Marie Antoinette is a stage musical with music by Sylvester Levay

Sylvester Levay

Sylvester Levay is a Hungarian composer. He was born 16 May 1945 in Subotica , in the North Bačka District of Vojvodina, Yugoslavia ; his name is pronounced in English similarly to "lave-ah-ee."...

 and lyrics by Michael Kunze

Michael Kunze (writer)

Michael Kunze is a German musical theater lyricist and librettist.He is best known for the hit musicals Elisabeth , Dance of the Vampires , Mozart! , and Rebecca ....

, the authors of Elisabeth

Elisabeth (musical)

Elisabeth is a Viennese, German-language musical commissioned by the Vereinigte Bühnen Wien , with book/lyrics by Michael Kunze and music by Sylvester Levay. It portrays the life and death of the Empress consort of Austria, Elisabeth of Bavaria, wife of Emperor Franz Joseph I...

, Mozart!

Mozart!

Mozart! is an Austrian musical, originally written in German. The original book and lyrics were written by Michael Kunze and the music and arrangements were composed by Sylvester Levay. The show is a new imagining of the struggles of the famous composer....

and Rebecca

Rebecca (musical)

Rebecca is a German-language musical based on the novel of the same name by Daphne du Maurier. It was written by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay , the authors of the musicals Elisabeth, Mozart! and Marie Antoinette. The plot, which adheres closely to the original novel, revolves around Maxim...

. The Libretto was written in English and then translated into Japanese. The premiere took place on November 1, 2006 in Tokyo

Tokyo

, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...

, Japan at the Imperial Garden Theater

Imperial Garden Theater

The is a Japanese theater located in Marunouchi, Chiyoda, Tokyo, Japan operated by Toho. Opened in 1911 as the first Western-style theater in Japan, it stages a varied program of musicals and operas.-External links:...

. Tamiya Kuriyama directed the original production. After running in Tokyo, the show was performed in Fukuoka, Osaka before moving back to Tokyo from April 2007 through May 2007.

The German premiere took place on January 30, 2009 at the Musical Theater Bremen with Kuriyama directing once again.

Plot synopsis

Marie Antoinette tells the story of two parallel lives, that of the infamous Queen of France

Marie Antoinette

Marie Antoinette ; 2 November 1755 – 16 October 1793) was an Archduchess of Austria and the Queen of France and of Navarre. She was the fifteenth and penultimate child of Holy Roman Empress Maria Theresa and Holy Roman Emperor Francis I....

 and that of Margrid Arnaud, a poor woman. Both are the same age, and both are pretty, but that's where the similarities end. While Margrid is roaming the streets of Paris in rags, Marie Antoinette dances and flirts at the Palais-Royal. The French Revolution

French Revolution

The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...

changes all that. Margrid Arnaud rises and Marie Antoinette falls, and when the two women eventually meet two worlds collide and the drama unfolds.
The musical uses the events of the French Revolution as a spectacular backdrop to the fate of the unhappy Queen. Margrid Arnaud personifies the nemesis of the monarchy, eventually leading to the extinction of Marie Antoinette and her world.

Background

In an interview on his website, Kunze said that producers had offered to stage the show in German and English-speaking countries, but he that he wanted to have the Kuriyama production all over the world. His previous musicals were adapted for the country they were played in.
Kunze believes that the production MA is the best interpretation of one of his Libretti so far. He praised the director and the cast.

Songs

These songs are included in the production and are on the cast recording, which was released in March 2006.
Act I

• Prologue (The Great Cagliostro)
• All we feel is Hunger
• Why she, why not I?
• Look at her
• Why don't they eat the Cake?
• Blinded by a thousand Candles
• Turn, Turn
• A perfect Queen
• I'm sorry
• Gold out of Nothing at all
• The Voice in my Heart
• You've got to give them what they want
• If
• Doctor Guillotin's Machine
• Parce Qu'elle est Autrichinne
• The Voice in my Heart (Reprise)
• God cares for All
• All I do
• Lovers´ bickering
• I am the Best
• Seven weird Ingredients
• Some Day to remember

Act II

• The Bells of Justice
• France on Parade
• Turn, turn (Reprise)
• Woman of Paris!
• Money's talking
• The only thing I ever did right
• Something's wrong
• The Paris cut
• Reign of Terror
• The Flight to Varennes
• Why can't I just be a Smith
• Turn, turn (Reprise III)
• Onward, Brothers!
• Thank God, we're all mad
• All I do (Reprise)
• Taking the Boy
• Off with her Head!
• Her Time is up
• Blood must flow for Liberty!
• Freedom!

The cast recording also features three additional tracks:

• Blinded By A Thousand Candles
• The Voice in My Heart
• Money's Talking

External links

• The Author's (Michael Kunze's) Website (in German)