Starmania (rock opera)
Starmania , better known under the English title Tycoon , is a rock opera by Michel Berger (music) and Luc Plamondon ( French original texts), based on their concept album of the same name from 1978. It only became known outside of the French-speaking world through its English adaptation by Tim Rice .
Production history
In 1978 the composers released a concept album entitled Starmania in France , with vocal performances by u. a. Daniel Balavoine and France Gall . The success of this album led from 1979 to several French stage versions; in Paris the piece ran for almost 20 years. A German adaptation was shown from December 1991 to June 1992 at the Aalto Theater in Essen with Uwe Kröger , Paul Kribbe, Gundula Ulbrich , Annika Bruhns, Andrea Weiss and Pamela Falcon in the leading roles.
Due to the ongoing success in France, the well-known English musical writer Tim Rice took over the translation of the piece into English. This work resulted in another concept album, this time in English, in 1992, on which well-known international artists (including Tom Jones , Celine Dion , Cyndi Lauper , Nina Hagen and the Cock Robin singer Peter Kingsbery) interpreted the songs of the show.
Transformed into a full-length musical , this new version premiered in October 1993 in Paris and 1995 in El Paso , Texas ( USA ).
On the occasion of the 25th stage anniversary of the show, a concert version was performed in November 2004 in Montreal , Québec ( Canada ) - the home of Luc Plamondons - which could later be seen in Paris.
action
Starmania is set in the gloomy, futuristic city of Monopolis, the capital of Occident, where totalitarian aspirations and terrorism face each other. The media are manipulated (including the eponymous TV show Starmania ), everyone only pursues their own interests. In the midst of these depressing circumstances, three lovers, who are themselves part of the system, try to find their happiness. Ultimately, however, the story cannot lead to a happy ending : the depressing Tycoon Zero (which gives the English version its title) comes to power with the help of his money.
music
1st act
- Overture (instrumental)
- This Is Our City (Monopolis)
- Something's going on
- A Little Damage Done
- News
- You Get What You Deserve
- Flashback - Johnny Meets Sadia
- Working girl
- Starmania
- I would love to change the world
- Ziggy
- Pollution's Child
- Mamasville
- Cristal interviews Johnny
- Northern Side
- The Abduction Of Cristal (Instrumental)
- Zero's Campaign
- Coup De Foudre
- Harder Not To Notice / This Is Our City (Monopolis)
2nd act
- Entr'Acte
- Farewell To A Sex symbol
- Zero's Letter To Stella
- Triangle Of Jealousy / I Can't Take Any More
- Interview With Zero And Stella
- Ego trip
- Nothing Left To Lose
- Sadia (instrumental)
- A dying art
- You Have To Learn To Live Alone
- Tonight We Dance
- Only The Very Best
- Breaking Dreams
- The World Is Stone