Why is Lachiusa not discussed more?

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:39pm

Marie Christine
Wild Party
The Highest Yellow
See What I Wanna See
Bernarda Alba

to name a few

This guy is amazing. Bernarda Alba was so powerful and See What I Wanna See actually made me like Idina again.

What do you guys think?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:40pm

His shows are rarely performed regionally and so when he doesn't have something up in NYC, there isn't too much to talk about.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:41pm

I know but the scores are recorded. I'm just surprised. You guys seem to talk about everything here.

I think the man is a genius!

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:45pm

His scores are better than his productions IMO. He is not helped by his devotion to Graciela Danielle who was not the director to make projects like MARIE CHRISTINE work on stage.

[WickedGeek28]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:51pm

That may be true, but her work in Bernarda cannot be looked down upon.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 7:52pm

Bernarda shocked me. So did Marie Christine. His work is so dark and moody. I love it. Marie Christine is my favorite score but Bernarda is creeping up there.

[Jwaa]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 8:39pm

i agree in thinking this man does the most amazing work i am able to hear.

i think his music fills me with a deep satisfaction...i crave to hear more and its always good...

the depth of his work too....
iv always said he doesnt adapt a play to a musical..he translates.

beautiful work.
x

[gustof777]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 8:53pm

amazing beyond comprehension. I am in love with the man's work and can't wait to see what his brilliant mind comes up with next

[maybethistime]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:09pm

His WILD PARTY is one of my favorite scores. Incredible.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 9:12pm

I always discuss him. I walk up to people and discuss his work.

I am trying to do TWP next year.

Fingers crossed!

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:02pm

Have you tried a LaChiusa search?! It's no secret that he has his fans here. He gets talked about plenty. It's just that he doesn't have anything up now in NY. Broadway seems to be an "of the moment" business anyway. If something isn't playing or announced it doesn't exsist. But Michael John has his followers. I'm one in a VERY big way. I'm thinking about a cabaret with all LaChiusa music...we'll see if it'll sell LOL.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:19pm

Bernarda Alba has some of the BEST orchestrations i've ever heard.

just a random little thought of mine.

J'adore LaChiusa. He makes me want to write musicals and direct his. I've yet to see a work by him, but I own all of the recordings of his shows... marvelous, every single one.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:21pm

While we're on the topic, could someone tell me how to pronounce "LaChiusa"? I always feel like I'm butchering it when I talk about him.
Updated On: 10/26/06 at 11:21 PM

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:22pm

La-Kew-za.

Ummm, did anyone see Hotel C'Est L'Amour?

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:23pm

I always thought it was

La-Key-Ew-Za

[DG]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:24pm

"You're only as good as your last project - or as much as it is talked about."

Welcome to the business.

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:25pm

CAROLINE - technically, I think he mnentioned it is La-Kee-Oo-Za...but usually people say La-Kew-Za, it seems.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:25pm

A friend of mine saw Hotel and said it was "fine"

i feel like there should be a discovery channel show about his name!

Updated On: 10/26/06 at 11:25 PM

[C is for Company]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:44pm

To me, the ultimate period piece is The Wild Party. I absolutely fell in love with it, the dark and decadent life with scattered, colorful characters who help to make this show so fantastic. A knock-out cast and really beautiful music. "This Is What It Is" always makes me so emotional and she was robbed of the Tony. The show is easily my favorite of his.

I saw Bernarda Alba and of all the shows I've seen, it had some of the most thrilling choreography.

I recently got into Marie Christine and listen to Act 1 religiously. Such an heavy, yet intriguing score to digest.

Overall as a composer, he ranks right below Sondheim for me.

Updated On: 10/26/06 at 11:44 PM

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:45pm

he's says it's La Key oo sa. It's italian. It's actually kind of makes sense if you speak italian. I have a friend in Hotel C'est L'amour. I should email.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 10/26/06 at 11:57pm

I think he does great work and I love his subject matter, but I have a hard time getting into some of his scores. He reminds me of Sondheim because he's melodies aren't rememorable on first listen, but after a while (like Sondheim) they grow on you. I still don't understand what is going on during See What I Wanna See, but I like the score.

[Jazzysuite82]

Posted: 10/27/06 at 12:20am

Have you seen these shows? Also I think the memorability of the shows depends on your ear. I walked away singin the Bernarda Opening and Poncia. But I'm ultra-used to his style. People said the same thing about Piazza but that's some of the most melodic writing around. Personally I think this whole memorable melody is overstated. I think a tune should be catchy and digestable but the most important thing is that it tells a story. Otherwise there's no reason for cast recordings. We'd all sit in our rooms listening to the oh-so-melodic score in our heads. Unmemorable doesn't mean unmelodic.

[wickedrentq]

Posted: 10/27/06 at 2:37am

Caroline, I totally agree about the orchestrations in Bernarda. Some of it was so amazing and beautiful that it took my attention away from the cast and onto the instruments. Especially the oboe/English horn player! And there was a viola solo...gah, thinking of those instruments still gives me chills.

I'm shocked BSo wasn't the first to reply, I was gonna post to page him if he didn't

[mallardo]

Posted: 10/27/06 at 8:37am

I saw Hotel C'est L'Amour last night in LA and thought it didn't quite work. The scenario, such as it is, involves a pair of newly weds (Rick Cornette and Jennifer Malenke) arriving in a surreal japanese-style hotel where they interact with two ubiquitous staffers (Vicky Lewis and Daren A. Herbert) plus the groom's fantasy libido woman (the ravishingly gorgeous America Olivo) representing, I think, all he's giving up by marrying. There is no dialogue - it is all done in songs culled from various La Chiusa shows with a few orphans tossed in.

The tone shifts constantly but the erotic mode is heavily stressed, perhaps because of the nature of so many of the songs, particularly the ones from Marie Christine. Some interesting changes are wrought on familiar material. Vicky Lewis does Burrs' number "Wouldn't it be Nice" from Wild Party as a jazzy entertainment - which it is. But then the Groom does another Burrs number "How Many Women" played with the same chilling desperation as in the original show. The "Coffee" monologue from the second act of See What I Wanna See is done as a life story moment by Vicky Lewis's hostess/servant while the Bride does the lacerating "No More" from the same show, as a hurled accusation at her faithless and feckless husband. And so on...

I thought it somewhat hit and miss in its effect despite a slick production and dedicated cast. Some songs worked better than others and with no strong narrative thread there wasn't much of a support system for the weaker material. For those who care, I'll list the songs used:

"Petite Overture (C'est l'Amour)"
"The Gift of You" from The Nutcracker
"A Lovely Wedding" from Marie Christine
"Tom Sawyer" from Romance Language
"Someone Said" from Henry and Ellen
"Orangatang Marriage-on-the-Rocks"
"We're Gonna Go to Chicago" from Marie Christine
"True Love" from the Nutcracker
"I Got a Little Time" from Hello Again
"Tree of Knowledge" from Lovers and Friends (Chautauqua Variations)
"Wouldn't it be Nice" from The Wild Party
"Flotsam" from Little Fish
"She Looked at Me" from See What I Wanna see
"John Paul" from Little Fish
"How Many Women" from The Wild Party
"Betty, the Clam Girl"
"Beautiful" from Marie Christine
"The Animal Song" from The Petrified Prince
"The Storm" from Marie Christine
"Hello, Lover, Hello" from Send (who are you? i love you)
"One Little Taste" from The Petrified Prince
"I Don't Hear the Ocean" from Marie Christine
"No More" from See What I Wanna See
"Hello" from Lovers and Friends (Chautauqua Variations)
"Coffee" from See What I Wanna See
"The bed Was Not My Own" from Hello Again
"Next To You" from The Nutcracker
"Heaven"
"Petite Finale (C'est l'Amour)"

[BSoBW2]

Posted: 10/27/06 at 10:21am

Thanks for the review mallardo.

And wrq - I was out all day.