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Classic musical show tunes come to town

By Vico Lee
STAFF REPORTER
Friday, Nov 30, 2001, Page 7

PHOTO COURTESY OF KUAN HUNG ARTS STUDIO

What could be more exciting for Taiwan's starved musical fans than an evening of songs composed by the master of the musical, Andrew Lloyd Weber? The dream was realized by the US National Musical Touring Company and the Musical Associates UK last year with Andrew Lloyd Weber's Musical Kingdom concert, presenting the highlights from Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Sunset Boulevard, and more.

This weekend, less than one year after that musical gala, the same two groups will satisfy fans with A Concert of Boubil-Schonberg Songs, presenting songs by Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schonberg, the creators of Les Miserables and Miss Saigon.

The creative duo started their collaboration in 1973 with La Revolution Francais, the first-ever staged French rock opera. Boubil's lyrics and Schonberg's music made it a hit in opera houses and led their future collaborations.

Schonberg started his career as a producer and pop music songwriter before penning the score for La Revolution Francais. In its original French production, Schonberg played Louis XVI and later co-produced the double gold-selling record of the show.

Art Notes: What: A Concert of Boubill-Schonberg Songs Who: US National Musical Touring Company and Musical Associates UK When: Tomorrow night and Sunday Where: National Concert Hall, Taipei Tickets: NT$400 to NT$2,500 available at ERA ticket outlets

Boubill's idea of writing a musical version of French novelist Victor Hugo's Les Miserables so fascinated Schonberg that he teamed up with Boubil and spent two years writing the piece. When the musical finally opened in 1980 in Paris, more than half a million people went to the show.

In 1983, Boubil made his first entry into London musical theater with Abbacadabra, a musical based on Abba songs. At the same time, the duo worked on the London production of Les Miserables, working closely with the musical's British team. This commitment helped the London cast recording become a gold record, as well.

The Broadway production of Les Miserables won them two Tony Awards in 1987 for Best Score and Best Book and a Grammy in 1988 for Best Original Broadway Cast Recording. Soon the musical was also produced in Japan and Australia as well as other parts of America.

Boublil and Schonberg's next work, Miss Saigon, opened in 1989 at the Theatre Royal in London, where it is still on show after 11 years. Its New York production also continues to today, its 10th year. The show is also being staged in Tokyo, Toronto, Sydney, Australia and Stuttgart, Germany.

Following the success of the two musicals, they produced the symphony versions of them, which have become regular numbers for established symphony orchestras.

Boublil and Schonberg have diligently taken part in all international productions of the two musicals and, at the same time, written the screenplays for motion picture versions of both.

Songs like On My Own by the character Eponine and Castle on a Cloud by Cosette or the chorus number One Day More have become the favorites of musical fans and non-fans alike.

Their latest musical, Martin Guerre, opened in London in 1996 and is also enjoying lasting popularity.

The numbers in this weekend's concert have lyrics written by Herbert Kretzmer. Having previously held various positions, such as drama critic for the Daily Express and television critic for the Daily Mail, the British newspaperman and lyricist won an Ivor Novello Award for the Peter Sellers-Sophia Loren comic song Goodness Gracious Me and topped the charts with Yesterday When I Was Young and She, both written for the French singer Charles Aznavour.

Jae Alexander of the Musical Associates UK will direct the performances. Besides working as a conductor with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the English National Symphony Orchestra, he has directed Cats at the New London Theater and Crazy for You and West Side Story at the Prince Edward Theater. He was recently recruited by Cameron Mackintosh to be the musical supervisor for next year's Australian production of Les Miserables.

The singers for the shows are all well-versed in performing Les Miserables. James Staddon, one of the performers in the musical's 10th anniversary concert, will sing the part of Javert, the police officer. He has also played in King and The Three Musketeers and is a regular in British television dramas. He will also be singing the role of John, the American soldier in Miss Saigon.

The role of Cosette will be performed by Sarah Ryan, who has been touring for the past two years with the US National Symphony Orchestra and playing Christine in The Phantom of the Opera. Since winning the BBC Choirgirl of the Year in 1988 with her distinctively smooth, resonant and emotional voice, the BBC has regularly invited her to sing in its musical programs.

Frequently cast in leading female roles in major productions in London, Ryan has played The Phantom of the Opera's Christine, the title role in Cinderella and Belle in Beauty and the Beast.

The role of Cosette's lover Marius falls to Dean Macrae, who came to fame playing Jack in Into the Woods. The role of Enjolras, the leader of the revolutionary students' group, will be played by Michael Cahill, who was also part of Boubil and Schonberg's Martin Guerre. His most recent performance was playing in Hello Again, which opened in London this past March.

Kuan Hung Arts Studio (寬宏藝術工作室), the organizers of the show, said that the exact numbers to be performed will remain secret. Though music from Les Miserables is the highlight of the concert, popular pieces from Miss Saigon will also be performed.
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