Elvis . . . . . . .Broadway?

Post by **spooky girlfriend** » Mon May 03, 2004 10:31 am

DrS and I saw Les Miserables for the second time over the weekend and I couldn't help but wonder. . . . .Elvis is good at so many other things - could he write a musical? I think so, but was wondering what some of the rest of you guys thought? If he did, what would it be like?

Your thoughts, please. . . . . .

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon May 03, 2004 11:04 am

Well, isn't there an ongoing debate as to whether or not The Deliveryman is a musical?

miss buenos aires · Post by **miss buenos aires** » Mon May 03, 2004 11:18 am

I have to say, I think I'm one of the three people that likes "The Capeman." And the other two are my parents...

Which is to say that if Paul Simon can do one, of course Elvis could do one!

sweetest punch · Post by **sweetest punch** » Mon May 03, 2004 12:40 pm

According to the fansite http://www.elvis-costello.net, Elvis has written an .....OPERA !

It's an opera to mark the 200 years since Hans Christian Andersen's birthday. The opera is written especially for the Royal Danish Theatre's new opera house at Holmden, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Can anyone confirm this information?

migdd · Post by **migdd** » Mon May 03, 2004 1:32 pm

BC. . .Elvis has liked The Deliveryman to Willie Nelson's Red Headed Stranger album. Not exactly a musical, but is was made into a film!

Post by **BlueChair** » Mon May 03, 2004 4:05 pm

sweetest punch wrote:According to the fansite http://www.elvis-costello.net, Elvis has written an .....OPERA !

It's an opera to mark the 200 years since Hans Christian Andersen's birthday. The opera is written especially for the Royal Danish Theatre's new opera house at Holmden, Copenhagen, Denmark.

Can anyone confirm this information?

Isn't that what Il Sogno is? Or is that a symphony?

Poppet · Post by **Poppet** » Mon May 03, 2004 5:00 pm

from the email sent by Universal Classics to offer pre-sale tickets to registered fans:

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On July 13, Costello performs with Holland's 52-member Metropole Orkest, the world's only full-time jazz orchestra with its own string section. The orchestra makes its North American debut with arrangements ranging from big band and ballads to string quartet and piano solo.

On July 15, the mood swings from country & soul to rock & roll when Costello and his band, The Imposters, perform hit songs and new material.

July 17 marks the North American Premiere of Il Sogno, Costello's first full-length orchestral work. Making its Lincoln Center Festival debut, the Brooklyn Philharmonic performs this piece, giving Costello fans their only chance to experience Il Sogno prior to its CD release on September 21.

Be sure to look for a free CD sampler of Il Sogno available exclusively at all 3 Elvis concerts!

bobster · Post by **bobster** » Tue May 04, 2004 5:43 pm

Those who know me know I barely even need to post here.

Of course he can...in fact, he must!!!

scielle · Post by **scielle** » Tue May 04, 2004 7:53 pm

If there's anyone out there in the 'pop' world who definitely should be writing musicals, EC iz da man, baby! (Sorry Paul, Elton...)

Come to think of it, if one really tried, one could probably cut and paste a musical with the wealth of EC material that's already out there. Yeah, so there'd be plot holes, but what self-respecting musical doesn't have them?

scielle

jillbeast · Post by **jillbeast** » Wed May 05, 2004 4:38 am

Il Sogno was originally written as the Orchestral Music for the ballet "A Midsummer Night's Dream" as choreographed and performed by Aterballeto, an Italian Dance company. It was performing in Orange County about two years ago, and I think maybe two people I know went to see it. It has been recorded with Michael Tilson Thomas conducting and is due out in October around the same time that Elvis and the Imposters'll be releasing the new album as recorded down South in the states. He composed Il Sogno with little dolls on top of the piano for inspiration (so he could visualize what was going on the stage and when). This is all from the top of my head so please correct me if I'm way off base!

I was in attendance for Elvis performing in an Opera as written by one Steve Nieve...a truely surreal experience! After this performance, I remember some ballet company memver approaching Elvis and giving him information, saying that his ballet company would like for him to score something for them sometime. However, I think that it was a New York Ballet company for some reason. I was just standing around waiting for the first time I'd meet Elvis (the photo you see in my avatar). I remember it vaguely, the ballet guy came up wearing a straw hat and a red gingham shirt I think!

I've always wanted Elvis to write a musical, not because I'm into musical theatre (which I am) but because I think that he writes so strongly. His characters, melodies, moods and evocative lyrics are so hefty that he could really bring something special to the stage. The Deliveryman was supposed to be written for the stage, and Elvis was also working on a musical with Neil LaBute directing, but I can't remember if it was the Deliveryman or not. I've been curious ever since hearing these things. It would be a dream to perform in a musical that Elvis has written! I've thought about it often ever since I was in college (and that's been a while

).

Oh, and the Opera for the 200th anniversary of Hans Christian Anderson's birthday is something totally new. Denmark is celebrating with a huge festival, a new musical of the Little Mermaid (the original sad tale) and then Elvis will be doing some kind of opera in tribute as well. I can't remember if we've heard his subject or not. There're tons of stories to choose from, aren't there?

Jill

sweetest punch · Post by **sweetest punch** » Wed May 05, 2004 1:16 pm

Poppet wrote:from the email sent by Universal Classics to offer pre-sale tickets to registered fans:

*************************

July 17 marks the North American Premiere of Il Sogno, Costello's first full-length orchestral work. Making its Lincoln Center Festival debut, the Brooklyn Philharmonic performs this piece, giving Costello fans their only chance to experience Il Sogno prior to its CD release on September 21.

We have an (official) releasedate!! Il Sogno (and problably the new Imposters album) will be released September 21!