One Of These Mornings / You're Going To Rise Up Singing

Porgy and Bess is getting a fresh coat of paint à la Broadway: a new (happier) ending, extra dialogue, revamped music, modernized sets and costumes, the works!

Not to show my hand too soon, but based on the New York Times preview I think this production sounds amazing:
It seems as though the impetus for the makeover was a fleshing out of Bess' character - and, in fact, the musical is directed by Diane Paulus; Suzan-Lori Parks modernized the libretto; Deirdre L. Murray adapted the music; and Audra McDonald signed on for the title role. Despite the fact that this will be a commercial musical designed to appeal to a variety of theatergoers, the production team is in no way skimping on the issues written into the plot, including rape, drugs, poverty, and racism.
In other words: a group of strong, mostly African-American women are re-examining what has always been a (beloved, but) problematic opera, they are introducing an entirely new audience to an old work, they are making it relevant to the 21st century, they are pushing at the boundaries of how we interact with "the canon," and in the process they are making new art.


But Stephen Sondheim hates everything about it, so.

I could get on my soap box and write about how adaptations do not debase the original - but it may be enough to say that I would hate to live in a world without gems like these:

Can You Hear The People Sing?

Hello friends! I apologize about the hiatus - I've been having trouble coming up with something that adequately represents what's been going on in Wisconsin over the past two weeks. Believe that I'm not trivializing anything when I say: PLENTY OF MUSIC, guys.

Day 13: Flash Mob in the Capitol Rotunda




Fight on, Wisconsin!

I Just Met A Girl Named Maria

On September 26, 1957, West Side Story opened on Broadway.

Here's a Fun Fact: originally, the musical was titled "East Side Story."
And again: Bernstein wrote the song "One Hand, One Heart" for "Candide" - it got cut, and he saw an opportunity to recycle.

Best of all, this is a video of a 2007 50th anniversary tribute rehearsal featuring 22 of the original cast members performing alongside the new blood.



Multi-generational singing and dancing: sign me up!

(more at ThisDayInHistory and imdb)

You Got Your Pope Binoculars

Here's another entry to add to the list of "unexpected ideas for musicals and/or operas":

Non Abbiate Paura (Don't Be Scared), otherwise known as "Pope John Paul II: The Musical."

And yes indeed, after its opening night in Rome this past weekend - it is about to begin a tour Italy.

(via metafilter)

Juliet / The Dice Were Loaded From The Start

Shakespeare and the American Musical, by Irene G. Dash
Secretly, you're psyched too.


(via Indiana University Press)

Maybe You're The Only One That Sees / Anything Good About Me

This post... this post is a wonderful amalgamation of so many things near and dear to the hearts of those interested in musical tidbits:
1. Musical animals
2. Musicals in general
3. Cover songs and copyright questions?



Hey! Did you get all the way to "Defying Gravity"?

(via lifesapitch)

I'm Like A Bird

SUPERMAN THE MUSICAL (click here).

It started out on Broadway (huzzah, Broadway!). When it received a - ahem, less than stellar - reception, it was made into a 1975 television special (huzzah, television!). Total number of broadcasts: one.
Draw your own conclusions.

(via metafilter)