Elegies (William Finn)
Encyclopedia
Elegies is a song cycle
by William Finn
about the loss of friends and family and is a response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Most of the songs were composed in memory of Finn's friends, several of whom died of AIDS
. Three songs deal specifically with the passing of his mother, Barbara Finn. The final set of songs deal with the collapse of the World Trade Center
and its emotional aftermath.
The first performance of the song cycle was directed by Graciela Daniele
at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York
, it ran from March 2, 2003 to April 18, 2003, starring Christian Borle
, Betty Buckley
, Carolee Carmello
, Keith Byron Kirk, and Michael Rupert
. The production was recorded nearly complete and released on compact disc by Fynsworth Alley (distributed through Varèse Sarabande
).
Cast:
Directed by Paul Daigneault,
Musical Direction by Paul S. Katz,
Production Stage Management by Dana Elizabeth Wolf,
Toronto Premiere by Acting Up Stage Theatre Company at the Berkeley Street Theatre, Toronto, ON (ran February 15 - March 4, 2007)
Cast:
Directed by Lezlie Wade,
Musical Direction by Wayne Gwillim,
Produced by Mitchell Marcus,
Stage Managed by Dot Routledge.
NYC Benefit Production, August 16, 2010
Cast:
Directed by Michael Rader,
Musical Direction by Ed Guttman,
Produced by Jamie McGonnigal
,
Stage Managed by David Beris.
Song cycle
A song cycle is a group of songs designed to be performed in a sequence as a single entity. As a rule, all of the songs are by the same composer and often use words from the same poet or lyricist. Unification can be achieved by a narrative or a persona common to the songs, or even, as in Schumann's...
by William Finn
William Finn
William Alan Finn is an American composer and lyricist of musicals. His musical Falsettos received the 1992 Tony Awards for Best Music and Lyrics and for Best Book.-Biography:...
about the loss of friends and family and is a response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Most of the songs were composed in memory of Finn's friends, several of whom died of AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. Three songs deal specifically with the passing of his mother, Barbara Finn. The final set of songs deal with the collapse of the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
and its emotional aftermath.
The first performance of the song cycle was directed by Graciela Daniele
Graciela Daniele
Graciela Daniele is an Argentine-American dancer, choreographer, and theatre director.-Biography:Born at Buenos Aires, Daniele began her dance training at the age of seven at Teatro Colón, Argentina's equivalent of Moscow's Bolshoi Theatre...
at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, it ran from March 2, 2003 to April 18, 2003, starring Christian Borle
Christian Borle
Christian Borle is an American actor. Born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Borle has been primarily featured as an actor in Broadway productions....
, Betty Buckley
Betty Buckley
Betty Lynn Buckley is an American theater, film and television actress and singer. She is a Tony Award winner and Grammy Award nominee.-Early life:...
, Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello
Carolee Carmello is an American actress best known for her performances in Broadway musicals.She made her Broadway debut in a small role in City of Angels...
, Keith Byron Kirk, and Michael Rupert
Michael Rupert
Michael John Rupert is an American actor, singer, director and composer.Rupert made his Broadway debut in 1968 in Kander and Ebb's The Happy Time where he received his first Tony nomination...
. The production was recorded nearly complete and released on compact disc by Fynsworth Alley (distributed through Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande
Varèse Sarabande is an American record label, distributed by Universal Music Group, which specializes in film scores and original cast recordings. It aims to reissue rare or unavailable albums as well as newer releases by artists no longer under a contract...
).
Musical numbers
- Looking Up Quintet
- Mister Choi & Madame G
- Mark's All-Male Thanksgiving
- Only One
- Joe Papp
- Peggy Hewitt & Mysty del Giorno
- Passover
- Infinite Joy
- The Ballad of Jack Eric Williams (and other 3-named composers)
- Fred
- Dear Reader
- Monica & Mark
- Anytime (I Am There)
- My Dogs
- Venice
- 14 Dwight Ave., Natick, Massachusetts
- When the Earth Stopped Turning
- Goodbye
- Boom Boom
- Looking Up
- Goodbye (Finale)
Main characters represented
- Mark Thalen, attorney and gay-rights advocate
- Bill SherwoodBill SherwoodWilliam Charles Patrick Sherwood, better known as Bill Sherwood was an American musician, screenwriter and film director.Sherwood was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Battle Creek, Michigan...
, director/editor/screenwriter of the film Parting GlancesParting Glancesthumb|Parting Glances released on VHS format in 1998Parting Glances is an American film shot in 1984 and released in 1986. With its realistic look at urban gay life in the Ronald Reagan era and at the height of the AIDS crisis, many film critics consider it an important movie in the history of gay...
- Bill Sherwood
- Joseph PappJoseph PappJoseph Papp was an American theatrical producer and director. Papp established The Public Theater in what had been the Astor Library Building in downtown New York . "The Public," as it is known, has many small theatres within it...
, producer and impresario - Peggy Hewitt, character actress
- Misty del Giorno, chiropractor
- Jack Eric WilliamsJack Eric WilliamsJack Eric Williams was an American actor, composer and lyricist for stage and film. He is most remembered for originating the role of Beadle Bamford in Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. In 2003 his life and death were the subject of one of William Finn's Elegies: A Song Cycle, The Ballad of Jack...
, composer and performer- Ricky Ian GordonRicky Ian GordonRicky Ian Gordon is an American composer of songs, stage musicals and opera. The death of his lover from AIDS inspired Dream True and Orpheus and Euridice...
, composer - Quentin CrispQuentin CrispQuentin Crisp , was an English writer and raconteur. He became a gay icon in the 1970s after publication of his memoir, The Naked Civil Servant.- Early life :...
, raconteur/actor/writer
- Ricky Ian Gordon
- Monica Andress, a friend of the composer
- Bolek Greczynski, art therapist, creator the Living Museum at Creedmoor
- Barbara Finn, the composer's mother
Notable performances
Boston Premiere by SpeakEasy Stage Company at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA (ran May 7-29, 2004)Cast:
- Kerry Dowling
- Michael Mendiola
- Jose Delgado
- Will McGarrahan
- Leigh Barrett
Directed by Paul Daigneault,
Musical Direction by Paul S. Katz,
Production Stage Management by Dana Elizabeth Wolf,
Toronto Premiere by Acting Up Stage Theatre Company at the Berkeley Street Theatre, Toronto, ON (ran February 15 - March 4, 2007)
Cast:
- Thom Allison
- Barbara Barsky
- Steven Gallagher
- Eliza-Jane Scott
- Michael Strathmore
Directed by Lezlie Wade,
Musical Direction by Wayne Gwillim,
Produced by Mitchell Marcus,
Stage Managed by Dot Routledge.
NYC Benefit Production, August 16, 2010
Cast:
- Michael Brian Dunn
- Darius de HaasDarius de HaasDarius de Haas is an American stage actor and singer.He was born in Chicago and raised in a musical family—his father is bassist Eddie de Haas and his mother Geraldine was one of the Bey sisters of the musical trio Andy and The Bey Sisters...
- Jason Forbach
- AnnMarie Milazzo
- Kerry O'Malley
Directed by Michael Rader,
Musical Direction by Ed Guttman,
Produced by Jamie McGonnigal
Jamie McGonnigal
Jamie McGonnigal is a voice actor, actor, producer, activist and director, who has worked for various companies such as 4Kids Entertainment, NYAV Post, DuArt Film and Video and FUNimation Entertainment....
,
Stage Managed by David Beris.