; in January 2006 it overtook Cats as the longest-running musical on Broadway.[9]
Aspects of Love followed in 1989, a musical based on the story by David Garnett. The lyrics were by Don Black and Charles Hart and the original production was directed by Trevor Nunn. Aspects had a run of four years in London but closed after less than a year on Broadway. It has since gone on a tour of the UK, and is beginning to enjoy more acclaim than its original production.[citation needed]
[edit] 1990s
Lloyd Webber was asked to write a song for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics and composed "Amigos Para Siempre — Friends for Life" with Don Black providing the lyrics. This song was performed by Sarah Brightman and José Carreras.
Lloyd Webber had toyed with the idea of writing a musical based on Billy Wilder's critically acclaimed movie, Sunset Boulevard, since the early 1970s when he saw the film, but the project didn't come to fruition until after the completion of Aspects of Love when the composer finally managed to secure the rights from Paramount Pictures[11] The composer worked with two collaborators, as he had done on Aspects of Love; this time Christopher Hampton and Don Black shared equal credit for the book and lyrics. The show opened at the Adelphi Theatre in London on 12 July 1993, and ran for 1,529 performances. In spite of the show's popularity and extensive run in London's West End, it lost money due to the sheer expense of the production.
In 1994, Sunset Boulevard became a successful Broadway show, opening with the largest advance in Broadway history, and winning seven Tony Awards that year. Even so, by its closing in 1997, "it had not recouped its reported $13 million investment."[12]
In 1998, Lloyd Webber released a film version of Cats, which was filmed at the Adelphi Theatre in London. David Mallet directed the film, and Gillian Lynne choreographed the film. The cast consisted of performers who had been in the show before, including Ken Page (Original Old Deuteronomy on Broadway) as Old Deuteronomy, Elaine Paige (Original Grizabella in London) and Sir John Mills as Gus: the Theatre Cat.
In 1998 Whistle Down the Wind made its debut, a musical written with lyrics supplied by rock legend Jim Steinman. Originally opening in Washington, Lloyd Webber was reportedly not happy with the casting or Harold Prince's production and the show was subsequently revised for a London staging directed by Gale Edwards, the production is probably most notable for the Number One hit from Boyzone "No Matter What" which only left the UK charts when the price of the CD single was changed to drop it out of the official top ten. His The Beautiful Game opened in London and has never been seen on Broadway. The show had a respectable run at The Cambridge Theatre in London. The show has been re-worked into a new musical The Boys in the Photograph which had its world première at The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in April 2008.
[edit] 2000s
On 16 September 2004, his production of The Woman in White opened at the Palace Theatre in London. It ran for 19 months and 500 performances. A revised production opened on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre on 17 November 2005. Garnering mixed reviews from critics, due in part to the frequent absences of the show's star Maria Friedman due to breast cancer treatment, it closed only a brief three months later on 19 February 2006.
Lloyd Webber produced a staging of The Sound of Music, which débuted November 2006. He made the controversial decision to choose an unknown to play leading lady Maria, who was found through the reality television show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?, in which he was a judge. The winner of the show was Connie Fisher.
It was announced on 25 August 2006, on his personal website that his next project would be The Master and Margarita (Lloyd Webber has stated that the project will most likely be an opera rather than a musical), however it was announced in late March 2007 that he had abandoned the project.[13]
Then U.S. President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush stand with the Kennedy Center honourees in the Blue Room of the White House during a reception Sunday, 3 December 2006. From left, they are: singer and songwriter William "Smokey" Robinson; Andrew Lloyd Webber; country singer Dolly Parton; film director Steven Spielberg; and conductor Zubin Mehta.
In September 2006, Lloyd Webber was named to be a recipient of the prestigious Kennedy Center Honors with Zubin Mehta, Dolly Parton, Steven Spielberg, and Smokey Robinson. He was recognised for his outstanding contribution to American performing arts.[14] He attended the ceremony on 3 December 2006; it aired on 26 December 2006. On 11 February 2007, Lloyd Webber was featured as a guest judge on the reality television show Grease: You're the One that I Want![15] The contestants all sang "The Phantom of the Opera".
Between April and June 2007, he appeared in BBC One's Any Dream Will Do!, which followed the same format as How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?. Its aim was to find a new Joseph for his revival of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Lee Mead won the contest after quitting his part in the ensemble – and as understudy in The Phantom of the Opera to compete for the role. Viewers' telephone voting during the series raised more than £500,000 for the BBC's annual Children in Need charity appeal, according to host Graham Norton on air during the final. On 1 July 2007, Lloyd Webber presented excerpts from his musicals as part of the Concert for Diana organised to celebrate the life of Diana, Princess of Wales.
The BBC Radio 2 broadcast a concert of music from the Lloyd-Webber musicals on 24 August 2007.[16] Denise Van Outen introduced songs from Whistle Down the Wind, The Beautiful Game, Tell Me on a Sunday, The Woman in White, Evita and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – as well as Rodgers and Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, which Webber revived in 2006 at the London Palladium and 2002's Lloyd Webber-produced Bollywood-style musical Bombay Dreams by A. R. Rahman and Don Black.
In April 2008, Lloyd Webber reprised his role as judge, this time in the BBC musical talent show, I'd Do Anything. The show followed a similar format to its 'Maria' and 'Joseph' predecessors, this time involving a search for an actress to play the role of Nancy in an upcoming West End production of the Lionel Bart musical Oliver! The show also featured a search for three young actors to play and share the title character's role, the show's main focus was on the search for Nancy. The role was won by Jodie Prenger despite Lloyd Webber's stated preference for one of the other contestants; the winners of the Oliver role were Harry Stott, Gwion Wyn-Jones and Laurence Jeffcoate. Also in April 2008 he was featured on the U.S. talent show American Idol, acting as a mentor when the 6 finalists had to select one of Lloyd Webber's songs to perform for the judges that week.
Lloyd Webber and Jade Ewen
Lloyd Webber accepted the challenge of managing the UK's entry for the 2009 Eurovision Song Contest, to be held in Moscow. In early 2009 a series, called Eurovision: Your Country Needs You, was broadcast to find a performer for a song that he would compose for the competition. Jade Ewen won the right to represent Britain, winning with It's My Time, by Lloyd Webber and Diane Warren. At the contest, Lloyd Webber accompanied her on the piano during the performance. Great Britain finished 5th in the contest.[17]
On 8 October 2009, Lloyd Webber launched the musical Love Never Dies at a press conference held at Her Majesty's Theatre, where the original Phantom has been running since 1986. Also present were Sierra Boggess, who has been cast as Christine Daaé, and Ramin Karimloo, who portrayed Phantom, a role he most recently played in the West End.
[edit] 2010s
Following the opening of Love Never Dies, Lloyd Webber again began a search for a new musical theatre performer in the BBC One series Over the Rainbow. He cast the winner, Danielle Hope, in the role of Dorothy and a dog to play Toto in his forthcoming stage production of The Wizard of Oz. He and lyricist and composer Tim Rice wrote a number of new songs for the production to supplement the songs from the film.[18]
On 26 February 2010, he appeared on BBC's Friday Night with Jonathan Ross to promote Love Never Dies.
On 7 March 2011, The Wizard of Oz opened at The Palladium Theatre, starring Danielle Hope as Dorothy and Michael Crawford as the Wizard.
Compositeur Musique additionelle Librettiste Parolier Metteur en scène Chorégraphe Producteur création Producteur version
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Tim Rice • Livret: Production originale: 24 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Synopsis Génèse Liste chansons
Genèse: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical with lyrics by Tim Rice. The story is based on the "coat of many colors" story of Joseph from the Bible's Book of Genesis. This was the first Lloyd Webber and Rice musical to be performed publicly. (Their first musical, The Likes of Us, written in 1965, was not performed until 2005.) Joseph was first presented as a 15-minute pop cantata at Colet Court School in London in 1968 and was recorded as a concept album in 1969. After the success of the next Lloyd Webber and Rice piece, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph received stage productions beginning in 1970 and expanded recordings in 1971 and 1972. While still undergoing various transformations and expansions, the musical was produced in the West End in 1973, and in its full format was recorded in 1974 and opened on Broadway in 1982. Several major revivals and a 1999 straight-to-video film, starring Donny Osmond, followed. The show has little spoken dialogue; it is completely sung-through. Its family-friendly storyline, universal themes and catchy music have resulted in numerous productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; according to the Really Useful Group, by 2008 more than 20,000 schools and amateur theatre groups had successfully put on productions. Lloyd Webber's composer father, William, felt the show had the seeds of greatness. He encouraged and arranged for a second performance — at his church, Westminster Central Hall — with a revised and expanded format. The boys of Colet Court sang at this performance in May 1968, which also included the Mixed Bag. It received positive reviews: London's Sunday Times said it was a new pop oratorio. By its third performance at St Paul's Cathedral in November 1968, it had been expanded to 35 minutes and included songs such as "Potiphar". Novello agreed to publish the work, and Decca Records recorded it in 1969 as a concept album. David Daltrey, front man of British psychedelic band Tales of Justine, played the role of Joseph; and Tim Rice was Pharaoh. Other vocalists included Terry Saunders and Malcolm Parry of the Mixed Bag. In 1970, Lloyd Webber and Rice used the popularity of their second rock opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, to promote Joseph, which was advertised in America as a "follow-up" to Superstar. Riding on Jesus' coattails proved profitable for Joseph, as the U.S. Decca recording of Superstar had been in the top of America's charts for three months. The first American production of Joseph was in May 1970, at Cathedral College of the Immaculate Conception in Douglaston, New York. Following this, according to Lloyd Webber's Really Useful site, "there followed huge interest from colleges and schools." A recording of the musical, with 12 tracks, was issued in the U.S. on Scepter Records in 1971. It featured David Daltrey as Joseph, Tim Rice as Pharaoh, Andrew Lloyd Webber on the organ, Alan Doggett conducting, various solo vocalists and instrumentalists, and the Colet Court choir as the chorus. In late August and September 1972, Joseph was presented at the Edinburgh International Festival by the Young Vic Theatre Company, directed by Frank Dunlop. It starred Gary Bond in the title role, Peter Reeves as the narrator, and Gordon Waller as Pharaoh. In October the production played at London's Young Vic Theatre, and in November at the Roundhouse. The production was part of a double bill called Bible One: Two Looks at the Book of Genesis. Part I, entitled The Genesis Mediaeval Mystery Plays: The Creation to Jacob (at the Young Vic originally called simply Mediaeval Mystery Plays), was Dunlop's reworking of the first six of the medieval Wakefield Mystery Plays, with music by Alan Doggett. Part II was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. The Young Vic production was recorded for an LP released on the RSO label in 1972. This production was also televised in the UK by Granada Television in 1972. In February 1973, theatre producer Michael White and impresario Robert Stigwood mounted the Young Vic production at the Albery Theatre in the West End, where it ran for 243 performances. The mystery plays which had preceded the original Young Vic productions were dropped, and instead the musical was preceded by a piece called Jacob's Journey, with music and lyrics by Lloyd Webber and Rice and a book by television comedy writers Ray Galton and Alan Simpson. The new opening piece, Jacob's Journey, which contained a great deal of spoken dialogue, was eventually phased out in favour of a completely sung-through score. The first production of the show in its modern, final form was at the Haymarket Theatre in Leicester, which presented the musical several times in the mid- to late-1970s. A recording of the full musical was released on the MCA label in 1974, again featuring Gary Bond, Peter Reeves, and Gordon Waller. This is the earliest recording of Joseph to eventually go to CD. Gordon Waller also appeared on another recording in 1979, featuring Tim Rice as the Narrator and Paul Jones as Joseph, on the Music For Pleasure label. In 1975 Miranda Enterprises in association with Leicester Theatre Company presented a production of Joseph at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. It was directed by Paul Tomlinson, Choreographed by David Thornton, and Designed by Hugh Durrant, with Chris Littlewood as the Musical Director. This production starred Patrick Ryecart as Joseph, David Sadgrove as Pharaoh, and had three Narrators: Nigel Baldwin, Ben Bazell, and Patrick Reilley. Ken Hill directed a large-scale production of Joseph at the Westminster Theatre, London, which ran from November 1978 to February 1979, and again from November 1979 to February 1980. This production starred Paul Jones as Joseph, John Golder as the Narrator, and Leonard Whiting as Pharaoh. The producer was Martin Gates, the Musical Director was Jack Forsyth, the Lighting Designer was Francis Reed, and the Designer was Saul Radomsky. With Jason Donovan in the lead, the expanded show was restaged in 1991 at the London Palladium with Steven Pimlott as director, winning the 1992 Laurence Olivier Award for set design. The cast album of this production was the #1 UK album for two weeks in September 1991, and the single "Any Dream Will Do" from it was also the #1 UK single for two weeks in June–July 1991. When Donovan left, former children's TV presenter Phillip Schofield portrayed Joseph.
Résumé: Jacob vit au pays de Canaan avec ses douze fils. Joseph, le cadet, est son enfant préféré. Jacob lui offre une superbe tunique de plusieurs couleurs, ce qui exacerbe la jalousie de ses autres fils. Joseph fait un rêve qui signifie qu’il connaîtra la réussite, contrairement à ses frères. Les frères de Joseph, exaspérés, décident de le jeter dans un puits. Ils vendent finalement Joseph comme esclave et le font passer pour mort auprès de Jacob en lui présentant la tunique de Joseph tâchée de sang (celui d’un animal, en réalité). Arrivé en Egypte, Joseph se retrouve injustement en prison, où il interprète avec succès les rêves d’autres prisonniers. Ses dons reconnus lui permettent d’approcher le Pharaon, qui est en proie à d’étranges rêves. Joseph lui explique que sept années de plein essor (symbolisées par sept vaches grasses) seront suivies de sept années de famine (représentées par sept vaches maigres). Grâce à ce présage, l’Egypte fait des réserves afin d’éviter la pénurie le moment venu et, en retour, Joseph connaît une belle ascension. Pendant la période de famine, les frères de Joseph viennent chercher de la nourriture en Egypte. Ils rencontrent Joseph, qui a atteint un rang élevé, sans le reconnaître. Joseph tente de savoir si ses frères ont changé. Il accuse son frère Benjamin d’être un voleur. Tous ses frères prennent sa défense. Conscient que ses frères sont devenus honnêtes, Joseph révèle sa véritable identité et peut retrouver sa famille à Canaan.
Création: 1/3/1968 - Colet Court School (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Tim Rice • Livret: Production originale: 26 versions mentionnées
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Résumé: Jesus Christ Superstar relate les sept derniers jours de Jésus, de l’entrée de Nazareth à la crucifixion, du point de vue du traître Judas Iscariote. Ce dernier n’arrive pas à comprendre le fanatisme et la confiance aveugle des disciples de Jésus. Il clame «C’est un homme, juste un homme ». C’est pourquoi il s’associe aux ennemis de Jésus. Il n’est que l’instrument de Dieu. Grâce à lui, à travers la destinée qu’il lui trace, Jésus va pouvoir devenir une «superstar». Ne maîtrisant plus la situation, il finira par se pendre, terrassé par ses remords.
Création: 12/10/1971 - Mark Hellinger Theatre (Broadway) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Alan Ayckbourn • Livret: Alan Ayckbourn • Andrew Lloyd Webber • Production originale: 10 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Synopsis Commentaire Génèse
Based on the Jeeves novels by P.G. Wodehouse
Genèse: 1975: Jeeves) Tim Rice conceived the idea of turning P. G. Wodehouse's Jeeves stories into a musical. Originally, he was to work with his then-partner, Andrew Lloyd Webber, but Rice backed out of the project. Eventually Lloyd Webber teamed up with famed British playwright Alan Ayckbourn, and the two of them began work with the personal blessing of Wodehouse. Ayckbourn utilized characters and plot lines from several Jeeves and Wooster stories, notably-The Code of the Woosters. The action takes place at the East London Club for Unmanageable Boys, where Bertie Wooster is playing a banjo concert; his banjo keeps breaking down, so he is forced to tell stories to pass the time while Jeeves is sent off to fetch new strings. Bertie recounts how he managed to become engaged to three ladies simultaneously and how his valet Jeeves (through ingenious intervention) unravelled the complications. Unfortunately, the loyalty to the Wodehouse material made for an epic length, (four and three-quarter hours at the Bristol tryouts) and reducing the duration made for creative tensions. Rows broke out about the presence of an all-male singing sextet accompanying Bertie Wooster and the realisation that the first woman did not appear on stage until thirty-five minutes had passed. Regardless of book-trouble, Lloyd Webber had provided a strong period score that eschewed all traces of the pop-inflections of his Jesus Christ Superstar. He seems to have lacked the confidence to orchestrate the score himself, so was prepared to pay for another's anonymous contributions. In the end, the sound of trumpets, banjos and saxophones flavouring this score were written by a group of arrangers: Keith Amos, Don Walker, Lloyd Webber himself and his future orchestrator, David Cullen. The show opened in London on 22 April 1975 at Her Majesty's Theatre, starring David Hemmings as Bertie Wooster and Michael Aldridge as Jeeves. The role of Madeleine Bassett was performed by T.V. actress Gabrielle Drake. Other cast members included Debbie Bowen, Gordon Clyde, Angela Easterling, John Turner, Bill Wallis and David Wood. Actress Betty Marsden was cast as Aunt Dahlia, but the role and the accomplished actress were released before opening night. The Director Eric Thompson (father of Actress- Emma) was alleged to be in over his head, trying to stage a small farce with a large group of singing chorus hanging around, near redundant. Thompson was fired just before the opening, so Ayckbourn himself stepped into the fray, aided by choreographer Christopher Bruce. It received mixed-to-poor reviews and closed after little over a month and 38 performances, on 24 May. Several critics noted that the authors failed to develop the title character, Jeeves not even having a solo song and unanimous condemnation of a long-winded and unfunny show. The original cast album (MCA Cat. No. MCF 2726) was recorded and released, but it is extremely hard to find. Lloyd Webber, reportedly acting on the advice of American Theatre Director- Harold Prince, withdrew the recording in order to be able to reuse some of the musical material in subsequent shows. Some London theatre fans tell (probably apocryphal) stories of Andrew Lloyd Webber going around London record shops to buy up the remaining copies of the album. The musical score does have some sprightly songs interwoven quite heavily into the plot. 1996: By Jeeves Background : In 1996, Lloyd Webber and Ayckbourn decided to revisit the show, jettisoning most of the score and the entire original book. Retitled By Jeeves (so as to dispel all previous associations with the original production), the character of Roderick Spode and his fascistic intentions were eliminated from the plot. The character list was whittled down from 22 to 10, and the original orchestrations also underwent a reduction to a little band. Only three songs from the original show remained lyrically intact- "Banjo Boy", "Half a Moment" and "Travel Hopefully". The other songs and musical interludes were mostly new or reworked compositions by Lloyd Webber. Productions : By Jeeves re-opened on 1 May 1996 at the Stephen Joseph Theatre-in-the-round in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, an English seaside resort. Audience reaction was generally enthusiastic so the show moved on 2 July 1996 to London for a 12-week season at the fairly intimate Duke of York's Theatre. The show turned out to be more popular than first thought, and the run was extended to February 1997 with the show moved to The Lyric Theatre in Shaftesbury Avenue. Steven Pacey played Bertie Wooster and Malcolm Sinclair played his valet Jeeves. The Musical Director was Kate Young. The cast recording has an interesting format, taking a track between every song where Bertie and Jeeves discuss the plot. Pacey was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical, and By Jeeves also received nominations for Outstanding New Production and Best Costume Designer. The show had its U.S. premiere on 12 November 1996, at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut. U.S. actor John Scherer took the part of Bertie, and Richard Kline played Jeeves. The show was specially recorded and released on VHS and DVD where British actor Martin Jarvis took over from Richard Kline as Jeeves. It also had a brief run on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theatre, from 28 October 2001 (in previews October 16) to 30 December 2001, for 73 performances. Directed by Ayckbourn, the cast featured Scherer (Bertie) and Martin Jarvis (Jeeves) (who received the Theatre World Award).
Résumé: L'une des bonne résolutions prise par Wodehouse lors de la nouvelle année 1905, alors qu'il était âgé de 23 ans, était d'apprendre à jouer du banjo, …
Création: 22/4/1975 - Her Majesty's Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Alan Ayckbourn • Livret: Alan Ayckbourn • Andrew Lloyd Webber • Production originale: 0 version mentionnée
Dispo: Résumé Commentaire
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Résumé: L'une des bonne résolutions prise par Wodehouse lors de la nouvelle année 1905, alors qu'il était âgé de 23 ans, était d'apprendre à jouer du banjo, …
Création: 22/4/1975 - Her Majesty's Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Tim Rice • Livret: Tim Rice • Production originale: 32 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Synopsis Commentaire Génèse Liste chansons
Vidéos:
Evita se concentre sur la vie de la leader politique argentine, Eva Perón, la seconde épouse du président (et dictateur) argentin Juan Perón. L'histoire suit Evita depuis sa jeunesse jusqu’à sa mort, en retraçant sa montée au pouvoir et son soutien aux œuvres de charité. Le musical est d’abord apparu sous la forme d’un album-concept d’opéra-rock, sorti en 1976. Son succès a permis la création de l’œuvre à la scène dans le West End de Londres en 1978 (au Prince Edward Theatre), remportant le Laurence Olivier Award pour la meilleure musique et fut créé à Broadway un an plus tard, où il a été la première comédie musicale Britannique à recevoir le Tony Award de la meilleure musique.
Genèse: In 1972, Robert Stigwood proposed that Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice develop a new musical version of Peter Pan, but they abandoned the project. The source material for the musical that made Rice intrigued about Eva Peron was a brief radio play he heard whilst driving his car, but more importantly the TV film Queen of Hearts by Argentine film director Carlos Pasini Hansen that Thames Television produced and had aired in the UK on the 24th of October 1972. Tim Rice had missed that showing but an executive of CIC (Cinema International Corporation) in London who was a mutual friend of Rice and Pasini introduced them and Pasini arranged for Tim to see the film at Thames Television which he did "at least twenty times" saying also that "by that time I had seen Pasini's superbly researched film, I was hooked." Rice then heard a radio play about Eva Duarte de Perón and approached Lloyd Webber with an idea for a musical collaboration based on her life. The more Rice investigated Eva Perón, going so far as to travel to Buenos Aires to research her life, with many documents and contacts that Pasini had supplied, the more fascinated he became by the woman; he even named his first daughter after her. The idea of writing a score including tangos, paso dobles, and similar Latin flavours intrigued Lloyd Webber, but he ultimately rejected the idea. Lloyd Webber decided instead to collaborate with Alan Ayckbourn on Jeeves, a traditional Rodgers and Hart-style musical based on the P.G. Wodehouse character, which proved to be a critical and commercial failure. Lloyd Webber returned to Rice, and they began developing Rice's proposed musical. The authors of the 1996 book Evita: The Real Life of Eva Perón claim that the musical was based on Mary Main's biography The Woman with the Whip, which was extremely critical of Eva Perón. Though Rice praised the Main biography, it was never officially credited as source material. Rice suggested that they create a character known as Che to serve as a narrator and Greek chorus. It was not his intention to base him on Che Guevara, but when Harold Prince later became involved with the project, he insisted that the actors portraying Che use Guevara as a role model. In the 1996 film adaptation, the character returned to his more anonymous roots. This was also the case for the 2006 London revival. As they previously had done with Superstar, the songwriting team decided to record Evita as an album musical and selected actress and singer Julie Covington to sing the title role. Released in 1976, the two-disc set included Paul Jones as Juan Perón, Colm Wilkinson as Che, Barbara Dickson as Perón's mistress, and Tony Christie as Agustín Magaldi. When the project began to take shape, Pasini wrote the dialogue in Spanish of the first scene of the musical "A Cinema in Buenos Aires" for the first recording of the album in which Julie Covington plays Eva. In this recording Pasini plays the part of the actor in the soundtrack of the "1952 movie that grinds to a halt" and also reads the official communique of Eva's death. In the brochure that accompanied the album that dialogue appears translated into English and the first "thanks" are to Carlos Pasini when the recording was first presented to the press in Andrew Lloyd Webber's country home. The visual presentation was organized by Pasini and his colleague Anton Furst using all the photographic material provided by Pasini. Lloyd Webber and conductor Anthony Bowles presented the musical at the second Sydmonton Festival before making the recording with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.[6] Prior to its release, they played it for Harold Prince and invited him to become involved with the eventual staging. Prince agreed, commenting, "Any opera that begins with a funeral can't be all bad", but he advised them that he could not take on any new commitments for the next two years.[7] In Britain, Australia, South Africa, South America, and various parts of Europe, sales of the concept album exceeded those of Jesus Christ Superstar; in the United States, however, it never achieved the same level of success. Covington's recording of "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" (originally titled "It's Only Your Lover Returning")[8] was released in October 1976. It reached #1 on the UK Singles Chart[7] and enjoyed similar success internationally. Dickson's "Another Suitcase in Another Hall" also became a hit. In the U.S. and UK, respectively, Karen Carpenter and Petula Clark released cover versions of "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina". In December 1976 Rice wrote to Pasini, then in Rome, telling him of the good reaction of the English public to the album ("already sold 10.000 copies") and saying that he "promised not to accept any film offers without letting you (Pasini) know". Lloyd Webber and Rice reworked several elements of the musical before producing it for the stage. Some songs were dropped and some shortened, while others were introduced and some lyrics rewritten. The 1976 album and the stage version featured different versions of the dialogue between Eva and Perón during "Dice Are Rolling." The earlier version concluded with "Eva's Sonnet", during which she reaffirms her vice-presidential aspirations. The stage version of "Dice are Rolling" concluded on a shorter version of the sonnet as Eva collapses due to her worsening illness. Additional lyrics were written for the stage version of "Oh, What a Circus". Lloyd Webber and Rice approached Prince again, and he told them that he would be ready to start rehearsals in early 1978. When he began working on the project in May, he changed very little, other than deleting Che's rock number "The Lady's Got Potential". Prince requested a song he could stage to chart Perón's rise to power, and Rice and Lloyd Webber responded with the musical chairs number "The Art of the Possible", during which military officers are eliminated until only Perón remains.[9] Inspired by the murals of Diego Rivera, Prince suggested the proscenium be flanked by artwork depicting the struggles of the Argentine peasants. He jettisoned the original monochromatic costumes designed for the chorus members and dancers; instead, he had them go to charity and secondhand clothing shops to purchase costumes.[10] Evita opened in London's West End on 21 June 1978, and on Broadway the following year.
Résumé: Eva Duarte, jeune campagnarde de l'Argentine profonde profite du passage d'un chanteur de charme, Augustin Magaldi pour le suivre à Buenos Aires. Larguant Magaldi, elle devient modèle, puis animatrice de radio, puis finalement actrice. Grâce à son nouveau compagnon, le colonel Juan Peron, elle rentre dans les hautes sphères du pouvoir et va l'aider à accéder à la présidence de l'Argentine. Devenue l'icône de l'Argentine à l'étranger et la cheffe spirituelle de la nation, elle crée le fond "Eva Peron" pour aider les pauvres, et devient aux yeux de son peuple une sainte, la Santa Evita. Elle se prépare à son tour à se battre pour la présidence, mais freiné par sa maladie, elle finit par abandonner et demande à son peuple de réélire son mari. Elle meurt d'un cancer, le 26 Juillet 1952 à l'âge de 33 ans. Parallèlement, dans la première version, on suit l'histoire fictive de Che, jeune chimiste Argentin, ayant mis au point un insecticide révolutionnaire et qui va tenter de profiter du capitalisme Argentin tout neuf pour faire fortune, mais en vain. Dans les versions pour la scène, tout ce rôle sera modifié pour devenir Che Guevara,
Création: 21/6/1978 - Prince Edward Theatre (Londres) - 2900 représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Don Black • Livret: Production originale: 7 versions mentionnées
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Résumé: L'héroine (anonyme) d'origine anglaise débarque à New York, et connait une première déception quand elle apprend que l'homme qu'elle aime la trompe. Elle rencontre ensuite un producteur d'Hollywood, Sheldon Bloom, qui l'emmène en Californie, mais le style de vie à Los Angeles ne lui plait pas, et elle revient vite à New York. Elle sort ensuite avec un homme trop jeune pour elle, puis avec un homme marié, pour se retrouver toute seule à la fin.
Création: //1979 - Sydmonton Festival (Sydmonton) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: T.S. Eliot • Trevor Nunn • Livret: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Gillian Lynne • Trevor Nunn • Production originale: 13 versions mentionnées
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Genèse: Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Cats is based on Eliot's Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats (1939), which the composer recalled as having been a childhood favorite. The songs of the musical comprise Eliot's verse set to music by the composer, the principal exception being the most famous song from the musical, "Memory", for which the lyrics were written by Trevor Nunn after an Eliot poem entitled "Rhapsody on a Windy Night". Also, a brief song entitled "The Moments of Happiness" was taken from a passage in Eliot's Four Quartets. Andrew Lloyd Webber began composing the songs in late 1977 and premiered the compositions at the Sydmonton festival in 1980. The concert was attended by T.S. Elliot's wife, Valerie Elliot and she loved the songs that Webber had composed. She gave her blessing for the songs to be adapted into a musical stage play. Rehearsals for the musical began in early 1981 at the New London Theatre. Due to the Elliot estate asserting that they write no script and only use the original poems as the text, the musical had no identified plot during the rehearsal process, causing many actors to be confused about what they were actually doing. An unusual musical in terms of its construction, the overture incorporates a fugue and there are occasions when the music accompanies spoken verse. The show is completely told through music with virtually no spoken dialogue in between the songs. Dance is also a key element in the musical especially during the 10 minute Jellicle Ball dance sequence. The set, consisting of an oversized junk yard, remains the same throughout the show without any scene changes. Lloyd Webber's eclecticism is very strong here; musical genres range from classical to pop, music hall, jazz, rock and electro-acoustic music as well as hymnal songs such as "The Addressing of Cats". Cats premiered in the West End at the New London Theatre on 11 May 1981. There was trouble initially as Judi Dench, cast in the role of Grizabella, snapped a tendon during rehearsals prior to the London opening. The role of Grizabella was subsequently taken over by Elaine Paige. The role was beefed up for Paige and the song "Memory" (originally to be sung by Geraldine Gardner in the role of the red cat Bombalurina) was given to Paige. The musical was produced by Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group, directed by Trevor Nunn, with associate director and choreographer Gillian Lynne, design by John Napier, and lighting by David Hersey. It played a total of 8,949 performances in London. Its final performance in London's West End was on its 21st birthday, 11 May 2002, and broadcast on a large screen in Covent Garden to the delight of fans who could not acquire a ticket for the final performance. It held the record as London's longest running musical until 8 October 2006, when it was surpassed by Les Misérables. The show made its debut on Broadway on 8 October 1982, at the Winter Garden Theatre with the same production team. On 19 June 1997, Cats became the longest-running musical in Broadway history with 6,138 performances. It closed on 10 September 2000, after a total of 7,485 performances. Its Broadway record was surpassed on 9 January 2006 by The Phantom of the Opera. It remains Broadway's second longest-running show in history. Lloyd Webber stated that when the original show was produced, it cost £900,000, but on Broadway, it cost $5,000,000. In 1998, Lloyd Webber produced a video version of Cats, based upon the stage version, starring Elaine Paige, who originated the role of Grizabella in London; Ken Page, who originated Old Deuteronomy on Broadway; Sir John Mills as Gus; Michael Gruber as Munkustrap; John Partridge as The Rum Tum Tugger; Jo Gibb as Rumpelteazer with many of the dancers and singers drawn largely from various stage productions of the show. It was directed by David Mallet, with choreography and musical staging by the show's respected original creator Gillian Lynne in London's Adelphi Theatre, and was released on VHS and DVD, as well as broadcast on television worldwide. Andrew Lloyd Webber and others on the production team for the film wanted to keep the feeling that viewers watching the film could still get the sense of seeing the show live, by having all views be facing the stage, therefore, getting multiple views of the set, but still feel like the viewer is part of a live audience, with several close-ups. Beyond the productions in Britain, the U.S., Canada, and Australia, the musical has been produced professionally in Hungary, Austria, and Japan, 1983; Sydney and Toronto, 1985; Germany, 1986; France, 1989; Mexico, 1991; Netherlands, 1992; Argentina, 1993; Hong Kong, 1994; Spain, 2003; Poland and Czech Republic, 2004; Russia and Estonia, 2005; Israel, Taiwan, Thailand, South Korea, China and Finland, 2007; Singapore, Hong Kong, Dominican Republic, Norway, Sweden, South Africa, China, Italy, Bulgaria and Japan, 2009; and Brazil and the Philippines, 2010. Cats has been translated into over 20 languages. A West End revival of Cats is being planned for 2013.
Résumé: Les chats Jellicle se réunissent une fois par année au bal des Jellicles où le vieux Deuteronomy choisit un autre vieux chat ou chatte destinés à renaître une nouvelle fois. Cette année, le bal est troublé par l'arrivée de Macavity, qui va capturer le vieux Deuteronomy.
Création: 11/5/1981 - Gillian Lynne Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Don Black • Livret: Production originale: 3 versions mentionnées
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Résumé: ACT I : notre chanteuse, d'origine anglaise débarque à New York pour y chercher l'amour. Elle sort avec un danseur, mais celui-ci la quitte. Elle rencontre ensuite un producteur d'Hollywood, Sheldon Bloom, qui l'emmène en Californie, mais le lifestyle de Los Angeles ne lui plait pas, et elle revient vite à New York. Elle sort ensuite avec un homme trop jeune pour elle, puis avec un homme marié, et se retrouve seule. ACT II : Joe, danseur de son état, passe de femme en femme, cherchant aussi l'amour sans le trouver. FINALE : la chanteuse et le danseur finissent par se retrouver et s'avouent leur amour.
Création: 26/3/1982 - Palace Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Don Black • Richard Stilgoe • Livret: Production originale: 10 versions mentionnées
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Résumé: Dans la chambre d'un enfant, plusieurs locomotives font la course, accompagnés de leurs wagons préférés. qui gagnera ? Greaseball, la locomotive diesel? Electra, la locomotive électrique? Quand même pas Rusty, la locomotive à vapeur ? Rusty reçoit alors l'aide du mysterieux Starlight Express. Avec son aide, Rusty réussira peut-être à gagner la course et le coeur de la belle Pearl. Comme dit Poppa, il y a toujours une lumière au fond du tunnel.
Création: 27/3/1984 - Apollo Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Tim Rice • Livret: Tim Rice • Production originale: 2 versions mentionnées
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Genèse: After their collaboration on Evita in 1978, composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice took what was originally intended to be a temporary break from their illustrious theatrical partnership. They did not work together again until the request for this pièce d'occasion came up, and Cricket ended up being their final original musical. Prince Edward, the Queen's youngest son, had joined Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Theatre Company as staff assistant in 1986. He commissioned a short musical from Lloyd Webber and Rice for his mother's 60th birthday celebration. The game of cricket was Tim Rice's favourite pastime – he had a cricket field on the grounds of his home and had his own cricket team – and Rice had a particular passion for this new comic musical about England's national sport. Rice used actual cricket-related names for his characters, boosting the light-hearted feeling of the piece. He and Lloyd Webber created a 25-minute tongue-in-cheek "musicalette" for the Queen. Cricket is entirely sung-through, with no spoken dialogue. The show debuted as planned on 18 June 1986 at Windsor Castle, directed by Trevor Nunn and starring Ian Charleson, Sarah Payne, and John Savident. The musicians were members of Colosseum II and others – the ensemble that had first performed Lloyd Webber's Variations. The men's vocal group Cantabile played the cricketers' chorus. The Windsor Castle performance was quite spirited and amusing, and was very well received. Two more performances followed. One was at Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival on 15 July 1986. Another performance followed in November 1986 at Tim Rice's favourite charity, the Lord's Taverners Ball, where Rice played the cricketer Wittering, dressed in his own Heartaches Cricket Club uniform. A segment of the original rehearsals of Cricket was televised on the Andrew Lloyd Webber installment of The South Bank Show, which aired on 15 November 1986. The segment featured Sarah Payne and Alvin Stardust rehearsing "As the Seasons Slip Fruitlessly By" and "The Sport of Kings". There have been no further performances of the musical. Lloyd Webber used at least five of the tunes from Cricket in his musical Aspects of Love (1989). This meant that Cricket, which had been extremely well received, was a dead item, a fact that greatly distressed Tim Rice. The piece could thus never be expanded into a full theatrical musical. Lloyd Webber used other tunes from Cricket in Sunset Boulevard. The Cricket libretto was published in 'A Breathless Hush ...': The MCC Anthology of Cricket Verse (2004). Cricket has not been recorded for commercial release, although a non-commercial instrumental demo studio album was recorded on solo piano in 1986. The performance rights for the piece have not yet been made available. The men's vocal group Cantabile recorded "The Summer Game", featuring Tim Rice singing as the Earl, on their 2011 CD Songs of Cricket.
Résumé: Set against the backdrop of the semi-fictional Headingley Cricket Club's matches, the comic and slightly melodramatic plot of Cricket has star player Donald torn between his team and his girlfriend Emma – as she decides to abandon watching cricket for what appears to be a far more exciting life at the race track with the caddish Vincent. The leads in the cast are Donald, Emma, Emma's father, Vincent, and a West Indian fast-bowler from the opposing team named Winston B. Packer. The musical's chorus are the rest of the cricket players
Création: 18/6/1986 - Windsor Castle (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Charles Hart • Richard Stilgoe • Livret: Production originale: 18 versions mentionnées
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Résumé: L’action se situe à l’Opéra de Paris dans les années 1880. Quand la principale chanteuse de l’opéra Hannibal manque de se faire tuer (par un fantôme ?), on la remplace par Christine Daaé. Cette jeune chanteuse prend des cours avec le mystérieux "Ange de la Musique"…. Derrière ce nom se cache en fait le fantôme de l’Opéra, un génie, défiguré et féru de musique qui hante le palais Garnier. Ce compositeur trouve en Christine son inspiration et manipulera tous les acteurs de l’Opéra pour la mettre en valeur. Quand il s’aperçoit que Christine est éprise de Raoul, la fureur s’empare de lui : il leur déclare alors la guerre, kidnappe Christine et envisage le meurtre de Raoul.
Création: 9/10/1986 - Her Majesty's Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Charles Hart • Don Black • Livret: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Charles Hart • Don Black • Production originale: 15 versions mentionnées
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Cet audacieux et ambitieux opéra de chambre explore la cartographie du cœur humain, s’attardant sur les changements d'alliance de six amants à travers trois générations. Alex n’a que dix-sept quand l'amour transforme tout dans sa vie. Sa furtive liaison avec l’ambitieuse actrice Rose amorce une succession de liaisons amoureuses qui se prolonge à l'âge adulte. Alex perd Rose au détriment de son oncle George, qui l’épousera. Avec le temps, la maîtresse de George, la belle Giulietta, aura une aventure avec Rose, qui elle conservera son amant, Hugo. Comme un écho du caprice originel entre Rose et Alex, ce dernier aura une aventure avec la fille adolescente que Rose a eu avec son oncle vieillissant. Cette complexe ronde familiale est entraînée par une partition puissante et passionnée.
Genèse: Lloyd Webber was introduced to Aspects of Love in 1979, when he and Tim Rice were approached to write a few songs for a proposed film version. When nothing came of it, he suggested to Trevor Nunn that they collaborate on a stage adaptation. In 1983, they presented a cabaret of numbers they had written, but it was not until five years later that they tackled the project in earnest. For the finished project, Lloyd Webber used at least five of the tunes he had written for the 1986 one-act musical Cricket, which he had written with Tim Rice. ------ Extrait du programme de "Aspects of love": My first encounter with David Garnett’s Aspects of Love was in 1979. Tim Rice had been sent the book as a film was being planned to which we were possibly to contribute songs. Some time later, we felt it was an interesting subject for us to write, particularly as it was so different from Evita and I had just finished Tell Me On A Sunday, which was not so very far in scale from how I imagined Aspects. But a splendid and somewhat indulgent few days at Eugenie-les-Bains, chosen because we argued it was vaguely near Pau, bore little fruit. During the course of Cats rehearsals, I gave the book to Trevor Nunn, who was delighted with it. In 1983, we presented a “cabaret” of some songs we wrote together for a possible full-length musical. But these songs did not work either. I often feel that I was trying to impose a big, grandiose, romantic style onto the novel and in fact a fair amount of the music of the cabaret became The Phantom of the Opera. It was a little before the completion of Phantom that I realised that I wanted to change direction sharply in my next work. Thus I returned to the Garnett novel and in the company of Don Black, who I had worked with on Tell Me On A Sunday, and Charles Hart, with whom I was completing Phantom, we decided to try once more. Of the 1979 version, nothing survives in this score as nothing much was written anyway. Of the 1983 version, the most substantial melody to survive is the Pyrenees folk song. Two others also survive: George’s section about Rose in the Venice sequence and also in that sequence a motif I used as a television theme tune when I thought in 1984 Aspects was a subject I would not return to. All of the principal melodies and the great body of the work were written, therefore, during the course of my collaboration with Don and Charlie. To offer the work to Trevor Nunn to direct was obvious, since his interest in the book has been every bit as great as mine for almost as long. Indeed, in 1983 he took over the rights to develop the novel as a film. It is, perhaps, worth recording that Aspects very nearly did become the first musical of mine that was made as a film without a theatrical presentation, but Trevor Nunn convinced me otherwise and thus we are enjoying our first collaboration together about human beings. ----- The West End production, directed by Trevor Nunn and choreographed by Gillian Lynne, opened on April 17, 1989 at the Prince of Wales Theatre, where it ran for 1,325 performances. The original cast included Kevin Colson, Ann Crumb, Michael Ball, Kathleen Rowe McAllen and Diana Morrison. Sarah Brightman, Barrie Ingham, and Michael Praed were among the replacements later in the run. Roger Moore was due to star in the production but dropped out. The Broadway production, with the same creative team and many of the original London cast, opened on April 8, 1990 at the Broadhurst Theatre and closed on March 2, 1991 after 377 performances and 22 previews. Brightman and John Cullum joined the cast later in the run. The reviews were lackluster and New York Times critic Frank Rich wrote in a negative review "Whether Aspects of Love is a musical for people is another matter." When the musical closed, the entire $8 million investment was lost, which, according to the New York Times, made it "perhaps the greatest flop in Broadway history." In 1991, a "chamber" version of the show with Keith Michell was mounted in Canada. It subsequently toured in America and a similar production was staged in Australia. Aspects of Love was produced in Japan, the Philippines, Hungary, Finland, and Denmark as well. A new UK tour began on 31 August 2007, the first production in 15 years. Starring David Essex as George Dillingham, the production was directed by Nikolai Foster, and musically directed by Andrew J.Smith. The tour opened at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle upon Tyne, and toured for 36 weeks through 8 December 2007. Following the UK tour, the musical played a limited engagement at The Joburg Theatre in Johannesburg, South Africa from May 22 to June 28, 2009. The touring production was re-directed by Nikolai Foster and starred Samantha Peo, Robert Finlayson, Angela Kilian and Keith Smith. A London revival will run at the Menier Chocolate Factory from July 15 to September 11, 2010, directed by Trevor Nunn.
Résumé: ACTE I - 1947, France. Rose une jeune actrice rencontre un jeune fan anglais, Alex, qui l'emmène dans la villa de son onde à Pau, mais l'oncle, George, débarque avec sa maîtresse Giuletta. Rose tombe sous le charme de George et quitte Alex. Rose épouse ensuite George et donne naissance à jenny. ACTE II - 1962, Rose est devenue une actrice renommée et a un jeune amant Hugo. De retour à Pau, Rose retrouve Alex et en tombe amoureuse tout comme Jenny sa jeune fille. Alex a de la peine à choisir entre Rose son anden amour et Jenny, mais aux funérailles de George, Alex retrouve Giuletta et se découvrent une attirance commune.
Création: 17/4/1989 - Prince of Wales Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Christopher Hampton • Don Black • Livret: Christopher Hampton • Don Black • Production originale: 21 versions mentionnées
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Genèse: From approximately 1952 to 1956, Gloria Swanson worked with actor Richard Stapley (aka Richard Wyler) and cabaret singer/pianist Dickson Hughes on a musical adaptation originally entitled Starring Norma Desmond, then Boulevard! It ended on a happier note than the film, with Norma allowing Joe to leave and pursue a happy ending with Betty. Paramount originally had given Swanson verbal permission to proceed with the musical, but there had been no formal legal arrangement. On 20 February 1957, Paramount executive Russell Holman wrote Swanson a letter in which he asked her to cease work on the project because "it would be damaging for the property to be offered to the entertainment public in another form as a stage musical." In 1994, Hughes incorporated material from the production into Swanson on Sunset, based on his and Stapley's experiences in writing Boulevard!. A recording of the entire score, which had been housed in the Gloria Swanson archives at the University of Texas, was released on CD in 2008. In the early 1960s, Stephen Sondheim outlined a musical stage adaptation and went so far as to compose the first scene with librettist Burt Shevelove. A chance encounter with Billy Wilder at a cocktail party gave Sondheim the opportunity to introduce himself and ask the original film's co-screenwriter and director his opinion of the project (which was to star Jeanette MacDonald). "You can't write a musical about Sunset Boulevard," Wilder responded, "it has to be an opera. After all, it's about a dethroned queen." Sondheim immediately aborted his plans. A few years later, when he was invited by Hal Prince to write the score for a film remake starring Angela Lansbury as a fading musical comedienne rather than a silent film star, Sondheim declined, citing his conversation with Wilder. When Lloyd Webber saw the film in the early 1970s, he was inspired to write what he pictured as the title song for a theatrical adaptation, fragments of which he instead incorporated into Gumshoe. In 1976, after a conversation with Hal Prince, who had the theatrical rights to Sunset, Lloyd Webber wrote "an idea for the moment when Norma Desmond returns to Paramount Studios"; Lloyd Webber did no further work on the play until after 1989's Aspects of Love. At that point, Lloyd Webber "felt it was the subject [he] had to compose next", though by February 1990 he had announced plans to turn Really Useful Group private so he could "make movies rather than musicals." In 1991, Lloyd Webber asked Amy Powers, a lawyer from New York with no professional lyric-writing experience, to write the lyrics for Sunset Boulevard. Don Black was later brought in to work with Powers; the two wrote the version that was performed in 1991 at Lloyd Webber's Sydmonton Festival. This original version starred Ria Jones as Norma but it was not a success. A revised version, written by Black and Christopher Hampton had a complete performance at the 1992 Sydmonton Festival, now with Patti LuPone playing Norma, and "met with great success". Lloyd Webber borrowed several of the tunes from his 1986 mini-musical Cricket, written with Tim Rice, which had had an acclaimed run at Windsor Castle and later at the Sydmonton Festival. Sunset had its World Premiere at London's Adelphi Theatre on July 12, 1993, with Patti LuPone (Norma Desmond) and Kevin Anderson (Joe Gillis) starring and Daniel Benzali playing Max. The opening had been delayed slightly due to complex technical problems which plagued the show during development. Press interest had been unprecedented ever since the project was announced, but initial reviews were mixed. This did not stop the show receiving record advance bookings, however. The American Premiere took place on December 9, 1993 not on Broadway, but in Los Angeles at the Shubert Theatre. This time the show starred Glenn Close (Norma Desmond), Alan Campbell (Joe Gillis), Judy Kuhn (Betty Schaefer) and George Hearn (Max von Mayerling). Soon, it was decided that Close should open the Broadway production, with Faye Dunaway replacing her in LA. This caused great problems, as Patti LuPone had been promised the leading role on Broadway. She filed a million dollar lawsuit, feeling she had been badly let down. When Faye Dunaway came to rehearse for the LA show, it quickly became clear that her singing voice was not up to standard, and she too filed a court case (both were settled by out-of-court agreements). Without a leading lady, the LA production was closed when its cast moved to New York. On November 17 1994, Sunset Boulevard opened on Broadway at the Minskoff Theatre, with Close, Campbell and Hearn reprising their roles and Alice Ripley joining as Betty Schaefer. The show had the highest advance in Broadway history ($37.5 million in ticket sales). Sunset Boulevard gained the theatre's highest honour when it received seven Tony Awards in 1995, including Best Musical, Best Leading Actress, Best Score, Best Lighting and Best Scenic Design. The improvements made to the show for its American opening were incorporated into the London production in 1994, and it closed for a short while whilst these were implemented, reopening with a new star - Betty Buckley. Divas Rita Moreno, Elaine Paige, Petula Clark and Karen Mason were all to play the title role on London and/or Broadway. Sunset closed on Broadway on March 22nd 1997. The London production closed on the 5th April 1997 with Petula Clark and Graham Buckley playing the title roles. The Canadian production opened on October 15, 1995 starring Diahann Carroll (Norma), Rex Smith (Joe) and Walter Charles (Max), but despite public interest, closed after a relatively short run. The First US National Tour of Sunset Boulevard premiered in June 1996 with Linda Balgord in the starring role, but the tour ended in Chicago in 1997, despite having had plans to tour for at least a further two years. The Broadway production - flying mansion and all - had been recreated for this tour, and the sheer expense of moving the production around eventually proved its Achilles heel. The show opened in Melbourne, Australia in October 1996 but it closed in 1997. Plans for an entirely new production to play the Sydney Opera House in November 1999 did not come to fruition. Sunset Boulevard also played at Niederhausen near Frankfurt, Germany in a theatre specially constructed to house the show. The show was translated into German, and seemed to adapt very well. The production starred US jazz singer Helen Schneider, and TV-personality Daniela Ziegler during its respectable 2 1/2 year run; and was seen by nearly 1 million people. German Sunset had been set to close in 1997 alongside the London and Broadway productions, but it was saved by Peter Buck, a building contractor who bought the German rights to the musical from the Really Useful Group. He attempted to cut back on the running costs of the show, but unfortunately it still proved financially unsound. It closed on May 3rd 1998 with Sue Mathys (Norma Desmond) and Yngve Gasoy Romdal (Joe Gillis) in the lead roles. A new US Touring Production opened in December 1998 in Pittsburgh, starring Petula Clark. This was a new production, with entirely new scenic design and direction, which was the cause of much controversy among fans of the show, many of whom saw it as highly inferior to the lavish original. The tour ran for over a year, however, and was well received by press all over the US.
Résumé: Impoverished screenwriter Joe Gillis stumbles upon the stuffy mansion of faded filmstar Norma Desmond by chance. She initially employs him to edit her script for a movie of Salome, which she plans to use as her comeback vehicle, demanding he reside at her home whilst he works. She soon falls hoplessly in love with him, and persuades him to stay on as her live-in lover, much to the shock of her loyal butler (and ex-husband) Max. Joe finds himself torn away from his old lifestyle and friendships. Meanwhile, Norma has proceeded with her plans for her return to the screen, and visits Paramount studios to seek Cecil B. DeMille's help. Away from Norma's glare, however, Joe collaborates in secret with young studio employee Betty Schaefer, and they soon declare their love for one another. Torn between his life of luxury supplied by Norma, and his genuine affection for Betty, Joe decides to leave Hollywood and start life afresh in his native Ohio. Norma, in a fit of shock and rage, shoots Joe as he leaves her home on Sunset Boulevard. In the final scene, she descends into insanity as press and police invade her home, and, believing herself to be back on the set of one of her movies, descends the grand staircase in ger mansion with the immortal words: "and now, Mr DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up.."
Création: 12/7/1993 - Adelphi Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Jim Steinman • Livret: Gale Edwards • Patrica Knop • Production originale: 8 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Synopsis Commentaire Génèse Liste chansons
Genèse: 1996/1997 – Création à Washington et annulation à Broadway Whistle Down the Wind a été créé au National Theatre à Washington, le 12 décembre 1996, avec Davis Gaines (l'Homme) et Irene Molloy (Swallow). La presse a été très majoritairement négative (voire très négative). L'ouverture à Broadway qui avait été prévue pour le 17 Avril 1997, a d’ailleurs été annulée. On peut considérer que c'est majoritairement la mise en scène de Harold Prince qui a conduit à son échec. Cependant, il a une énorme quantité de publicité préalable, en raison de l'état de Steinman comme un auteur-compositeur populaire américaine et la façon étrange la combinaison de Steinman et Lloyd Webber semblait basée sur des travaux antérieurs de Steinman. 1998 Concept album et London Cast Recording Un album concept a été produit comprenant 12 chansons du spectacle, chantées par des stars comme Tom Jones, Boy George, Tina Arena, Donny Osmond, les Everly Brothers, Boyzone, Meat Loaf et Bonnie Tyler. In addition to this roster of popular recording artists and the gospel choir Sounds of Blackness, West End theatre stars Elaine Paige and Michael Ball and up-and-coming singer-actress Lottie Mayor, scheduled to play Swallow in the reworked West End version, appeared on the album. A double album cast recording, produced by Lloyd Webber and Nigel Wright, was released the same year featuring the original cast of the West End production. Notable songs from the show include "Whistle Down the Wind," "A Kiss is a Terrible Thing to Waste," "When Children Rule the World," and "No Matter What." The last of these was released as a single by Boyzone and had unprecedented success: it went platinum, was voted the UK's Record of the Year for 1998, and hit No. 1 in 18 countries, becoming the most successful single produced from a musical in history. 1998 – Re-création à Londres A reworked, and more successful, West End production opened at the Aldwych Theatre on 1 July 1998, starring Marcus Lovett as The Man and Lottie Mayor as Swallow, running for 1,044 performances and closing in January 2001. This production was darker than the Washington, D.C. production, and was revised and directed by Gale Edwards, a director who had previously collaborated with Lloyd Webber on an updated production of Jesus Christ Superstar. More than half of the crew also came from Superstar to Whistle. 2001 - UK tour puis West End revival In 2001, Bill Kenwright produced and directed his own production of Whistle Down the Wind for a UK tour, starring Tim Rogers as The Man and Katie Rowley Jones as Swallow. He was granted a considerable amount of creative freedom as director, authorised by Andrew Lloyd Webber to make significant changes to the dramatic structure of the musical, including replacing the running parable of Annie and Charlie Christmas told to the children by The Man with a lighter-toned number called "The Gang" (lyrics by Don Black). This version was simpler in design and more focused on the human story than the spectacular visuals of the Aldwych production. The show toured the UK a number of times with several cast changes between 2001 to 2004. At the request of Lloyd Webber, Kenwright brought his production of Whistle Down the Wind to the Palace Theatre, London in March 2006, where it played a limited run until August, filling the gap between the closure of another Lloyd Webber musical, The Woman in White and the opening of the Monty Python musical Spamalot. Tim Rogers reprised his acclaimed performance of The Man, and Claire Marlowe, another veteran of the UK tour, reprised the role of Swallow. The critical opinion was mixed, ranging from Michael Billington's 2 star review in The Guardian[1] to Benedict Nightingale's 4 star review in The Times,[2] but virtually all of the national papers agreed that this version was an improvement on Gale Edwards's Aldwych production.
Résumé: Un groupe d'enfants menés par la jeune Swallow, découvrent dans une grange, un homme évanoui, blessé aux mains et au torse. Pour les enfants, cela ne fait pas de doute, il s'agit de Jésus de retour sur Terre pour les sauver. Ils décident de garder le secret et de le soigner, alors que les adultes de la petite ville recherchent activement un dangereux tueur évadé.
Création: 12/12/1996 - National Theatre (Washington) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Ben Elton • Livret: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Ben Elton • Production originale: 10 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Synopsis Commentaire Génèse Isnpiration Liste chansons
The plot, which is centred on a local football (soccer) team, focuses on the attempt to overcome religious intolerance and violence that has engulfed their community. The team is made up of Catholic and Protestant youths and the coach is a priest. The musical chronicles the ups and downs of the team players as the emerging political and religious violence overwhelms them. Some of the players become members of the IRA, one gets kneecapped. The musical also chronicles the emotional change in the protagonist from political ambivalence to becoming an IRA terrorist. Highlights of the play include the dual singing of "God's Own Country" by two females, one Catholic, one Protestant; the rain-drenched funeral; the football match; the transformation of the football net into a prison.
Genèse: Beautiful Game The world premiere production of The Beautiful Game opened on September 26, 2000 at the Cambridge Theatre in London and closed September 1, 2001, after a total run of slightly more than 11 months. Directed by Robert Carsen, the choreography was by Meryl Tankard. The show was met with a mixed reception from the critics: while the production and Lloyd Webber's score were largely praised, Elton's book and lyrics came under fire for being crass, predictable and undistinguished. The show never made a transfer to Broadway. The Boys in the Photograph A rewrite by Lloyd-Webber and Elton, with a new title of The Boys in the Photograph, had a full scale production mounted in April 2009 at the Manitoba Theatre Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. This production transferred to the Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto, Canada in September 2009 with a rumored North American Tour to follow retaining the entire Canadian cast. The rewrite gives a more uplifting ending than the original production. Prior to this, The Boys in the Photograph received a workshop production by students at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in April 2008. It opened with the following cast Matthew Grace as John, Jeanna De Waal as Mary, Adam Diggle as Del, Derek Barr as Thomas, Cecilia Ardiles as Christine, Richard Loosemore as Ginger, Rob Gilbert as Daniel and Bryn Holding as Father O'Donnel. It was directed by Nick Phillips.
Résumé: Une équipe de foot locale d'Irlande du Nord mélange joueurs catholiques et protestants ce qui, malgré les résultats positifs de l'équipe, déclenche de nombreuses violences. Plusieurs footballeurs rejoignent l'IRA et finiront en prison où ils pourront continuer de pratiquer leur passion. La comédie musicale parle aussi du basculement de quelqu'un qui a des idées vers le pur terrorrisme. Les grands moments du spectacles sont: un duo de femmes "God's Own Country", une Catholique, une Protestante; l'enterrement sous la pluie; le match de football; la transformation du filet du football en prison. La chanson la plus prospère du score était "Notre Genre d'Amour."
Création: 26/9/2000 - Cambridge Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: David Zippel • Livret: Charlotte Jones • Production originale: 3 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Commentaire
Vidéos:
Genèse:
Résumé: Un jeune professeur de dessin, Walter Hartright descend à la gare de Limmeridge et rencontre une jeune femme en blanc (Anne) qui lui dit être en grand danger....mais la jeune femme disparaît avant d'avoir pu lui en dire plus. Walter devient le professeur de dessin de deux jeunes femmes, Marian et Laura, et ensemble, décident de résoudre ce mystère. Walter et Laura tombent amoureux, mais Marian aime également Walter en secret. Walter rencontre la jeune femme en blanc, Anne Catherick qui lui révèle ne pas être un fantôme, mais être prisonnière de Sir Percival Glyde, qui se défend en prétendant qu'Anne est folle, et finit par l'envoyer dans un asile. Walter apprend également que Laura doit épouser Sir Percival et déçu, s'enfuit pour Londres. Sir Percival se révèle être un mari violent et Marian essaye en vain d'aider Laura à le quitter. Un matin, Marian apprend par le Comte Fosco, ami de Sir Percival, que Laura est tombée de la fenêtre et est morte. Marian part rejoindre Walter à Londres et ensemble, décident de venger Laura et de sauver Anne de son asile. Mais quand ils arrivent à l'asile, ils découvrent non pas Anne, mais Laura. Walter, Laura et Marian réussiront à se venger de Sir Percival Glyde et Walter & Laura pourront enfin se marier.
Création: 15/9/2004 - Palace Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Glenn Slater • Livret: Glenn Slater • Production originale: 4 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Synopsis Commentaire Génèse Liste chansons
"I really do not believe that you have to have seen Phantom of the Opera to understand Love Never Dies. I really don’t. But I hope if you see them together, if you wanted to see them back-to-back, that what you would get from them — from both of them — is the extension of where the story goes.“ Andrew Lloyd Webber
Genèse: Andrew Lloyd Webber first began plans for a sequel to his 1986 hit musical, The Phantom of the Opera, in 1990. Following a conversation with Maria Björnson, the designer of The Phantom of the Opera, Lloyd Webber decided that, were a sequel to come about, it would be set in New York City at the turn of the 20th century. One of his ideas was to have Phantom live above ground in Manhattan's first penthouse, but he rejected this when he saw a TV documentary about the Coney Island fairground. Lloyd Webber began collaborating with author Frederick Forsyth on the project, but it soon fell apart as Lloyd Webber felt the ideas they were developing would be difficult to adapt for a stage musical. Forsyth went on to publish some of the ideas he had worked on with Lloyd Webber in 1999 as a novel entitled The Phantom of Manhattan. Lloyd Webber returned to the project in 2006, collaborating with a number of writers and directors. However, he still did not feel the ideas he had were adaptable into a piece of musical theatre. Finally, in early 2007, Lloyd Webber approached Ben Elton (who had served as the librettist for Lloyd Webber's The Beautiful Game) to help shape a synopsis for a sequel, based on Lloyd Webber's initial ideas. Elton's treatment of the story focused more on the original characters of The Phantom of the Opera and omitted new characters that Lloyd Webber and Forsyth had developed. Lloyd Webber was pleased with Elton's treatment and began work on the sequel. In March 2007, he announced he would be moving forward with the project. The Daily Mail announced in May 2007 that the sequel would be delayed, because Lloyd Webber's six-month-old kitten Otto, a rare-breed Turkish Van, climbed onto Lloyd Webber's Clavinova digital piano and managed to delete the entire score. Lloyd Webber was unable to recover any of it from the instrument, but was eventually able to reconstruct the score. In 2008, Lloyd Webber first announced that the sequel would likely be called Phantom: Once Upon Another Time, and the first act was performed at Lloyd Webber's annual Sydmonton Festival. The Phantom was played by Ramin Karimloo and Raoul was played by Alistair Robbins. However, in September 2008, during the BBC's Birthday in the Park concert celebrating his 60th birthday, Lloyd Webber announced that the title would be Love Never Dies. In other workshop readings, Raoul and Christine were played by Aaron Lazar and Elena Shaddow. On 3 July 2009, Lloyd Webber announced that Karimloo (who had played the Phantom in the West End) and Sierra Boggess (who had originated the role of Christine in Phantom – The Las Vegas Spectacular) had been cast as the Phantom and Christine and that the role of Meg Giry would be played by Summer Strallen, Madame Giry by Liz Robertson and Raoul by Joseph Millson. I'd Do Anything finalist Niamh Perry was given the role of Fleck. Lloyd Webber originally intended for Love Never Dies to open in London, New York and Shanghai simultaneously in the autumn of 2009. By March 2009, he had decided to open the show at London's Adelphi Theatre, followed by Toronto's Royal Alexandra Theatre (before transferring to Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre in 2010) and Shanghai. The three casts would rehearse simultaneously in London for three months beginning August 2009. Opening dates were soon announced as 26 October 2009 in London, November in Toronto and February 2010 in Shanghai, with a later transfer to Melbourne, Australia. Plans were then announced for a separate Broadway production to run concurrently with the Toronto show if Toronto proved successful. In May, the debut of the London production was delayed until March 2010 due to Lloyd Webber re-orchestrating the score and re-recording the album. Technical issues with the special effects, automaton version of Christine and casting multiple simultaneous productions also contributed to the postponement. By October 2009, Shanghai plans had been dropped in favour of an Australian production. On 8 October 2009, Lloyd Webber held a press conference at Her Majesty's Theatre, where the original Phantom has been running since 1986, confirming the casting of Boggess as Christine and Karimloo as the Phantom. Karimloo sang "Til I Hear You Sing", and "The Coney Island Waltz" was also performed for the journalists, industry insiders and fans who had assembled for the presentation. Lloyd Webber announced that Love Never Dies would begin previews in London on 20 February 2010 and anticipated that the Broadway production would open on 11 November 2010 (this was later postponed[30] and then indefinitely). Rehearsals began in January 2010. West End (2010–2011) The first preview of Love Never Dies was delayed from 20 February to 22 February 2010 due to a last-minute brief illness of Boggess and technical demands. The show had its official opening on 9 March 2010. It was directed by Jack O'Brien, choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, and had set and costume designs by Bob Crowley.[5] The cast included Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom, Sierra Boggess as Christine, Joseph Millson as Raoul, Liz Robertson as Madame Giry, Summer Strallen as Meg Giry and Niamh Perry as Fleck. In April 2010, Lloyd Webber was threatened with a £20,000 fine for illegally painting the Grade II-listed Adelphi Theatre black to promote this musical. In December 2010, Lloyd Webber closed the London production for a few days to rework the show after a poor critical response. The musical was reviewed again (at Lloyd Webber's invitation), with critic Henry Hitchings noting that "Some of the most obvious alterations stem from the recruitment of lyricist Charles Hart to adjust the cadences of the original clunky lines written by Glenn Slater." He further pointed out that "There are also lots of bracing directorial touches; the show is credited to Jack O’Brien, but it is new choreographer Bill Deamer and producer Bill Kenwright who have added the zest." The London production closed on 27 August 2011 after a disappointing run of fewer than eighteen months. In 2012, Lloyd Webber stated that although he was, "very, very proud" of the London production, it did not completely work and also said, "something just went slightly wrong; I had cancer just before the production, and it was just that crucial 5% off-beam". The hoped-for Broadway production was announced as delayed to spring 2011. Lloyd Webber also announced that Asian and Canadian productions were planned, although these have been dropped for now. After the mixed reviews and negative reaction from some Phantom fans during previews, an executive producer stated that before its bow on Broadway, the show would likely undergo "some changes". On October 1, 2010 it was announced that the musical would not open on Broadway in Spring 2011. Melbourne (2011) In 2010, Lloyd-Webber announced that the Australian production would open on May 21, 2011 at Melbourne's Regent Theatre. This production, the first outside of the UK, featured brand new direction and design by an Australian creative team, including director Simon Phillips. Ben Lewis and Anna O'Byrne were cast as the leads, Although Lloyd Webber hopes to bring the Melbourne production to Broadway in the future, he told The New York Times that, even with the positive reception of the reworked Melbourne production, a Broadway transfer was probably not realistic. He also announced that the Melbourne production would be filmed on September 15, 2011 and made available on DVD. The recording was originally to be released on DVD and Blu-ray February 1, 2012, but it was later delayed till May 29, 2012 in the United States. In the UK, the DVD was released on March 12, 2012, and in Australia it was released on February 8, 2012. The recorded performance also played in select theaters on February 28 and March 7, 2012. It was then screened again in U.S. cinemas on May 23, 2012. Lloyd Webber stated that even if a Broadway production does not happen, he feels that he has closed the chapter on the piece, as the filmed version is something that he's, "very, very proud of" and it does not really matter to him, "if it comes tomorrow or five years' time". The Melbourne production closed on December 18, 2011. Sydney (2012) The Melbourne production transferred to Sydney's Capitol Theatre with previews beginning January 8, 2012 and officially opened on January 12, 2012. The show concluded its limited engagement on April 1, 2012. Copenhagen (2012) Det Ny Teater in Copenhagen, Denmark announced that their production of Love Never Dies will open on October 24, 2012. Starring danish coloratura soprano Louise Fribo as Christine.
Résumé: Dix ans après la disparition mystérieuse du Fantôme de l'opéra de Paris, Christine Daaé accepte une offre mystérieuse l'invitant à venir en Amérique pour chanter dans le nouveau et fabuleux lieu de plaisir New-Yorkais, Coney Island. Arrivant à New York avec son mari Raoul et leur fils, Gustave, Christine découvre bientôt l'identité de l'imprésario anonyme qui l'a leurrée…
Création: 9/3/2010 - Adelphi Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • E.Y. Harburg • Harold Arlen • Paroles: E.Y. Harburg • Harold Arlen • Tim Rice • Livret: Jeremy Sams • L. Frank Baum • Production originale: 2 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Synopsis Génèse Liste chansons
Genèse: The Wizard of Oz was first turned into a musical extravaganza by Baum himself. A loose adaptation of his 1900 novel (there is no Wicked Witch or Toto, and there are some new characters), it first played in Chicago in 1902 and was a success on Broadway the following year. It then toured for nine years. The 1939 film adaptation bore a closer resemblance to the storyline of Baum's original novel than most previous versions. It was a strong success, winning the Academy Awards for best song and best score, and continues to be broadcast perennially. Among the many musical theatre adaptations of The Wizard of Oz, two previous ones have used the songs from the film. In 1945, the St. Louis Municipal Opera (MUNY) created a version with a script adapted by Frank Gabrielson from the novel, but it is influenced in some respects by the motion picture screenplay. It uses most of the songs from the film. This was followed, in 1987, by a Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) adaptation designed to more closely recreate the film version. The book by John Kane closely follows the film's screenplay, and it and uses nearly all of the film's music. Both the MUNY and RSC adaptations were successes and have been revived numerous times in the U.S. and UK. The Wizard of Oz is Andrew Lloyd Webber's 18th musical. Tim Rice first collaborated with Lloyd Webber in 1965, together writing The Likes of Us. Their next piece was Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, followed by two more concept albums that became hit musicals, Jesus Christ Superstar (1971) and Evita (1978). Except for a special collaboration for Queen Elizabeth's 60th birthday celebration, the musical Cricket in 1986, after Evita, each man turned to other collaborators to produce further well-known musical theatre works. The Wizard of Oz was Rice and Lloyd Webber's first production together in the West End in over three decades. To create the new musical, Lloyd Webber and director Jeremy Sams adapted the 1939 film's screenplay, and Rice and Lloyd Webber added several new songs to the film's score. In July 2010, Lloyd Webber told the Daily Mail, "The fact is that The Wizard of Oz has never really worked in the theatre. The film has one or two holes where in the theatre you need a song. For example, there's nothing for either of the two witches to sing." "Tim and I are doing quite a specific thing, because we know what's missing." Productions After previews beginning 7 February, the musical opened in the West End, at the London Palladium, on 1 March 2011. The role of Dorothy was originally played by Danielle Hope, who was selected through the reality television show Over the Rainbow, and the title role of the Wizard was created by Michael Crawford. Over the Rainbow runner-up Sophie Evans performed the role of Dorothy on Tuesday evenings and when Hope was ill or on holiday. Hannah Waddingham originated the role of the Wicked Witch of the West leaving the cast on September 2011, when her understudy, Marianne Benedict assumed the role. Hope and Crawford left the production on 5 February 2012. Evans replaced Hope in the role of Dorothy full-time beginning 7 February 2012, and Russell Grant took over as The Wizard a week later, for 14-weeks. Des O'Connor played The Wizard from May 2012 until the production closed. The musical was produced by Lloyd Webber and Bill Kenwright, with direction by Jeremy Sams, choreography by Arlene Phillips and sets and costumes by Robert Jones. It took in pre-opening sales of £10 million. The production celebrated its 500th performance on 9 May 2012 and closed on 2 September 2012. An autumn 2012 reality TV show, Over the Rainbow, hosted by Daryn Jones, searched for a Canadian girl to play the role of Dorothy in a forthcoming Toronto staging by Mirvish Productions. On 5 November 2012, viewers chose Danielle Wade, a 20-year-old University of Windsor acting major, to play the role of Dorothy, with Stephanie La Rochelle as 1st runner up. The production premiered on 20 December 2012 at the Ed Mirvish Theatre with an official opening night on 13 January 2013. The cast also includes Cedric Smith as Professor Marvel/the Wizard, Lisa Horner as Miss Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West, Mike Jackson as the Hickory/Tin Man, Lee MacDougall as the Zeke/Cowardly Lion, Jamie McKnight as Hunk/the Scarecrow and Robin Evan Willis as Glinda. The production is then expected to begin touring North America in autumn 2013 with the original Canadian cast.
Résumé:
Création: 1/3/2011 - Palladium Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Christopher Hampton • Don Black • Livret: Christopher Hampton • Don Black • Production originale: 1 version mentionnée
Dispo: Résumé Génèse
Vidéos:
Genèse: In February 2012, Webber first revealed in an interview with Chris Evans that he was considering working on a show based on the Profumo Affair. A first reading of the musical was held in London in early 2013, with its first public outing coming in March, with Milos Karadaglic performing the title song from the show on an ITV special Andrew Lloyd Webber: 40 Musical Years. The track was later released as a digital download. Officially confirmed on 28 June 2013, producers announced that the show would play the Aldwych Theatre, with tickets going on sale immediately. The show has a book with lyrics by Don Black and Christopher Hampton and is directed by Richard Eyre, with choreography by Stephen Mear, set design by Rob Howell, lighting design by Peter Mumford and sound by Paul Groothuis. Production history West End (2013) Stephen Ward is expected to begin previews on 3 December 2013, at the Aldwych Theatre, London, before holding its official opening night on 19 December. On 6 September 2013, full casting was announced with Alexander Hanson playing the title role of Stephen Ward, Charlotte Spencer as Christine Keeler, Joanna Riding as Valerie Hobson, Charlotte Blackledge as Mandy Rice Davies, Anthony Calf as Lord Astor, Daniel Flynn as John Profumo, Ian Conningham as Ivanov, Chris Howell as Murray, Ricardo Coke Thomas as Lucky Gordon and Wayne Robinson as Johnny Edgecombe.
Résumé: 1963. The scandal that shocked society. Stephen Ward deals with the victim of the Profumo Affair - not, as is widely supposed, John Profumo himself, the disgraced Minister for War, nor even the fatally wounded Conservative government of Harold Macmillan, but the society osteopath whose private libertarian experiments blew up in his own and everyone else's face. ' In a trial as emblematic to the twentieth century as Oscar Wilde's was to the nineteenth - from which he was the only protagonist to emerge with some dignity and honour - Ward became the targeted scapegoat of a furiously self-righteous Establishment. By no means a hero, he was a reluctant martyr, thanks to an unholy alliance between press and police of a kind we can all too readily recognise today; inadvertently, he was the hinge between two worlds and the harbinger of a revolution in manners, music and morals when the ordered, stuffy, respectful universe of the fifties gave way to the classless, truculent, unstoppable sixties.'
Création: 19/12/2013 - Aldwych Theatre (Londres) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: Glenn Slater • Livret: Julian Fellowes • Production originale: 2 versions mentionnées
Dispo: Résumé Commentaire Génèse Isnpiration Liste chansons
Vidéos:
"Andrew Lloyd Webber has entered his second childhood, and it turns out to be a good career move. For his latest offering...this lordly British composer has been hanging out with fifth graders. Youth, it would seem, is rejuvenating." (The New York Times
Genèse: The show's premiere production is scheduled to begin previews at the Winter Garden Theatre in New York, on 9 November 2015, with its official opening night coming on 6 December, with tickets going on sale on 11 June. The production had originally been slated to begin previews on 2 November. On January 19, 2015 the audition process opened for children ages nine through fifteen in cooperation with the School of Rock after-school educational program (which predated the film by several years) with open calls in New York City, at the Winter Garden theatre, with further calls in Los Angeles and Chicago. On 29 May 2015, it was revealed that Alex Brightman would play the role of Dewey Finn, which was originated in the film by Jack Black and that developmental staged concerts would be held at the Gramercy Theatre in Manhattan, in June 2015, in front of a select audience. Further casting includes Sierra Boggess as headmistress Rosalie. On 7 December 2015, following the show's Broadway opening, it was announced by Andrew Lloyd Webber that the show will transfer to the London Palladium in London's West End in autumn 2016, with performance dates to be announced in early 2016. A U.S. Tour was also announced which will start performances in late 2017. Youth production rights were opened for applications prior to the show opening on Broadway.
Résumé: Dans School of Rock – The Musical, Dewey Finn, un rocker qui n’a jamais réussi, postule comme remplaçant dans une prestigieuse école préparatoire pour tenter de s’en sortir financièrement. Quand il Découvre les talents musicaux de ses élèves, il crée avec eux un groupe de rock…
Création: 6/12/2015 - Winter Garden Theatre (Broadway) - représ.
Musical
Musique: Andrew Lloyd Webber • Paroles: David Zippel • Livret: Emerald Fennell • Production originale: 1 version mentionnée
Dispo: Résumé Génèse Isnpiration
Cendrillon d’Andrew Lloyd Webber est un musical avec de la musique d’Andrew Lloyd Webber, des paroles de David Zippel et un livret d’Emerald Fennell. Librement adapté de l’histoire classique du même nom, les changements d’intrigue incluent les relations de genre refondues et l’exploration thématique de la beauté humiliée. Cendrillon change d’apparence pour s’assurer l’amour, mais découvre qu’il vaut mieux être fidèle à soi-même.
Genèse: Try-Out Le musical a été joué en Try-Out au The Other Palace à Londres en mai 2019 avec Carrie Hope Fletcher dans le rôle-titre, Tyrone Huntley dans le rôle du prince Sebastian et Victoria Hamilton-Barritt dans le rôle de la belle-mère. La distribution comprenait également Rebecca Trehearn dans les rôles de Marie, Gary Wilmot dans le rôle de Jean, Ruthie Henshall dans le rôle de La Reine et Jonny Fines dans celui de Prince Charmant. Création à Londres en période COVID Cendrillon devait initialement ouvrir en août 2020 mais a été retardée en raison de la pandémie de COVID-19. Le musical a commencé les previews à 50 % de sa capacité le 25 juin 2021 au Gillian Lynne Theatre dans le West End de Londres, suite au jauge limitées toujours imposées par la crise du COVID. Après le début des previews, la production devait ouvrir le 20 juillet, mais le 18 juillet, un membre de la distribution a été testé positif au COVID-19; les représentations ont été suspendues et l’ouverture officielle a été reportée. Les représentations ont repris avec une ouverture officielle le 18 août. La mise en scène est de Laurence Connor et les chorégraphies de JoAnn M. Hunter. Carrie Hope Fletcher et Hamilton-Barrit ont créé respectivement les rôles de Cendrillon et de la Belle-mère, avec Trehearn dans celui de la Reine La Reine (différent de son rôle dans les Try-Out). Ivano Turco a créé le rôle du prince Sébastien.
Résumé: Bienvenue à Belleville! La ville la plus pittoresque de l'histoire du monde peuplée exclusivement - et agressivement - de citadins magnifiques. La seule personne qui refuse fermement de vivre dans le conte de fées est Cendrillon, grande gueule dégoulinante de dédain. Son plus ancien et unique ami, le prince Sébastien, est soudainement devenu l'héritier du trône. Cette nouvelle provoque une étincelle inattendue dans leur relation. Avec la reine annonçant soudainement le mariage royal de Sébastien, tout semble perdu pour la romance naissante jusqu'à ce que Cendrillon rencontre la marraine qui peut tout arranger.
Création: 18/8/2021 - Gillian Lynne Theatre (Londres) - représ.