Sophisticated ladies

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Sophisticated Ladies is a revue with melodies by Duke Ellington . It opened on March 1, 1981 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theater on Broadway . There she saw 767 performances in just under two years.

The revue was based on an idea by Donald McKayle . Directed by Michael Smuin , who also choreographed the show with McKayle ; the tap dance worried Henry LeTang , the lighting design Reinhard Traub . The orchestration comes from Al Cohn , the arrangements from Lloyd Mayers , the musical direction was taken over by Duke Ellington's son, Mercer Ellington .

In the first act, the plot illuminates the beginnings of Ellington in the Cotton Club up to his first great successes, whereas in the second act the private person and artist are traced.

Among the music numbers presented are titles such as " Perdido ", " It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing) ", " Take the" A "Train ", " Solitude ", " Don't Get Around Much Anymore ”,“ Caravan ”,“ In a Sentimental Mood ”,“ I'm Beginning to See the Light ”,“ Satin Doll ”,“ I'm Just A Lucky So-And-So ”,“ Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me ”,“ Mood Indigo ”,“ Sophisticated Lady ”.

In the all-black ensemble, Gregory Hines , Hinton Battle , Gregg Burge , Judith Jamison , PJ Benjamin , Phyllis Hyman and Terri Klausner , among others, sang and danced .

The revue was nominated for eight Tony Awards in 1981 and eventually won awards for best supporting role (Hinton Battle) and for best costume (Willa Kim).

Sound carrier

  • Duke Ellington's Sophisticated Ladies ( RCA Records , 1981)

swell

literature
  • Thomas Siedhoff: The manual of the musical . 1st edition, Schott, Mainz 2007. ISBN 3-7957-0154-6 . Page 51 f.
  • New York Magazine: Airborne Ellington . By John Simon on March 16, 1981. ISSN  0028-7369 . Page 43 f.
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