TheatreMonkey said: "There are two Michael John LaChiusa musicals that have always fascinated me -- both of which I would love to see done again. Even though it certainly has its issues, I find much of the score ofMarie Christineto be ravishing -- especially the first act. I've often thought there's so much promise to the piece that a revisal could bring it to a higher level -- if even a concert production in conjunction with a forward-thinking opera company."
Well over two decades ago, I was harassed on this forum for saying that the first half of Marie Christine is the best operatic-type Broadway score we've had since Porgy and Bess. OK, maybe that was hyperbole, but I agree with you that Act I as played on the cast album is stunning song after stunning song. I think music-wise, Act II simply doesn't hold up as well (maybe in part because they have to deal with so much more story--often not LaChiusa's strong point) but still has some good stuff. But, man, that first long half of the CD is thrilling. The show is very hard to stage (as the original staging, which I saw at the TOFT archives but there is blurry footage on YT, attests, and I get why between that and how to cast it it's rarely revived at all, but...
For a while it seemed like everything LaChiusa did got a cast album--so there are a number of his shows that have slipped through the cracks that I've been curious about. One was his original musical based on The Nutcracker that he was commissioned to do in Japan for frequent (and well regarded) Sondheim director, Amon Miyamoto, which I've found like one photo from Another was his musical adaptation of Maugham's Rain. And yet another was his opera commission from Lyric Opera of Chicago, Lovers and Friends (Chautauqua Variations) .
