I. THE
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Book by Andrew Lloyd Webber & Richard Stilgoe
Lyrics by Charles Hart and others
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Translated by Xue Fan
A musician
whose face has been badly disfigured lives a solitary life in caverns beneath
the Paris Opera. Infatuated with a young singer, he helps her to success and
when he finds she has a lover, tries to force her to marry him. Finally he
relents, realising his love is too great to want to possess the girl.
Based on a
novel by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera enjoyed greater success in
1925 as a film, a success repeated by further film versions in 1943,1962 and
1989, with a television version in 1982. The same material inspired the Chinese
film Midnight Singing. Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical was first staged in London
in 1986, reaching New York two years later. Andrew Lloyd Webber is the only
composer to have had three musicals, Cats, Starlight Express and The Phantom of
the Opera, running simultaneously in London and New York.
II. WEST
SIDE STORY
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Music by Leonard Bernstein
Translated by Zhen Jin
West Side
Story, a modern American Romeo and Juliet, first staged in 1957, is the best
known musical of the American conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. In the
slums of New York two rival gangs fight with each other. Tony, of the American
Jets, falls in love with Maria, from the Puerto Rican gang, the Sharks, led by
Maria's brother Bernardo, who strongly opposes the relationship. Tony’s friend
Riff, leader of the Jets', is killed by Bernardo, who, in turn, is killed by
Tony. Thinking Maria to be dead, Tony allows himself to be shot by the Sharks.
West Side
Story, won the American Tony Award and a film of it appeared in 1961, winning
ten awards, including best film of the year, in the Academy Awards of 1974. The
songs Maria and Tonight have become widely familiar.
III.
SOUTH PACIFIC
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Translated by Zhen Jin
Two
inter-linked stories provide the basis of the Rodgers and Hammerstein 1949
musical South Pacific. Set during the Pacific War, the first story tells of the
love between Lieutenant Cabull and a Polynesian girl, an affair that has to
end, after one night of 19ve. The second story is that of an American naval
nurse and a French settler on the Pacific island. Their affair starts on an
enchanted evening, but comes to an end when the two men are sent away on a
dangerous war-time mission. A film based on the musical was made in 1958.
IV. THE
MUSIC MAN
Lyrics & Music by Meredith Willson
Translated by Shen Da-jie, Shen Chen-zhou & Han Rong
A musical
instrument salesman, in an American country town in 1912, arrives during
Independence Day celebrations. Here he goes on the platform to expose gambling
in the town and to urge the people to save the children, suggesting that a
children's band should be formed. When he sings Seventy-Six Trombones, children
join in the chorus, mimicking playing various instruments. He ends by selling
all the instruments he has and winning the love of a girl. Finally he can
conduct the children's band in a town carnival.
The Music
Man was completed in 1957 and a film version was made in 1962.
V.
CAROUSEL
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Translated by Sheng Jie
Billy
Bigelow, working at a fairground selling tickets for the carousel, falls in
love with a local girl and marries her. Trying to earn what money he can, he
turns to robbery and is killed. After his death, however, he is allowed to
return to life on condition that he does something good. His soul makes its
presence known to his daughter at her final school prize-giving, when he
encourages her self-reliance and belief in herself.
Carousel
dates from 1945, with a film version in 1956.
VI. THE
KING AND I
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Radgers
Translated by Sheng Jie
In
mid-nineteenth century Bangkok an English widow is engaged by the royal family
of Siam as governess to the King's children. As she settles, with her son, in
the palace, there are comic conflicts between European and Thai culture, but in
the end, to our astonishment, Anne and the King fall in love.
Based on
Margaret Landon's novel Anne and the King of Siam, the musical was first staged
in 1951, with a film version five years later. By 1984 the stage musical had
had 4625 performances.
VII.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick
Music by Jerry Bock
Translated by Xue Fan & Zhen Jin
Fiddler on
the Roof, based on a story by Sholem Aleichem, is a Broadway classic. It centres
on the family of a poor Jewish farmer, in Russia in 1905. His first daughter
marries a poor tailor, against her parents' wishes, the second follows her
revolutionary lover to Siberia, while the third elopes with her Gentile lover.
The Russians destroy the village, and the father, homeless, still follows his
traditional beliefs and decides to emigrate to America.
First
staged in New York in 1964, a successful film version of Fiddler on the Roof
was made in 1971.
VIII.
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II
Music by Richard Rodgers
Translated by Xue Fan & Xu Yi
Rodgers and
Hammerstein brought their successful collaboration to an end with The Sound of
Music in 1959. Hammerstein died in 1960, outlived by Rodgers by some nineteen
years. The work was based on the 1949 autobiography of Maria von Trapp, The
Trapp Family Singers.
In Austria
in 1938 Sister Maria is engaged by the retired widower Captain von Trapp as
governess to his seven children. She looks after the children like a mother and
fosters their love of singing and games. With the Nazi occupation of Austria,
the family escapes together, taking advantage of the occasion of a singing
festival.
The Sound
of Music won a Tony award in 1959 and in 1965 the film version won five Academy
Awards, including that of best film of the year.
