Rebecca the musical
To my first post about the book. Rebecca is the third musical of Kunze and Levay that I’ve listened to (22 songs, not the completely full version yet). It went with a surprising ease, for almost all of the songs have some sparkle to them, be they lyrical or comical. The music is very expressive, though I can recognise certain similarities in style with Elisabeth by now. :)The post is mostly about the songs. The actors are so good they let their talent shine through their voices, even if one doesn’t see them. Still I hope to see some of it later.
The musical is in German, which is completely okay with me (I dislike it when a musical is translated into Russian, anyway). Only, sometimes it was strange that Du Maurier’s English book should sound in German! :)
The opening song, Ich hab’ geträumt von Manderley, begins from the sounds of sea: it’s beautiful. The heroine’s voice sounds so childish in the beginning! Then, Wietske Van Tongeren sings in a more confident manner, but unfortunately sounds shrill at crescendos. Otherwise, her voice is tender and pleasant, such a good girl. She seemed to me more poised and balanced than the girl in the novel.
There are many funny songs that can make one smile: Die lieben Verwandten, I'm an American Woman (stylised with humour), and the ball (again a Levay waltz! I’m beginning to like them!).
Mr de Winter is good, perhaps only too hysterical for my taste. I think the best song of his is the one in which he confesses the murder. The words are, by the way, almost exactly as in the book! (Kein Lächeln war je so kalt) Uwe Kröger sings that. The man is a real star of musicals in Austria, and damn, he really deserves it.
I was reminded of Elisabeth more than once. It is impossible not to see at once that one and the same composer wrote both musicals. In my opinion, Kein Lächeln is representative of his style. The first phrase of the song Zeit in einer Flasche reminds slightly the first one of Wenn ich tanzen will from Elisabeth. :) And Mrs de Winter bin ich, when the usually tender girl is finally going to assert her rights, reminds me of Ich gehör nur mir, rather in character than in melody. :)
Unfortunately, it is also possible to say that Levay’s music is what we call ‘noisy’. In the case of Rebecca, I often wished the strain and heated emotions were expressed melodically and not by the increasing sound in the orchestra - because not every voice can cope with it. Not that ‘I’ or the hero’s sister cannot ‘add volume’, they can, but then the voices lose their individual qualities. Though in the whole, I’ve always admired singers in German musicals: they are incredibly good at times.
To speak of incredibly good singers, it’s definitely Susan Rigvava-Dumas (Mrs Danvers). Her rich contralto voice can work miracles. I don’t know how she manages it. I could only sit and stare: the orchestra does crescendo, Mrs Danvers does crescendo, the orchestra, fortissimo, Mrs Danvers, fortissimo. Never shouting - singing loudly! Astonishingly good. Well perhaps it’s only the studio variant that sounds so marvellously, but I hope she is as good on stage.
A small offtop perhaps. Lately, I’ve discussed it with some friends in RL and a little with Cherubino, how people can be fascinated with fiction villains. For myself, I can say I sometimes take a liking for bad guys and girls, sometimes don’t. I don’t know exactly what it depends on, but I’m not of those folks (so often, teenagers) who invariably choose a bad guy for a favourite character. (That in itself certainly deserves a serious post.) In short, it’s that Cherubino said she liked Mrs Danvers… And when I reread Daphne du Maurier’s book, I was surprised when I remembered those words. The Mrs Danvers of the novel seemed more than horrible to me. Why, how she did her best to humiliate a defenseless girl and even urged her to commit suicide! She was frightening sometimes, insane! And it doesn’t demand great courage or anything to bully someone who is timid and cannot hit back. Not admirable at all. So I couldn’t get it how one can like that sort of a person.
Then I heard the songs from the musical and understood it. Levay shifted the accents slightly and transformed Mrs Danvers with his music. The worst of her isn’t as obvious as in the book (well perhaps the scenes when she acted abominably are among those I missed, IDK), but the best of her is accentuated. I loved the song Sie ergibt sich nicht, and Rebecca (more) was also wonderful. Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay turned Mrs Danvers into a heroine of tragic dignity and beauty. Not only the music is rich, but also the lyrics are touching. The actress is very talented: her Danny is magnificently passionate, now seethes with malicious energy, now shines with sorrowful tenderness. What is important with her is that she loved, really loved Rebecca. Well the newly married might also love each other very much and wish themselves an unclouded future, but what does it matter to her, if she lost everything that was important and vital for her? Mrs Danvers was devoted to Rebecca. (I don’t know how exactly they put it in the musical, but the original story may suggest that she was a widow, had no children of her own, and had only Rebecca in the whole world to worship. Well anyway.) And then, all of a sudden, she loses her idol, loses forever, not only her mistress, but also her reason to live for, to care and fight for. No wonder then she thrives on memories, resents ‘the impostor’, the second Mrs de Winter, and wants punishment for those who caused that death. No wonder also that she imagines Rebecca is still alive, and well, she is such a stunning force that she could convince anyone of it, not only the meek heroine. The woman steals the show.
Anyway, the part of Mrs Danvers opens big possibilities for any gifted actress.
Must listen to the FV.
God, Rebecca in Finnish.
Pia Douwes - Sie ergibt sich nicht in English.
Don't know why I posted all that, you sure know that all, and better than me. :) *wink wink*
Am going home and will return to the web on Monday.