Camelot (musical)
| Musical dates | |
|---|---|
| Title: | Camelot |
| Original title: | Camelot |
| Original language: | English |
| Music: | Frederick Loewe |
| Book: | Alan Jay Lerner |
| Lyrics: | Alan Jay Lerner |
| Literary source: | "The Once and Future King" by Terence H. White |
| Premiere: | 3rd December 1960 |
| Place of premiere: | new York |
| Playing time: | 2 ½ hours |
| Place and time of the action: | Britain and France in the Early Middle Ages |
| Roles / people | |
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Camelot is a musical in two acts by Frederick Loewe (music) and Alan Jay Lerner (libretto and lyrics). It is their last work together and is based on the novel " The King on Camelot (The Once and Future King)" by Terence Hanbury White .
Lerner and Loewe produced the piece together with Moss Hart , who also directed; the choreography was done by Hanya Holm . Julie Andrews as Guenevere and Richard Burton as Arthur starred in the lead roles . The play was premiered on December 3, 1960 at the Majestic Theater in New York City and brought it to 873 performances.
The first performance in London's West End on August 19, 1964 at the Theater Royal Drury Lane was produced by Jack Hylton ; the piece was performed 518 times. In German-speaking countries, the play was first performed on October 3, 1981 in the Badisches Staatstheater Karlsruhe . Marcel Valmy had done the translation.
action
place and time
The title of the musical refers to the court of the English legend king Arthur , whose English name is "Arthur". The action is set in the early Middle Ages.
first act
King Arthur is uncomfortable with the idea that his bride is due to arrive soon and that he has to say goodbye to bachelorhood. He therefore takes refuge in a tree and hides there. His tutor, the magician Merlin, rebukes him because his behavior is unworthy of a king.
Soon after, Princess Guenevere arrives, who has hurried ahead of her entourage. When she feels unobserved, she prays to St. Genoveva. She is overheard by King Arthur. After he has revealed himself to her, the two feel that they are meant for each other. The entire court society is happy about this because they can now expect a lavish wedding party. While everyone is in a celebratory mood, the ghost lures Nimue Merlin into an ambush and steals his magic power.
Five years later, King Arthur drew up a code of honor that regulates how a noble knight should behave. The news about it spread rapidly all over the world. The news of the French knight Lancelot falls on particularly fertile ground. He visits the author of the rules in Camelot. Both are immediately sympathetic. However, the queen does not share her husband's view. She thinks the foreign knight is arrogant and would like to see him say goodbye straight away. To emphasize her wish, she calls on the three bravest knights of the Round Table to defeat Lancelot in the upcoming tournament. Dinadan, Sagramore and Lionel do their best to please their mistress; but it turns out quite differently. Lancelot not only beats all three, he even fatally injures Lionel. But when Lancelot miraculously succeeds in bringing Lionel back to life, Guenevere's dislike of the foreign knight turns into the opposite, and Lancelot also feels drawn to the queen.
Second act
The code of honor established by the king forbids the two lovers to show their affection. But in the end, feelings win out over the mind. They are overheard by Mordred, the king's illegitimate son. He only recently came to Camelot to steal the throne from his father. He intrigues to his heart's content, incites the knights against each other and spreads rumors about the shameful behavior of the queen.
When Arthur stays outside Camelot, Lancelot seeks the Queen in the castle, where they both confess their love again. Knowing well that they are not allowed to approach each other sexually, Lancelot tells his lover that he will soon return to France. Suddenly they are surprised by Mordred. He declares the two lovers arrested. Lancelot manages to escape. A hastily assembled court sentences the queen to death. On the way to the place of execution, Lancelot is able to free his lover and take her with him to his home.
Despite what happened, Arthur shows understanding for Lancelot and would like to forgive him. But honor demands that he declare war on him. So he has no choice but to move to France with his knights. Before the battle starts, a strange squire sneaks into the English camp. Arthur regards this as a sign of fate. He knights the boy and instructs him to move to Camelot and spread his code of honor.
Musical numbers
In the first act
- overture
- I Wonder What the King Is Doing Tonight - I'd like to know what the King is doing tonight (Arthur)
- The Simple Joys of Maidenhood - Where are the dreams of my girlhood? (Guenevere)
- Camelot (Arthur)
- Camelot (repeat - Arthur and Guenevere)
- Follow Me (Nimue)
- C'est Moi (Lancelot)
- The Lusty Month of May (Guenevere and Ensemble)
- Take Me To the Fair (Guenevere, Sir Lionel, Sir Sagramore and Sir Dinadan)
- How To Handle a Woman (Arthur)
- The Jousts - The Tournament (Arthur, Guenevere and Ensemble)
- Before I Gaze at You Again - Before I can meet you today (Guenevere)
- Finale first act (Arthur and the Knights)
In the second act
- Between act music
- If Ever I Would Leave You - When should I part with you (Lancelot)
- The Seven Deadly Virtues (Mordred)
- What Do the Simple Folk Do? - What can the poor people do? (Arthur and Guenevere)
- Fie on Goodness! - No goodness, no! (Mordred and the Knights)
- I Loved You Once In Silence (Guenevere and Lancelot)
- Guenevere (Ensemble)
- Camelot - Repetition and Finale Second Act (Ensemble)
Awards
1961 Tony Awards for Broadway Musical Production in the categories:
- Best Actor : Richard Burton
- Best set design: Oliver Smith
- Best costume design: Adrian and Tony Duquette
- Best musical direction: Franz Allers
filming
Joshua Logan filmed the musical in 1967 with Richard Harris , Vanessa Redgrave , Franco Nero and David Hemmings in the leading roles. See the main article Camelot - At the court of King Arthur .
literature
- Siegfried Schmidt-Joos : Das Musical , Deutscher Taschenbuch Verlag (dtv) Munich (1965)
- Charles B. Axton and Otto Zehnder: Reclams Musical Guide , 10th edition 2009, ISBN 978-3-15-010697-6
Web links
- Camelot in the Internet Broadway Database (IBDB)
- CDs and DVDs
Individual evidence
- ↑ cf. Stanley Green: Encyclopedia of the Musical Theater . Da Capo Press, 1980