Sweeney Todd and Merrily We Roll Along
Composer and lyricist Stephen Sondheim joins Donald Macleod to focus on two musicals - Sweeney Todd, widely regarded as his masterpiece, and the flop Merrily We Roll Along.
Continuing our series in which Broadway legend Stephen Sondheim talks to Donald Macleod. This third programme focuses on just two musicals: Sweeney Todd, widely regarded as Sondheim's masterpiece, an extraordinarily powerful work which he has modestly described as "a small and scary evening about the need for revenge"; and Merrily We Roll Along, a tale of disintegrating friendships and compromised idealism, narrated, in a characteristic structural twist, backwards. Sweeney Todd was a huge success and is widely performed today, from schools (in a special educational edition) to opera houses; despite a marvellous score, Merrily We Roll Along failed to catch the public mood and remains Sondheim's biggest flop to date. Among other topics, Sondheim also discusses his long-time collaboration with director Hal Prince, the logistics of working with an orchestrator, and the heart attack he suffered in 1979, just three weeks after the opening of Sweeney.
By Chris Barstow.
Last on
Music Played
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Stephen Sondheim
The Worst Pies in London
Performer: Angela Lansbury (Mrs Lovett)
- RCA 3379-2-RC.
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Stephen Sondheim
Pretty Women
Performer: Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd) Performer: Edmund Lyndeck (Judge Turpin) Performer: Victor Garber (Anthony Hope) Musical Direction: Paul Gemignani
- RCA 3379-2-RC.
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Stephen Sondheim
Epiphany
Performer: Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd) Performer: Angela Lansbury (Mrs Lovett) Musical Direction: Paul Gemignani
- RCA 3379-2-RC.
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Stephen Sondheim
A Little Priest
Performer: Angela Lansbury (Mrs Lovett) Performer: Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd) Musical Direction: Paul Gemignani
- RCA 3379-2-RC.
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Stephen Sondheim
God, That's Good!
Performer: Ken Jennings (Toby) Performer: Angela Lansbury (Mrs Lovett) Performer: Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd) Performer: Company Musical Direction: Paul Gemignani
- RCA 3379-2-RC.
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Stephen Sondheim
Franklin Shepard, Inc.
Performer: Marc Moritz (Jeffrey) Performer: Lonny Price (Charley Kringas) Musical Direction: Paul Gemignani
- RCA RCD1-5840.
- 4.
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Stephen Sondheim
Good Thing Going
Performer: Terry Finn (Gussie) Performer: Lonny Price (Charley Kringas) Performer: Jim Walton (Franklin Shepard) Performer: Company Musical Direction: Paul Gemignani
- RCA RCD1-5840.
- 9.
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Stephen Sondheim
Opening Doors
Performer: Jim Walton (Franklin Shepard) Performer: Lonny Price (Charley Kringas) Performer: Ann Morrison (Mary Flynn) Performer: Jason Alexander (Joe Josephson) Performer: Marianna Allen (Girl Auditioning) Performer: Sally Klein (Beth) Musical Direction: Paul Gemignani
- RCA RCD1-5840.
- 12.
Broadcasts
- Wed 24 Mar 2010 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Wed 24 Mar 2010 22:00大象传媒 Radio 3
- Wed 28 Jul 2010 12:00大象传媒 Radio 3
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