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North American Works Directory Listing
| Composer: |
Stephen Sondheim
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| Composer Bio: |
Award winning composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim does not consider his musicals to be Broadway Operas but they have been embraced as such wholeheartedly. Blurring the lines between musical theatre and traditional opera, he has written music and lyrics for some of the 20th century’s most important stage works for voice, incorporating both humorous and dark subject matter.
Born into a Jewish family in the Upper West Side of Manhattan, Sondheim showed early ability in both music and mathematics. After the departure of his father at age ten, he moved to Bucks County, Pennsylvania where he gained an important musical role model, Oscar Hammerstein II. Watching the success of Rodgers and Hammerstein as a teenager and already guided toward musical theatre he studied piano and wrote scripts and scores during his four years at Williams College, earning him a two year composition scholarship studying with avant-garde composer Milton Babbitt.
Sondheim’s breakthrough came with his lyrics to Leonard Bernstein’s musical West Side Story in 1957. The collaboration's success earned him a multitude of creative partnerships before finally writing both the music and lyrics for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum in 1962. Recognized as a master of songwriting he went on to win multiple Tony and Grammy Awards as well as an Academy Award for Best Song and the Pulitzer Prize in Drama.
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| Librettist: |
Hugh Wheeler
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| Other Artistic Personnel: |
Harold Prince, Director
Larry Fuller, Choreographer
Eugene Lee, Production Design
Franne Lee, Costume Design
Ken Billington, Lighting Design
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| Original Cast: |
Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd)
Angela Lansbury (Mrs. Lovett)
Edmund Lyndeck (Judge Turbin)
Sarah Rice (Johanna)
Victor Garber (Anthony Hall)
Ken Jennings (Tobias Ragg)
Merle Louise (Beggar Woman)
Joaquin Romaguera (Pirelli)
Eric Williams (the Beadle)
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| Premiere Date: |
March 01, 1979
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| Producing Company: |
Richard Barr
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| Description: |
Based on Christopher Bond's retelling of the Victorian pennydreadful The String of Pearls, (which was itself a retelling of a British myth, possibly rooted in truth) this musical (with a book by Hugh Wheeler) tells the tale of Sweeney Todd, a murderous barber, and his partner in crime, Nellie Lovett, a baker who disposes of the bodies by baking them into her pies. Meanwhile, Anthony Hope, a sailor who saved Todd's life, falls in love with Todd's estranged daughter, Johanna, who is being brought up as the ward of the twisted Judge Turpin.
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| Character List (Major): |
Sweeney Todd (b-bar)
Mrs. Lovett (con)
Anthony Hope (t)
Johanna (s)
Tobias Ragg (t)
Judge Turpin (b)
Beggar Woman (mz)
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| Character List (Minor): |
Pirelli (t)
Beadle (t)
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| Bit Parts: |
Jonas Fogg (speaking role)
Bird Keeper (speaking role)
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| Length: |
Length is not available.
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| Contact: |
Music Theatre International
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| Phone: |
(212) 541-4684
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Schedule of Performances Listings
Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Friday, October 19, 2012 - Pensacola Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Saturday, January 09, 2010 - Mobile Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Saturday, October 27, 2007 - Shreveport Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Thursday, June 21, 2007 - LOOK Music Theatre
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Thursday, April 06, 2006 - North Bay Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Friday, December 03, 2004 - Opera Cleveland
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Friday, March 05, 2004 - New York City Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Friday, February 20, 2004 - Arizona Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Saturday, January 31, 2004 - Calgary Opera Association
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Saturday, April 26, 2003 - Opera Colorado
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Friday, November 22, 2002 - Toledo Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Monday, November 18, 2002 - Lyric Opera of Chicago
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Thursday, July 18, 2002 - State Opera of South Australia
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Monday, April 22, 2002 - Opera Australia
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Friday, September 21, 2001 - Opera Australia
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Thursday, October 16, 1997 - University of Michigan University Productions
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Wednesday, April 23, 1997 - Skylight Music Theatre
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Saturday, February 17, 1996 - Portland Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Friday, June 23, 1995 - Des Moines Metro Opera
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Wednesday, September 29, 1993 - Opera Roanoke
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Sweeney Todd
( Sondheim)
Thursday, October 31, 1991 - Townsend Opera Players
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What is OPERAAmerica.org?
Spring 2013 Magazine Issue
- Letter from the President/CEO
- Of One: The Quest for Asian Fusion in the Opera House
- Vancouver: Where Nature Nurtures Art
- Inheriting the Wind
- My First Time
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