LaChiusa's House of Bernard Alba with Daphne Rubin-Vega?

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 9:45pm

From Broadway.com:

"Will a musical version of Federico Garcia Lorca's The House of Bernarda Alba be seen on the New York stage this season?

Broadway.com has learned that Lincoln Center Theater is developing the tuner, with a score by Michael John LaChiusa, in preparation for a possible winter bow at the Mitzi E. Newhouse.

Set in a small village in Spain, The House of Bernarda Alba centers on five unmarried daughters trying to escape a domineering mother. The musical version, which will be directed by Graciela Daniele (who previously collaborated with LaChiusa on Marie Christine at LCT), features music and lyrics by LaChiusa and a book by Richard Nelson that is adapted from the original story.

The show would be the second offering of LCT's 2005-2006 season at the Newhouse. (The first is Wendy Wasserstein's Third.) Before it hits the public stage, The House of Bernarda Alba will have a workshop starring Daphne Rubin-Vega."



http://www.broadway.com/gen/Buzz_Story.aspx?ci=514375

Updated On: 6/22/05 at 09:45 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 9:47pm

Sounds phenomenal. Two new LaChiusa scores in one season (for the second time in less than a decade)? Simply Heaven!

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 9:50pm

Wow. To *finally* see her in a musical...

[#1Elphie]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 9:57pm

I have to see this. I love DRV.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 10:01pm

I hope this happens!

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 10:01pm

I LOVE THE PLAY!!!!!! What role will she be?????? Bernarda, Adela, Poncia??????

[Tirso de Molina]

Posted: 6/22/05 at 10:03pm

This sounds very exciting but very tricky from the musical side, because there are no male characters in Bernarda Alba; instead there's Bernarda, her mother, the servant Poncia, and Bernarda's 5 daughters, plus a few smaller walk-ons for other female characters. I suspect it's going to be a real challenge for LaChiusa to write for 8 or more women's voices in solos and ensembles and differentiate them musically -- sometimes in stagings of Lorca's play it can be a bit difficult at first to tell the 5 sisters apart, especially since they're all dressed in mourning.

I'm guessing Rubin-Vega is going to be playing Adela, the youngest daughter -- who has an affair with her (half)-sister's fiance and ends up hanging herself at the end. The CHOICE role, of course, is Bernarda herself, the matriarch who rules with an iron hand -- in the play she's supposed to be 60, so this will be a great part for an actress old enough to be convincing as the mother of 5 grown daughters in their 20s and 30s.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 6:43am

Personally, I think this sounds like a very bad idea, but I will be happy to admit I am wrong if it turns out fabulous.

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 8:33am

I like to think of myself as open minded but this sounds like a nightmare. Bernarda Alba is not something that makes me think, "oh, how much *more* wonderful this would be as a musical". And how on earth could Vega play one the youngest sisters? Did you see her on celebrity charades? I love her, but come on. She can't fake it anymore. She'd be more convincing as Poncia. Again, the whole thing seems rather frightening.

[Tirso de Molina]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 8:41am

Yes, but Poncia is Bernarda's age -- in Lorca's script, we're told specifically that she's 60 and that she has grown, married sons who work on Bernarda's land. I can't picture DRV pulling that off!

[Al Dente]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 9:12am

I can see Vega being "aged-up" a decade or so far more easily than taken back in to her late 20's. That simply will not work. There are plenty of wonderful latina actresses who are far more age appropriate. But again, I'm not looking forward to, or excited about the possibility of this project at all.

[WOSQ]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 9:49am

I immediately think of Marie Christine which was an opera and not a remotely happy one at that. Audiences stayed away in droves despite a wonderful production.

The play, no matter how brilliant, is a downer. Put it in at City Opera or some regional opera company, but leave it out of Lincoln Center Theatre.

What's the phrase? Bitten once, shame on you. Bitten twice, shame on me?

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 10:11am

If anyone can do this, and make it work, LaChiusa can. I think this property is perfect for him.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 10:17am

Well, the problem I had with Marie Christine was that it lacked the immediacy of it's source material, Medea. Medea takes place in real time and has a fast-paced inevitability about it, while the first act of Marie Christine was very languid (particularly the sequence in which they basically courted each other). My other big problem with Marie Christine was the staging itself. I might appreciate the work better were I a bigger fan of the staging.

As for Bernarda Alba, I think it could actually work very well as an sung-through musical...an opera. I think LaChiusa would be the right man for this piece and I think if he can augment the musical sounds of Spain the way he augmented the sounds of the 20's in Wild Party, it could be incredibly successful. And wouldn't it be great to have Rita Moreno in a musical again!?

[WonderBoy]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 10:28am

Or how about Priscilla Lopez as Bernarda?

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 10:36am

PERFECT! Priscilla as Bernarda and Rita as Poncia. Although we may need a mezzo as one of the two (probably Bernarda). Any Latina ladies of a certain age with a good, thick mezzo?

[apdarcey]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 11:54am

miss chita... she would probably never do it though.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 12:04pm

and the last time Miss Chita was a mezzo was when I was an itch in my daddy's pants.

In fact...was she EVER a mezzo?

GOT IT!!! CAROL LAWRENCE!!!

[apdarcey]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 12:08pm

oh she'd be good. eh, in my opinion i've always thought of chita as a mezzo. but carol would be a good choice too.

[MTVMANN]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 12:27pm

Chita can be the Grandmother, Maria Josefa. That could work.

[robbiej]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 12:37pm

Now...I say this with all true love and respect for the ex Mrs. Mordente...Chita MAY have been considered a mezzo at some point...but the keys for her Reno Sweeney were SO lowered that it's even too low for ME to sing.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 12:41pm

haha... ok. i might be stuck in the past and not wanting to let go! sorry robbie.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 12:47pm

but the keys for her Reno Sweeney were SO lowered that it's even too low for ME to sing

Well, you do have a freakishly high voice, you big girl .

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 6/23/05 at 2:05pm

I'm really excited about this. I hope it gets produced AND recorded. I'm still waiting for recordings of Death of a Chronicle Foretold, The Highest Yellow and Little Fish. I liked some of the staging for Marie Christine, but not all of it. I thought the concept was fantastic, but the design was a bit sparse. The period and locales are absolute visual feasts and to not utilize them fully was a bit of a waste, but I could see why it was done. It would be tough to feature the visual without detracting from the story. I did like the nod the Greek theatre and found the use of the chorus fascinating. Nix the revolving chandeliers, though.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 7/5/05 at 7:54pm

Here are the official dates (previews begin January 26th). I guess this confirms once and for all that there will be no additional extension for PIAZZA (not that I really thought that they're would be):
http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=3859