Sondheim and Bernstein's The Race to Urga: An Unfinished Work

[esparza 333]

Posted: 12/16/10 at 8:45pm

I just read about an unfinished project by Stephen Sondheim and Leonard Bernstein called The Race to Urga. It was an adaptation Bertolt Brecht's play The Exception and the Rule. This play's theme was the "exploitations of the working class in the 1930's." It is about a merchant who crosses a desert to make a deal. Jerome Robbins was to Direct and choreograph and John Guare was asked to adapt it. It was supposed to be produced by Lincoln Center in 1969 but was canceled after Robbins walked out of the project mid casting. According to the wikipedia page there are no known recordings (except for a demonstration recording from 196 but I was wondering if anyone has anymore information on this. It sound incredibly interesting. I know the Lincoln Center later produced a workshop of it in 1987. Any information regarding the music or the 1987 workshop would be wonderful and I also wonder why Robbins walked out. It would be interesting to Sondheim and Guare interviewed about this project. The idea is an unfinished musical by these two legends is so intriguing.

Here is a list of the songs from the project. This is from Wikipedia so I do not know how accurate this is.
rologue Marches
Intro / In Seven Days Flat
You're In Hann
The Secret
The Suspicion Song
Coolie's Dilemma (lyrics by Jerry Lieber)
Doors to Urga
Get Your Ass In There
Coolie's Prayer
Number One
The Zorba's Dance

[musikman]

Posted: 12/16/10 at 10:15pm

I would turn republican to hear that recording!!!

Ok, maybe not, but you get the picture.

I too would love to know if anyone else has some more info.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 12/17/10 at 4:40pm

There has to be a copy of the working score in the LPA.