Le monde des musicals

A sexually exhausted Shah of Persia comes to late 19 th Century Vienna and asks his eunuch to procure the sexual services of the Empress of Austria to stimulate his jaded appetite. His eunuch conspires with a Viennese baron to substitute an Empress look-alike, who is really a courtesan called Mizzi, and to disguise the local brothel as a Palace. Having thus fooled the Shah, the aristocrat himself, both client and lover of Mizzi, becomes intensely jealous, and even more so when the Eunuch, by virtue of his (lack of? ) assets, is allowed to view several Viennese sexual escapades with voyeuristic delight. So, the Shah is in love with Mizzi, who is in love with the aristocrat, who is also having an affair with the soap manufacturer’s wife. . .

Based on Joseph Roth’s 1939 novel “The Tale of the 1002 nd Night”, “Paradise Found” was directed by Broadway showbiz-royalty, and included some of the greatest Broadway talents in the cast. Its London fringe debut was planned as a cheaper way of launching a try-out workshop prior to Broadway. It was a much anticipated and eagerly awaited “big” event. But that event turned out to be a huge flop, “an absolute stinker”. The plot itself was a “pastiche of unbelievable coarseness and vulgarity” and the lyrics attached to Johann Strauss melodies were decried as abysmal - especially the song where the Baron and Mizzi jointly sing “ I’m Feeling Yours { boom-boom, boom-boom } and You’re Feeling Mine {boom-boom,boom-boom }” to the tune of the Blue Danube Waltz ! The critics, aghast at such a total mess, could not believe how such names as Hal Prince, Susan Stroman and Mandy Patinkin could ever have agreed to work on such rubbish.

1 Paradise found peut-être considéré comme un Flop musical

based on the Joseph Roth novel Die Geschichte von der 1002. Nacht (The Tale of the 1002nd Night).

In an interview, Hal Prince said that the musical would "center on a Middle Eastern ruler who travels to Vienna in search of romantic 'inspiration,' and the machinations that occur when he demands a rendezvous with a noblewoman who turns out to be the empress of Austria." It had been planned to bring the musical to Broadway after its premiere in London. Early readings featured John Cullum, Mandy Patinkin, Shuler Hensley, Judy Kaye, Emily Skinner, Rebecca Luker and Kate Baldwin.

Paradise Found opened in London on May 26, 2010, after previews starting on May 19, at the Menier Chocolate Factory and closed on June 26. The musical was directed by Prince and Susan Stroman (who also choreographed), with scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Judith Dolan and arrangements and orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick. The cast featured John McMartin as the Shah of Persia, Mandy Patinkin as a Eunuch, Shuler Hensley as the Baron, Judy Kaye as Frau Matzner and Kate Baldwin as Mizzi.

Act 1
Overture
Once and Now - Shah, Eunuch, Grand Vizier
Train Station - Company
Perfect Love - Eunuch, Girls
Feeling Good - Mizzi, the Baron
Ev'ry Little Bit - Soap Manufacturer's Wife, Eunuch, Customers
The Bat - Instrumental
Faces Like Flow'rs - Eunuch, Women, Men
Fanfare/Marziale Instrumental
Empress of Fantasy -The Baron, Eunuch
Without Desire - Eunuch, the Baron, Frau Matzner, Shah

Act 2
Never Better - Mizzi, the Baron, Eunuch, Frau Matzner
Save This Empire - General, Gossips, Women, the Emperor, Chorus
Feeling Good (Reprise) - Mizzi, the Baron
The Same Lovely Vienna - Customers
How Could You Know - Frau Matzner, Customers
What Are They? - Baron Mizzi
Ve Made a Em-per-ess - Baron Trummer
Perfect Love (Reprise) - Eunuch, Wives
Finale: Without Desire - Eunuch, the Baron, Frau Matzner, Mizzi, Chorus / Feeling Good - Baron, Mizzi, Harem Women, Women, Men / Save This Empire - Company

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Paradise found

Aucun dossier informatif complémentaire concernant Paradise found