Little Night Music, A (1973), a musical comedy of manners by Hugh Wheeler (book), Stephen Sondheim (music, lyrics). [ Shubert Theatre, 600 perf.; Tony, NYDCC Award.] The lawyer Fredrik Egerman (Len Cariou) and his child bride Anne (Victoria Mallory) have an odd marriage—she is still a virgin and is lusted after by Fredrik's grown son, the divinity student Henrik (Mark Lambert)—so Fredrik is drawn to his former mistress, the actress Désirée (Glynis Johns). But her lover Count Carl‐Magnus (Laurence Guittard) is suspicious of her, so Désirée invites the Egerman family to the country manse of her mother, the aged courtesan Mme. Armfeldt (Hermione Gingold). During a moonlit summer night, Henrik and Anne decide to run off together, the Count's jealousy brings him closer to his wife (Patricia Elliott), Mme. Armfeldt quietly dies, and Fredrik and Désirée are free to pursue their romance. Notable songs: Send in the Clowns; Every Day a Little Death; Remember?; The Miller's Son; Liaisons; A Weekend in the Country. Based on the 1955 Swedish film, Smiles of a Summer Night, the musical's score was written entirely in three‐quarter time or variations thereof. Though the work displayed much of Sondheim's misanthropy, it was mellower than most of his later works and became one of his most accessible shows. The original mounting by producer‐director Hal Prince featured a superior cast, magical scenery by Boris Aronson, and elegant period costumes by Florence Klotz. The adult musical comedy has been frequently revived by both theatres and opera companies around the world.
A Little Night Music
| American Theater Guide: A Little Night Music |
| Wikipedia: A Little Night Music |
| A Little Night Music | |
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| Original Broadway production poster | |
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| Music | Stephen Sondheim |
| Lyrics | Stephen Sondheim |
| Book | Hugh Wheeler |
| Basis | 1955 Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night |
| Productions | 1973 Broadway 1974 West End 1978 Film 1989 West End revival 1995 West End revival International productions |
| Awards | Tony Award for Best Musical Tony Award for Best Book Tony Award for Best Score |
A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. The musical included the popular song "Send in the Clowns". This title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major, Eine kleine Nachtmusik.
Since its original 1973 Broadway production, the musical has enjoyed professional productions in London and elswhere, and it has become a popular choice for amateur productions.
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Synopsis
Act 1
Based on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, the play is set in Sweden at the turn of the century. The show opens with a prologue, introducing the Liebeslieder Singers, who begin blending various songs that will be heard later in the play. The other characters of the play enter, engaged in a waltz, but all are uncomfortable with their partners. After the dance, the aging and severe Madame Armfeldt and her solemn granddaughter, Fredrika, enter. Mme Armfeldt tells the child that the summer night "smiles" three times: first on the young, second on fools, and third on the old. Fredrika vows to try and watch the smiles occur.
Act One begins, and starts to tell the story of the middle aged Fredrik Egerman, a successful lawyer. He has recently married an 18-year-old trophy wife named Anne, a vain girl who is wholeheartedly in love with Fredrik, but too immature to grasp the concept of marriage. The two have been married for eleven months, but Anne still refuses to sacrifice her virginity. Fredrik sings of his inability to make love to his wife ("Now"). Meanwhile, his son Henrik, who is older than his stepmother by one year, is feeling extremely frustrated with himself. He is a seminary student and, as such, has acquired a rather negative world view ("Later"). Anne is intrigued by his actions, but fails to understand the subtext of what he is saying. The next morning, Anne promises her husband that she will consent to sex shortly ("Soon"). Anne's maidservant Petra, a blunt girl slightly older than the teen herself, offers her rather crass advice on the situation.
Meanwhile, another important character is revealed — Desiree Armfeldt, a prominent actress. She and Fredrik were lovers many years ago. Desiree is a rather selfish woman who has shipped her daughter Fredrika to live with Madame Armfeldt. Fredrika misses her mother, but Desiree continually puts off going to see her ("The Glamorous Life"). She happens to be performing near Fredrik's home, and the lawyer brings Anne to see the play. While there, Desiree instantly remembers Fredrik; the two were lovers years ago. Anne is instantly suspicious of Desiree's amorous glances. Claiming to have a headache, Anne demands that Fredrik bring her home immediately. At the house, Petra has been trying to seduce Henrik.
That night, Fredrik's old memories of Desiree float back to the surface of his mind ("Remember"). He slips out to see her, and the two share a happy but obviously strained reunion. They reflect on their new lives, and Fredrik tries to explain how much he loves Anne ("You Must Meet My Wife"). Desiree responds with a sarcastic tone. She happily boasts of her own adultery — she has been seeing a married dragoon. Upon learning that Fredrik has had to go for eleven months without sex, though, Desiree agrees to accommodate him — as a favor for an old friend.
The scene moves to the home of Mme. Armfeldt, who offers advice to young Fredrika. The elderly woman reflects poignantly on her own checkered past, and wonders what happened to the typical tryst ("Liaisons"). Back in Desiree's apartment, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm announces his arrival in his typical booming voice. Fredrik and Desiree fool the gullible count into believing that nothing went on between the pair, but the military man is still suspicious. He takes an instant disliking to Fredrik and goes back to his own wife, the Countess Charlotte. Charlotte is apparently aware of her husband's infidelity, but Carl-Magnus is too absorbed in his own thoughts about Desiree to talk to her ("In Praise of Women"). When she persuades him to blurt out the whole story, a twist is revealed — Charlotte's little sister is a school friend of Anne's.
Charlotte goes to Anne, who is talking with Petra. Charlotte explains what Fredrik did; Anne reacts with shock and horror. The older woman explains to Anne that such is the lot of a wife, and that no pain is greater ("Every Day A Little Death"). Meanwhile, Desiree goes to her mother and requests that Madame Armfeldt host a party for Fredrik, Anne, and Henrik. Though reluctant, the elderly woman agrees. She sends out a personal invitation; upon receiving it, the Egerman household is sent into a frenzy ("A Weekend in the Country"). Anne does not want to accept the invitation, but Charlotte convinces her to do so to make Desiree look old compared to the teen's youth. Meanwhile, the Count has plans of his own — as a birthday present to his wife, the pair will attend the party uninvited. Carl-Magnus plans to defeat Fredrik in a duel during the event, while Charlotte hopes to seduce the lawyer into sex to make her husband insanely jealous and end his insalubrious activities.
Act 2
Act Two opens on Mme. Armfeldt's estate, which is bathed in the golden glow of perpetual sunset due to the summer season ("Night Waltz One and Two"). Everyone arrives, each holding their own purposes and desires — except, perhaps, Petra, who catches the eye of Mme. Armfeldt's fetching manservant, Frid. The women begin to act against each other. Henrik meets Fredrika, and confesses his deep love for Anne to her. Meanwhile, in the garden, Fredrik and Carl-Magnus reflect on how difficult it is to be annoyed with Desiree ("It Would Have Been Wonderful"). Dinner is served, and all characters believe that the future hinges on that meal ("Perpetual Anticipation").
At dinner, Charlotte begins to flirt with Fredrik, while Anne and Desiree trade insults. Soon, everyone is shouting and scolding everyone else — except Henrik, who finally stands up for himself. He shrieks at them for being completely amoral, and flees the scene. Stunned, everyone reflects on the situation and wanders away. Fredrika tells Anne of Henrik's secret love, and the two dash off searching for him. Meanwhile, Desiree meets Fredrik and asks if he still wants to be "rescued" from his life. Fredrik answers honestly — he loves Desiree, but only as a dream. Hurt and bitter, Desiree can only reveal her opinions on the nature of life through the play's most famous song ("Send in the Clowns").
At the lake on the estate, Anne finds Henrik, who is ready to commit suicide. The clumsy boy cannot complete the task, and Anne tells him that she has feelings for him, too. The pair begins to kiss, which leads to Anne's first sexual encounter. Meanwhile, not far away from the young couple, Frid sleeps in Petra's lap. The maid thinks of the joy and freedom that she longs to have before she is trapped in marriage forever ("The Miller's Son"). Henrik and Anne, full of happiness, leave on a train to start a new life together. Fredrik finds out, but is surprisingly calm about the situation. Charlotte confesses her plan to the lawyer, and the two hold each other on a bench. Carl-Magnus, preparing to romance Desiree, sees this out of her window and is flooded with jealousy. He challenges Fredrik to a game of Russian Roulette, and the lawyer injures his ear. Feeling victorious, Carl-Magnus begins to romance Charlotte, granting her wish at last.
After the Count and Countess leave, Fredrika and Madame Armfeldt discuss the chaos of the house. The elderly woman then asks Fredrika a surprising question: "What is it all for?" Fredrika thinks on this, and decides that it "must be worth it". Madame Armfeldt is surprised, commenting that she sought material wealth at Fredrika's age. She praises her granddaughter, and remembers the fleeting nature of true love.
Desiree descends and asks about the situation. Now free of the bonds that once held him, Fredrik is able to confess his love for the actress, and the two promise to start a new life together ("Finale").
In the play's quiet and powerful final moments, Mme. Armfeldt sits alone with Fredrika. Fredrika tells her grandmother that she has watched carefully, but still has not seen the night smile. Mme. Armfeldt laughs and points out that the night has indeed smiled twice: Henrik and Anne, the young, and Desiree and Fredrik, the fools. As the two wait for the "third smile", Mme. Armfeldt closes her eyes, nods off to sleep, and dies peacefully. The waltz from the opening occurs once more-but now, each character is finally with the right partner.
Productions
Broadway
A Little Night Music opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on February 25, 1973, and closed on August 3, 1974 after 601 performances and 12 previews. It moved to the Majestic Theatre on September 17, 1973 where it completed its run. It was directed by Harold Prince with choreography by Patricia Birch and design by Boris Aronson. The cast included Glynis Johns (Desiree Armfeldt), Len Cariou (Fredrik Egerman), Hermione Gingold (Madame Armfeldt), Victoria Mallory, Mark Lambert, Laurence Guittard, Patricia Elliott, George Lee Andrews, and D. Jamin Bartlett. It won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award and the Tony Award for Best Musical.
The 2008 Menier Chocolate Factory (London) production is scheduled for a Broadway engagement at the Walter Kerr Theatre to open in previews on November 24, 2009 and officially on December 13, 2009, with the same creative team. The cast stars Angela Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt and, in her Broadway debut, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Desiree.[1][2]
London
Original production (1975)
The London production opened at the Adelphi Theatre on April 15, 1975 and starred Jean Simmons, Joss Ackland, David Kernan, Liz Robertson, and Diane Langton, with Hermione Gingold reprising her role as Madame Armfeldt. It ran for 406 performances. During the run, Angela Baddeley replaced Gingold, and Virginia McKenna replaced Simmons.
Revivals
A London revival opened on October 6, 1989 at the Piccadilly Theatre, directed by Ian Judge, designed by Mark Thompson, and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. It starred Lila Kedrova as Madame Armfeldt, Dorothy Tutin as Desiree Armfeldt, Peter McEnery and Susan Hampshire. The production ran for 144 performances, closing on February 17, 1990.
In 1995, a revival by the Royal National Theatre opened at the Olivier Theatre on September 26, 1995 in a production directed by Sean Mathias, with set designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis, costumes by Nicky Gilabrand, lighting by Mark Henderson and choreography by Wayne McGregor. It starred Judi Dench (Desiree), Siân Phillips (Madame Armfeldt), Joanna Riding, Laurence Guittard and Patricia Hodge. The production closed on August 31, 1996. Dench received the Laurence Olivier Awards for Best Actress in a Musical.
The third London revival ran at the Menier Chocolate Factory from November 22, 2008 until March 8, 2009. The production was directed by Trevor Nunn, with choreography by Lynne Page, sets and costumes by David Farley and new orchestrations by Jason Carr. The cast included Hannah Waddingham as Desiree, Alexander Hanson as Frederik, Jessie Buckley (Anne), Maureen Lipman (Mme. Armfeldt), Alistair Robins (the Count), Gabriel Vick (Henrik), Grace Link and Holly Hallam (shared role Fredrika) and Kasia Hammarlund (Petra).[3] This critically-acclaimed[4] production transferred to the Garrick Theatre in the West End for a limited season, opening on March 28, 2009 running until July 25, 2009[5].
Trevor Nunn will direct the Broadway revival of A Little Night Music with Angela Lansbury and Catherine Zeta-Jones starring as Madame Armfeldt and Desiree Armfeldt, respectively. Previews for the Broadway revival begin November 24, 2009 and opening night is December 13, 2009.
Europe
Zarah Leander played Madame Armfeldt in the original Austrian staging (in 1975) as well as in the original Swedish staging in Stockholm in 1978 (here with Jan Malmsjö as Fredrik Egerman), performing Send In The Clowns and Liaisons in both stagings. The successful Stockholm-staging was directed by Stig Olin. In 2010 the musical is scheduled to return to Stockholm and the Stockholm Stadsteater. The cast includes Pia Johansson, Dan Ekborg, Yvonne Lombard and Thérese Andersson.
The Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris has announced a production to open in February 2010 starring Kristin Scott-Thomas (Désirée) and Leslie Caron (Madame Armfeldt). Lee Blakeley directs and Andrew George, choreographs.[6]
Opera companies
The work has also become part of the repertoire of several opera companies. Michigan Opera Theatre was the first major American opera company to present the work in 1983, and again in November 2009. The New York City Opera staged it in 1990 (winning the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival), 1991 and 2003, the Houston Grand Opera in 1999, and the Los Angeles Opera in 2004. Opera Australia presented the first Australian production by an opera company in Melbourne in May 2009, starring Sigrid Thornton as Desiree Armfeldt.[7]
The piece has also become a popular choice for amateur musical theatre and light opera companies.
Film version
In 1978, a film version of A Little Night Music starred Elizabeth Taylor, Lesley-Anne Down and Diana Rigg, with Len Cariou, Hermione Gingold and Laurence Guittard reprising their Broadway roles. The setting for the film was moved from Sweden to Austria. Stephen Sondheim wrote lyrics for the "Night Waltz" theme ("Love Takes Time") and wrote an entirely new version of "The Glamorous Life", which has been incorporated into several subsequent productions of the stage musical. The film marked Broadway director Hal Prince's second time as a motion picture director. Critical reaction to the film was mostly negative, with much being made of Taylor's wildly fluctuating weight from scene to scene.[8] Some critics talked more positively of the film, with Variety calling it "an elegant looking, period romantic charade"[9]. There was praise for Diana Rigg's performance, and orchestrator Jonathan Tunick received an Oscar for his work on the score. A soundtrack recording was released on LP, and a DVD release was issued in June 2007.[10]
Cast recordings
In addition to the original Broadway and London cast recordings, and the motion picture soundtrack (no longer available), there are recordings of the 1990 studio cast, the 1995 Royal National Theatre revival (starring Judi Dench), and the 2001 Barcelona cast recording sung in Catalan. In 1997 an all-jazz version of the score was recorded by Terry Trotter.
Characters
- Fredrik Egerman: A successful middle-aged lawyer. He is married to the 18-year-old Anne and has one son from a previous marriage, Henrik. — Baritone
- Anne Egerman: Fredrik's new, naive wife. — Soprano
- Henrik Egerman: Fredrik's son and Anne's stepson. He is a tortured soul who reads the works of philosophers and theologians as he studies for the Lutheran priesthood. — Tenor
- Petra: Anne's maid and closest confidante. — Mezzo-soprano
- Desiree Armfeldt: A self-absorbed actress. — Mezzo-soprano
- Fredrika Armfeldt: Desiree's thirteen-year-old daughter, who may or not be the product (unbeknownst to Fredrik) of the actress's and Fredrik's affair. — Soprano
- Madame Armfeldt: Desiree's mother. — Alto
- Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm: A military buffoon who is Desiree's latest lover. — Baritone
- Charlotte Malcolm: Carl-Magnus's wife. - Mezzo-soprano
- Frid: Madame Armfeldt's manservant.
- The Liebeslieder Singers: a group of five singers that act as a Greek chorus. Prince said that these characters represent "people in the show who aren't wasting time ... the play is about wasting time."[11]
Music
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This section does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (September 2009) |
Virtually all of the music in the show is written in waltz (3/4) time or variants thereof (such as compound meter, a time signature like 12/8, for example); brief passages in "Overture", "Glamorous Life", "Liaisons", and "The Miller's Son" are in duple meter. The work is often performed as an operetta in many professional opera companies; the score makes heavy demands on performers, with extensive use of counterpoint. There is an oblique Mozart reference in the title — A Little Night Music is an occasionally used translation of Eine kleine Nachtmusik, the nickname of Mozart's Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major, K. 525. The elegant, harmonically-advanced music in this musical pays indirect homage to the compositions of Maurice Ravel, especially his Valses nobles et sentimentales (whose opening chord is "borrowed" for the opening chord of the song "Liaisons"); part of this effect stems from the style of orchestration that Jonathan Tunick used.
Ironically, the show's best-known song was almost an afterthought. Sondheim initially conceived Desiree as a role for a more-or-less non-singing actress. When he discovered that the original Desiree, Glynis Johns, was able to sing but not to sustain a note, he devised Send in the Clowns for her in a way that would work around her vocal weakness, e.g., by ending lines with consonants that made for a short cut-off.
Musical numbers
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Additional musical numbers
Stage:
- Two Fairy Tales — Henrik and Anne Egerman (cut for time)
- Silly People — Frid (cut for time)
- Bang! — Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (replaced by 'In Praise of Women')
- My Husband the Pig — Countess Charlotte Malcolm (replaced by the second half of 'In Praise of Women')
Screen:
- Love Takes Time - Company (lyrics added to Night Waltz)
- The Glamorous Life - Fredrika (solo version)
Awards and nominations
1973 Tony Awards
- Tony Award for Best Musical - Harold Prince, producer (WINNER)
- Tony Award for Best Book of a Musical - Hugh Wheeler (WINNER)
- Tony Award for Best Original Score - Stephen Sondheim (WINNER)
- Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical - Glynis Johns (WINNER)
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Patricia Elliott (WINNER)
- Tony Award for Best Costume Design - Florence Klotz (WINNER)
- Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical - Len Cariou
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical - Laurence Guittard
- Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical - Hermione Gingold
- Tony Award for Best Scenic Design - Boris Aronson
- Tony Award for Best Lighting Design - Tharon Musser
- Tony Award for Best Direction of a Musical - Harold Prince
1973 Drama Desk Awards
- Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Book - Hugh Wheeler (WINNER)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Lyrics - Stephen Sondheim (WINNER)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Music - Stephen Sondheim (WINNER)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance - Starring: Patricia Elliott (WINNER)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Performance - Starring: Glynis Johns (nominee)
- Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Director - Harold Prince (WINNER)
- Drama Desk Award for Most Promising Performer - D'Jamin Bartlett (WINNER)
1973 Theatre World Awards
- D. Jamin-Bartlett
- Patricia Elliott
- Laurence Guittard
1973 Grammy Awards
Best Score from the Original Cast Show Album - Stephen Sondheim, composer. Goddard Lieberson, producer. (WINNER)
1995 Olivier Awards
- Olivier Award for Best Costume Designer - Nicky Gillibrand
- Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreographer - Wayne McGregor
- Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical - Judi Dench (WINNER)
- Olivier Award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical - Siân Phillips
References
- ^ Gans, Andrew. "Little Night Music Revival to Play a Jujamcyn Theatre," playbill.com, June 11, 2009
- ^ Gans, Andrew.Zeta-Jones, Lansbury, Hanson, Lazar, Davie Set for Broadway's Night Music Revival"playbill.com, September 22, 2009
- ^ Benedict, David."Waddingham to star in 'Night Music'", Variety, October 10, 2008
- ^ [1]nightmusiclondon.com
- ^ Shenton, Mark."Isn't It Rich?: Menier A Little Night Music Arrives in the West End March 28", playbill.com, March 28, 2009
- ^ Gans, Andrew, Jones, Kenneth. "Kristin Scott Thomas and Leslie Caron to Star in A Little Night Music in France", playbill.com, July 6, 2009
- ^ A Little Night Music, Opera Australia
- ^ Canby, Vincent. "Review: A Little Night Music (1977)", The New York Times, March 8, 1978
- ^ http://www.variety.com/review/VE1117792646.html?categoryid=31&cs=1
- ^ A Little Night Music at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ Gussow, Mel, "Prince Revels in 'A Little Night Music'", The New York Times, p. 54, March 27, 1973
External links
- A Little Night Music at the Internet Broadway Database
- A Little Night Music on The Stephen Sondheim Reference Guide
- MTI Shows
- A Little Night Music info page on StageAgent.com - A Little Night Music plot summary & character descriptions
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 | Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (198z Music Film) |
| klein, kleine |
| The Best of Broadway, Vol. 4 (2000 Album by Various Artists) |
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- Who is the composer of 'A Little Night Music'?
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- Why was A Little Night Music made?
Mentioned in
- Eine Kleine Nachtmusik (198z Music Film)
- klein, kleine
- The Best of Broadway, Vol. 4 (2000 Album by Various Artists)
- Christopher Guard (Actor, Adventure/Science Fiction)
- Little Night Music [Original Broadway Cast] (1998 Album by Original Broadway Cast)
- Len Cariou (Actor, Drama/Mystery)
- Mary Jane Ward (literature)
- Patricia Birch (American Theater)
- Hermioneferdinanda Gingold (American Theater)
- Florence Klotz (American Theater)
- Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus (Fine Arts)
- Sondheim Collection (1999 Album by Various Artists)
- Classical Music Videoclips, Vol. 3: Mozart (1998 Film)
- Hal Prince (American dramatist)
