Le monde des musicals

Musical (2016)

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Musique: Dave Malloy •
Paroles: Dave Malloy •
Livret: Dave Malloy •
Production à la création:

After years of speculation, Josh Groban finally makes his Broadway debut as bored aristocrat Pierre in this ravishing adaptation of the most scandalous pages from Tolstoy's epic War and Peace. Reimagined as a transporting electro-pop opera, writer Dave Malloy immerses us in the decadent world of the Russian Aristocracy, with all the trappings of romance, passion, caviar and vodka as the lives of the titular characters are changed forever under the light of certain cosmic phenomenon.

Moscow glitters in the winter of 1812 as the decadence of the salons and opera houses continue to captivate the upper classes. War will soon be upon them, but the only battles to be fought for now are those of the heart. Into this twinkling chandelier paradise comes Natasha (Denee Benton), young, beautiful, engaged. Charged with spending the season with her Godmother, she and her cousin Sonya find the city to be most diverting and it is not long until Natasha is noticed by Anatole, roguish, handsome and very married. He steals her heart, taking her mind very far from her soldier fiance Andrey.
With a scandal on the horizon, Pierre (Groban), a wealthy young man on the verge of existential crisis, is drafted in by the Godmother to put a stop to any dishonor and save Natasha from social ruin. Without ever meeting the girl he sets out to help smooth things over, hoping to find himself a little bit of meaning on the way…

Act 1
Part I
Moscow, 1812, just before Napoleon’s invasion of Russia and the burning of the city. As the story begins (“Prologue”) we meet “Pierre,” a wealthy aristocrat having an existential crisis, living a slothful life of wine, philosophy and inaction. Meanwhile, the young, newly engaged Natasha Rostova and her cousin Sonya arrive in “Moscow" to stay the winter with Marya D., Natasha’s godmother, while Natasha waits for her fiancé, Andrey, to return from the war. Marya D. tells Natasha that she must visit her future in-laws, the demented, miserly old Prince Bolkonsky and his spinster daughter Mary (“The Private and Intimate Life of the House”), to win their affection and secure the marriage, which is critical to the Rostovs’ status and fortune. However, Natasha’s visit with Mary and Bolkonsky ends in disaster (“Natasha & Bolkonskys”) and she leaves missing Andrey more than ever (“No One Else”).

Part II
The next night Natasha is introduced to decadent Moscow society at “The Opera”; there she meets Anatole, a young officer and notorious rogue (“Natasha & Anatole”). After their interaction Natasha feels confused, and tries to remember her love for Andrey (“Natasha Lost”).

Part III
Anatole, his friend Dolokhov, and Pierre go out drinking; they are met by Hélène (Pierre's wife and Anatole's sister), who taunts Pierre. Anatole declares his intention to have Natasha, although he is already married. Pierre finds his wife's familiarity with Dolokhov offensive and challenges him to a duel, almost getting himself killed ("The Duel"). Afterward, Pierre reflects on his life ("Dust and Ashes"). Natasha and her family go to church ("Sunday Morning"); later, Hélène arrives and invites Natasha to the ball that night ("Charming"), where Anatole seduces Natasha ("The Ball").

Act 2
Part IV
Anatole and Natasha make plans to elope, and Natasha breaks off her engagement with Andrey (“Letters”). Sonya finds out about the plan and realizes it will mean Natasha’s ruin (“Sonya & Natasha”); she determines to stop her at any cost (“Sonya Alone”). That evening Anatole and Dolokhov plan for the elopement (“Preparations”) and call on their trusted troika driver, “Balaga,” to take them to Natasha’s house. However, “The Abduction” is thwarted at the last moment by Marya D.

Part V
After scolding a grief-stricken Natasha (“In My House”), Marya D. sends out “A Call to Pierre,” asking him to help handle the crisis. Pierre kicks Anatole out of Moscow (“Find Anatole”/”Pierre & Anatole”); Natasha poisons herself (“Natasha Very Ill”); Andrey returns. Pierre explains the scandal to him and asks him to be compassionate, but Andrey is unable to forgive (“Pierre & Andrey”). Finally, Pierre visits Natasha (“Pierre & Natasha”). After their meeting, Pierre experiences a moment of enlightenment while seeing “The Great Comet of 1812” in the night sky.

It is based on Volume 2, Part 5 of War and Peace, focusing on Natasha's affair with Anatole, and Pierre's search for meaning in his life.

The piece premiered on October 16, 2012 at Ars Nova. In May 2013, the show transferred to a custom pop-up venue Kazino, initially located in the Meatpacking District. In September 2013, the show and Kazino moved to the Theater District. The production, directed by Rachel Chavkin, was staged immersively in a Russian style dinner club, with the action happening all around the audience.
In September 2014, the show had its South American premiere, at Teatro Parapluie in Quito, Ecuador, in a Spanish language production.

The team behind the original production remounted the show at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge, Massachusetts from December 2015 to January 2016. The production will open on Broadway at the Imperial Theatre on November 14, 2016, starring Josh Groban as Pierre and Denée Benton as Natasha, both making their Broadway debuts, with choreography by Sam Pinkleton, sets by Mimi Lien, costumes by Paloma Young, lights by Bradley King, sound by Nicholas Pope, music direction by Or Matias, and stage management by Karyn Meek.

Act I
1. "Prologue" - Ensemble
2. "Pierre" - Pierre, Ensemble
3. "Moscow" - Marya D., Natasha, Sonya
4. "The Private and Intimate Life of the House" - Bolkonsky, Mary
5. "Natasha & Bolkonskys" - Mary, Natasha, Bolkonsky
6. "No One Else" - Natasha
7. "The Opera" - Natasha, Sonya, Marya D., Hélène, Ensemble
8. "Natasha & Anatole" - Natasha, Anatole
9. "Natasha Lost" - Natasha
10. "The Duel" - Anatole, Dolokhov, Pierre, Hélène, Ensemble
11. "Dust and Ashes" - Pierre, Ensemble
12. "Sunday Morning" - Natasha, Sonya, Marya D.
13. "Charming" - Hélène
14. "The Ball" - Natasha, Anatole

Act II
15. "Letters" - Natasha, Pierre, Mary, Anatole, Ensemble
16. "Sonya & Natasha" - Sonya, Natasha
17. "Sonya Alone" - Sonya
18. "Preparations" - Anatole, Dolokhov, Pierre
19. "Balaga" - Balaga, Anatole, Dolokhov, Ensemble
20. "The Abduction" - Ensemble
21. "In My House" - Marya D., Natasha, Sonya
22. "A Call to Pierre" - Marya D., Pierre
23. "Find Anatole" - Pierre, Anatole, Hélène, Natasha
24. "Pierre & Anatole" - Pierre, Anatole
25. "Natasha Very Ill" - Sonya
26. "Pierre & Andrey" - Andrey, Pierre
27. "Pierre & Natasha" - Pierre, Natasha
28. "The Great Comet of 1812" - Pierre, Ensemble

"No One Else" was added for the Off-Broadway Kazino transfer, replacing a different aria for Natasha, "If He Were Here Now."
"Dust and Ashes" was added for the ART run.

Natasha Rostova: "Natasha is young": A nineteen-year-old ingenue who is innocent, doe-eyed, and profoundly, lethally romantic. She is betrothed to Andrey and loves him dearly. She goes to Moscow under the care of her godmother, Marya D, with her cousin and best friend Sonya.
Pierre Bezukhov: The illegitimate son of a famous Russian family. Socially awkward and with a melancholy streak, he is an outsider in society despite his copious amounts of wealth. He is a good friend of Andrey and keeps an eye on Natasha for him while Andrey is away at war.
Anatole Kuragin: "Anatole is hot": An aristocratic, seductive hedonist, who spends his money on women and wine. He is the brother of Hélène and best friends with Dolokhov. He is an otherworldly, David Bowie type, and has an interest in Natasha.
Sonya Rostova: "Sonya is good"" Natasha's cousin and closest friend. She is fiercely dedicated to her cousin and will do anything and everything to keep her safe.
Hélène Kuragina: "Hélène is a slut": Anatole's sister who married Pierre for money. She also has a relationship with Dolokhov. She is highly sexualized and not very intelligent, but is manipulative and dedicated to her brother.
Marya Dmitriyevna: "Marya is old-school, a grand dame of Moscow." She is also Natasha's godmother, and is a very strict woman, however, she is also kind. Natasha and Sonya live with her during their time in the city.
Fedor Dolokhov: "Dolokhov is fierce, but not too important": He's Anatole's friend and an extremely talented marksman. He also has an interest in Hélène.
Mary Bolkonskaya: "Mary is plain": the daughter of Bolkonsky and Andrey's sister. She lives at home with her father as his caretaker, where she is tormented and abused by him. She is confined to the home and has no friends.
Old Prince Bolkonsky: "Old Prince Bolkonsky is crazy" and suffering from many age-related ailments. He is taken care of by his daughter Mary, but he torments her regardless.
Andrey Bolkonsky: "Andrey isn't here": he is fighting in the war for much of the show, and is betrothed to Natasha. He is serious and slightly bitter.

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Natasha, Pierre and The Great Comet of 1812