SWEENEY TODD to get 97th London revival --

Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton (good casting) in yet another UK revival of the Sondheim classic. Maybe this production will transfer back to Broadway with Bernadette Peters.
SWEENEY again

Well she was definitely a little long in the ruby slippers for the role even when she first played it. She is wonderful though.

Completely agree with you about Staunton - but Bell is a little too hammy for my taste. Is Bryn Terfel available? Opera commitments be damned!

Terfel's Sweeney is peerless (vocally, at least) right now, but this production will fall around the time he's scheduled to do the new Ring Cycle in New York. That is, if he doesn't cancel. Ball wouldn't be my first choice (plus, isn't he a tenor), but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

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You ain't kiddin'! This will be the sixth major production of SWEENEY TODD in London since 1980, the 4th since 2000. This of course doesn't include the original Christopher Bond play which has also had numerous revivals.

Updated On: 11/12/09 at 01:16 PM

I can't WAIT for Terfel's RINGS.

I hope they get George Tsypin and Eiko Ishioka to do the sets and costumes. Have they worked with Lepage before? They did my favorite RINGS, and I don't think it has been matched as far as pure visual splendor. At least none available on DVD.

P

"Im sure Terfel's schedule is pretty booked already for 2011. Thats not far out in the opera world."

Indeed, 2011 is surely booked in full. However, he has a habit of dropping an entire season of performances on a whim and without explanation (see: 2007-2008 season). Though I'm hopeful and excited that he'll actually appear for his four performance run of Tosca at the Met this season, I'm not betting the farm. If he wanted to do Sweeney, he would and could. Damn I hope Bell get's a TV offer and is forced to withdrawal!

Oh, I just noticed that "Epiphany" will be on Terfel's new recording (Anne Sofie von Otter as Mrs. Lovett). That's exciting.

Updated On: 11/6/09 at 01:49 PM

"This will be the sixth major production of SWEENEY TODD in London since 1980, the 4th since 2000."

I'm trying to think what the 4 since 2000 are?

There was the Doyle production and the Royal Opera House production. There was also the Bridewell but I wouldn't have called that a major production and the Bryn Terfel production at the Royal Festival Hall was a concert really.

None of those were open ended commercial runs in the way that this production sounds as though it will be.

And if we count on the same basis I can think of five productions in New York since 1979, so it's not like New York is suffering major Sweeney deprivation.

Updated On: 11/6/09 at 02:27 PM

According to Terfel's cite: still a go!

http://www2.deutschegrammophon.com/html/special/terfel-badboys/sites/tracklist.html

also

http://www2.deutschegrammophon.com/cat/4778091

Maybe in the import edition? Also, I thought it wasn't available until Nov 17?

Oh, WOOOOW. I am thrilled about the idea of Imelda Staunton playing Mrs. Lovett. I think she's brilliant (and I agree with the poster who said to watch her in Harry Potter... she was brilliant in that).

Now, that said, I love Michael Ball to bits, much more than anyone ever should, but I really can't imagine him playing Sweeney. Maybe he might surprise me and blow me away, but I just can't see him doing a role so scary and angry. I'm sure he'll sound beautiful, though. I was really just saying not two hours ago that I hope he never plays Sweeney Todd, but I'm still really excited that he'll be back on the West End. I thought he'd be Edna Turnblad and nothing else for the rest of his career.

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