Björn & Benny's "Kristina Från Duvemåla" finally out of LEGAL HELL

[Christian]

I know I'm the only 'Kristina' loon round these parts. In fact, i think Lolly's the only other person who knows it at all

Still, it's finally come out of legal HELL today which means we might finally see an English language production this side of 2010.

Abba stars settle court dispute

Genuinely MUCH excite. Idina really would be perfect for the lead...

[lolly]

Yes, there was about a three inch piece on page 14 or something of The Independent today. I couldn't be bothered to read much more than that.

[Christian]

They've been dragging their heels for ages - it was announced for Broadway in 2006 yet nothing bar a workshop production has happened. I presume this court case was the real reason rather than the "we're waiting for a theatre" excuse they have been using.

I can see the point in opening this on Broadway due to the immigrant subject matter but I still think it's going to be a tough sell. 3 hours of misery and then the lead character CARKS it in the final minute. Then there's the LEGIONS of kids that snuff it along the way.

I presume they'll JOLLY it up for Broadway

[psbauz]

I think it's gonna be tough for this show to run. Here in sweden it's kinda part of the culture and stuff. But i can't really see why americans would want to see 3 hour show about farmers from the woods of sweden.
I really like the music, i havnt seen the show though. But some of the part wont really make sence in english, cause like there's this song about the swedes misunderstanding the amarican and stuff like that.

[lolly]

I think it could play well in the parts of the US where the Swedish emigrated. But it's never going to be any sort of big scale commercial hit, quite clearly.

[Suomi]

there's a Swedish town in Kansas i've been too

[lolly]

Christian, did you hear the Elaine Paige Radio 2 show on Sunday? It was a B&B special, celebrating 25 years since Chess and 10 since Mamma Mia.

WELL, apparently Kristina is being staged in some fashion (I think it may be a concert type thing) at Carnegie Hall in September, and B&B hope for it to come to London, although there are no plans yet. I checked the Carnegie Hall website, and there's no mention of it, but the calendar for that month is almost empty, so it could be slotted in quite easily.

EP also played an English language version of one of the songs, which is from the workshops they have been doing. It was called 'You Have To Be There', if you can tell which one that is from the Swedish version, I don't know. It's about a woman's Faith in God, if that helps identify it. It was performed by Helen Sjoholm, who I believe also did the original on the soundtrack, didn't she? I have to say, it was astounding. I've never sat through the whole KFD soundtrack before, so I don't know if I've heard it previously in Swedish or not.

I don't know if the show is available on iTunes, but I'd recommend you to listen to it if you didn't. It's two hours long, and I seem to recall the B&B interview started about 30 minutes into the show and went almost to the very end.

[digital02]

sweden.
I really like the music, i havnt seen the show though. But some of the part wont really make sence in english, cause like there's this song about the swedes misunderstanding the amarican and stuff like that.

[Christian]

Christian, did you hear the Elaine Paige Radio 2 show on Sunday? It was a B&B special, celebrating 25 years since Chess and 10 since Mamma Mia.

WELL, apparently Kristina is being staged in some fashion (I think it may be a concert type thing) at Carnegie Hall in September, and B&B hope for it to come to London, although there are no plans yet. I checked the Carnegie Hall website, and there's no mention of it, but the calendar for that month is almost empty, so it could be slotted in quite easily.

EP also played an English language version of one of the songs, which is from the workshops they have been doing. It was called 'You Have To Be There', if you can tell which one that is from the Swedish version, I don't know. It's about a woman's Faith in God, if that helps identify it. It was performed by Helen Sjoholm, who I believe also did the original on the soundtrack, didn't she? I have to say, it was astounding. I've never sat through the whole KFD soundtrack before, so I don't know if I've heard it previously in Swedish or not.

I don't know if the show is available on iTunes, but I'd recommend you to listen to it if you didn't. It's two hours long, and I seem to recall the B&B interview started about 30 minutes into the show and went almost to the very end.

Wow, what marvellous news! I didn't hear EP's show unfortunately, it sounds very good indeed. It's disappeared from the BBC site now so I'm going to have to hunt round for it elsewhere.

"You Have To Be There" has to be the amazing "Du Måste Finnas" ("you must exist") as the description of the lyric sounds exactly right. It comes very late on in the show when Kristina has just lost another child and finally questions her faith because of all the hardships that have befallen her and her family. Interestingly enough, the song was written at the very last minute when they decided they needed an enormous ballad at the end of the show - and it ended up being one of the best things in it. That's the same way "Send In The Clowns" came to be written, by the by.

It really is an amazing score though I can see how its length and complexity might make it hard to get into initially. However, the 3 biggest songs ("Min Astrakan", "Guldet Blev Til Sand" and "Du Måste Finnas") are absolutely worth any one's time and are absolutely amazing. I love the entire thing and play it on a regular basis... even Mr C has got pretty into it, to the point where whenever he hears Helen Sjöholm's voice on anything else he recognises it as "the Kristina woman"

I can't wait for this BAO gig in the summer. Surely they're going to perform this English version of "Du Måste Finnas", especially as Helen will be there too. They could even get her and Tommy to duet on some of the love duets. Helen is such an amazing performer, I really can't wait to see her.

Commercially though, I think putting this on is a really tricky proposition. London still makes more sense to me than New York, as the cost of putting on a new show is that much lower. The way it's written though it requires a huge chorus and a huge orchestra which may mean it's better suited to a concert performance - I'd be at that Carnegie Hall gig in a flash. Still, I hope someone takes a chance with it. It's in my all time Top 5 musicals based on the score alone and I'd love to see it live at some point.

[lolly]

Christian, did you listen to the Elaine Paige radio 2 show a couple of months or so ago when B&B were guests? I did post about it at the time, but they played her English language version of 'Du måste finnas', supposedly from the workshops of the Kristina concert now confirmed for Carnegie Hall in September. I think it's CORKING:

[Christian]

No, no, it had gone by the time I saw your post

This is going to be a first listening party then...!

[Christian]

Christian, did you listen to the Elaine Paige radio 2 show a couple of months or so ago when B&B were guests? I did post about it at the time, but they played her English language version of 'Du måste finnas', supposedly from the workshops of the Kristina concert now confirmed for Carnegie Hall in September. I think it's CORKING

WOW. I love it, it sounds spectacular! It's not even my favourite from the score which just highlights how strong the rest of it is

It's odd hearing something in English that you know so well in another language and it definitely took a bit of adjusting. The only time I've heard it was in Dutch but the lyrics had a completely different meaning so that doesn't really count.

That backing track is definitely taken from the Swedish cast album as it's absolutely identical. I wonder if they're lining her up for the Carnegie Hall gigs at the very least?

[lolly]

I wonder if they're lining her up for the Carnegie Hall gigs at the very least?

It is Helen, CONFIRMED

And, erm, Russell Watson

[Christian]

It is Helen, CONFIRMED

And, erm, Russell Watson

Really?



and



in equal measure. I take it he's playing Karl Oskar... fantastic part, but it really needs to be ACTED and does Russell Watson have the CHOPS for that? I guess he does have the voice.

Any word of who's playing the two secondary characters, Ulrika and Robert (who gets the absolutely showstopping 'Guldet Blev Til Sand'?)?

[lolly]

from broadway.com

Helen Sjöholm and Russell Watson will headline the concert version of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ musical Kristina at Carnegie Hall. The show, directed by Lars Rudolfsson, will feature 32 actors and a 50-piece orchestra conducted by Paul Gemignani. It plays at Carnegie Hall on September 23 and 24.

Kristina features music and lyrics by ABBA songwriting partners Andersson and Ulvaeus, who also created the musical Chess and the worldwide sensation Mamma Mia!, and English lyrics by Ulvaeus and Herbert Kretzmer. Originally titled Kristina från Duvemåla, the musical premiered in the creators’ native Sweden in 1995 and ran for almost four years, winning four Guldmasken Theatre Awards (Sweden’s Tony). Based on The Emigrants series of novels by Vilhelm Moberg, Kristina tells the epic story of a family’s migration from Sweden to America in the mid-19th century. A concert version was performed in Swedish in 1996 in Minneapolis, where many events in the novels take place.

In addition to her breakthrough role as the title character in Kristina från Duvemåla (which was seen by over one million Swedes), Sjöholm’s credits include playing Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Fantine in Les Miserables, Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera and starring in the Swedish production of Chess. She made her professional debut in 1988 touring with the entertainment troupe “Just for Fun” and is currently playing Eliza in My Fair Lady at the Oscars Theatre in Stockholm. She is a lead vocalist in the Benny Andersson Band, whose song “You Are My Man” has topped the Swedish charts for five years.



Watson was the first-ever British male to simultaneously occupy a number one spot in the U.K. and American classical charts, as well as being the first artist to have a classical album at the number one spot on the U.K. classical charts for an entire year. Having released nine albums to date and sold over six million records worldwide, he has won four classical BRIT Awards. Watson played Parson Nathaniel in the stage adaptation of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds. He has collaborated with varying artists such as Cliff Richard, Lulu, Lionel Richie, Mel C (of Spice Girls fame) and Meat Loaf.

A cast recording of the Carnegie Hall concert version of Kristina is being planned, to be released through Universal Music’s Decca Records. Further casting for the performances will be announced shortly.

[Christian]

Oh wow. Thank you lolly, I guess I'll be booking flights tomorrow morning. It sounds like an amazing staging - this show NEEDS a huge cast and orchestra and it just wouldn't be commercially viable to do that with a sit down performance so this'll be my only chance to see it how it should be done - it may not make a staged performance at all.

BTW, could you split these posts off into the existing Kristina thread? Cheers.

[lolly]

My only reason for posting this is that I just stumbled across it on youtube. A definite highlight of the Thank You For The Music concert (along with Kylie's WAISAD, NATCH).

[Egon]

Hi

I would like to draw your attention to a newly created site (in english)devoted to the leading star of "Kristina från Duvemåla", as well the original from 1995, as the newly held concert at Carnegie Hall: The swedish singer and actress Helen Sjöholm.

http://fansofhelen.weebly.com

Greetings Egon

[lolly]

Just a HEADS UP that there are unconfirmed stories of this being at the Royal Albert Hall on April 14th next year.

Star, you're coming with us if it is.

[Star]

Fab.

Aren't you away then though?

[lolly]

We get back the weekend before that. It does mean getting the days off might be a bit TRICKY, though.

[lolly]

Oh Christian, what a lovely avatar.

Semi OT, but did you see Kristina has been apparently confirmed for the Royal Albert Hall on April 14th?

[Christian]

Oh Christian, what a lovely avatar.

Semi OT, but did you see Kristina has been apparently confirmed for the Royal Albert Hall on April 14th?

No, I did not

That's just made my day!

[lolly]

No, I did not

That's just made my day!

According to www.icethesite.com, it's confirmed. And they are usually reliable. I looked on the Albert Hall website but there's nothing listed yet. That date is free on their calendar, though.

[lolly]

According to www.icethesite.com, it's confirmed. And they are usually reliable. I looked on the Albert Hall website but there's nothing listed yet. That date is free on their calendar, though.

and from that site:

Benny and Björn's Kristina confirmed for 14 April, Royal Albert Hall
December 24, 2009
icethesite broke the news it was probably happening and now it's confirmed.

Wednesday 14 April is indeed the date. Tickets go on sale in January 2010.

The concert will feature the New York cast of principles. So, yes to Helen Sjöholm, Russell Watson, Kevin Odekirk and Louise Pitre.

Gary Collins tells me that The Official ABBA Fan Club will also have the CD of the New York concert recording on sale at the Roosendaal event on Saturday 10 April 2010.

[Christian]

Thanks Lolly. I'm ridiculously excited and gathering the troops as we speak. The score needs a huge orchestra and choir so I reckon a concert version is as good as it's going to get. The very idea of hearing "Min Astraken" boom around the Albert Hall has got me all a quiver

This is going to polarise people even more than the "Chess" concert did.

[lolly]

Thanks Lolly. I'm ridiculously excited and gathering the troops as we speak.

I'm gathering Star.

[Star]

Oh I'm already gathered

What date we looking at? I'll pop it into my new personalised photo diary

[lolly]

April 14th. Coincidentally my mother's 63rd birthday.

[Christian]

I've already got 6 people chomping at the bit to go

[Star]

What's it all about anyway>

[lolly]

You might not be so keen if we tell you

[lolly]

But here you are anyway!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristin..._Duvem%C3%A5la

[Christian]

You might not be so keen if we tell you

I got the books for Christmas so I need to get cracking on those. Non-stop misery!

[lolly]

It's 'in concert' like Chess though, isn't it? So it's more just a performance of the songs?

[Star]

But here you are anyway!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kristin..._Duvem%C3%A5la

So is it all in Swedish?

[lolly]

No, it's translated. So you can appreciate all the doom and misery.

[Christian]

It's 'in concert' like Chess though, isn't it? So it's more just a performance of the songs?

It'll be the whole score sung through from end to end. Chess had some acting and dancing in it too plus images on big screens, etc.

It'll all be in English Star as it's just been translated by the guy who did Les Misérables. I'm not too keen on the English lyrics actually but I think that's because I'm so used to the Swedish ones.

[lolly]

I'm just pleased we're getting Helen Sjoholm. I really need to check out more of her stuff.

[lolly]

From icethesite, Helen has performed two songs from KFD on some Swedish TV concert. She performed 'You Have To Be There' and 'Open Up The Gateways'.




'Open Up The Gateways' can be found approx 42 minutes into the show on the SVT website: http://svtplay.se/t/102895/trettondagskonserten