Elegies (William Finn): Difference between revisions

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Elegies is a song cycle by William Finn about the loss of friends and family and is a response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Most of the songs were composed in memory of Finn's friends, several of whom died of AIDS. Three songs deal specifically with the passing of his mother, Barbara Finn. The final set of songs deal with the collapse of the World Trade Center and its emotional aftermath.

The first performance of the song cycle was directed by Graciela Daniele at the Lincoln Center Theater in New York, it ran from March 2, 2003 to April 18, 2003, starring Christian Borle, Betty Buckley, Carolee Carmello, Keith Byron Kirk, and Michael Rupert. The production was recorded nearly complete and released on compact disc by Fynsworth Alley (distributed through Varèse Sarabande).

Musical numbers

Looking Up Quintet
Mister Choi & Madame G
Mark's All-Male Thanksgiving
Only One
Joe Papp
Peggy Hewitt & Mysty del Giorno
Passover
Infinite Joy
The Ballad of Jack Eric Williams (and other 3-named composers)
Fred
Dear Reader
Monica & Mark
Anytime (I Am There)
My Dogs
Venice
14 Dwight Ave., Natick, Massachusetts
When the Earth Stopped Turning
Goodbye
Boom Boom
Looking Up
Goodbye (Finale)

Main characters represented

Mark Thalen, attorney and gay-rights advocate
- Bill Sherwood, director/editor/screenwriter of the film Parting Glances
Joseph Papp, producer and impresario
Peggy Hewitt, character actress
- Misty del Giorno, chiropractor
Jack Eric Williams, composer and performer
- Ricky Ian Gordon, composer
- Quentin Crisp, raconteur/actor/writer
Monica Andress, a friend of the composer
Bolek Greczynski, art therapist, creator the Living Museum at Creedmoor
Barbara Finn, the composer's mother

Notable performances

Boston Premiere by SpeakEasy Stage Company at the Boston Center for the Arts, Boston, MA (ran May 7-29, 2004)

Cast:

Directed by Paul Daigneault, Musical Direction by Paul S. Katz, Production Stage Management by Dana Elizabeth Wolf,

Toronto Premiere by Acting Up Stage Theatre Company at the Berkeley Street Theatre, Toronto, ON (ran February 15 - March 4, 2007)

Cast:

Directed by Lezlie Wade, Musical Direction by Wayne Gwillim, Produced by Mitchell Marcus, Stage Managed by Dot Routledge.

NYC Benefit Production, August 16, 2010

Cast:

Directed by Michael Rader, Musical Direction by Ed Guttman, Produced by Jamie McGonnigal, Stage Managed by David Beris.

References

Elegies information at the Falsettos.net William Finn site
NY Times review
Showbusiness Weekly review

External links

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 '''Elegies''' is a [[song cycle]] by [[William Finn]] about the loss of friends and family and is a response to the [[September 11, 2001]] terrorist attacks.  Most of the songs were composed in memory of Finn's friends, several of whom died of [[AIDS]]. Three songs deal specifically with the passing of his mother, Barbara Finn. The final set of songs deal with the collapse of the [[World Trade Center]] and its emotional aftermath.
-The first performance of the song cycle was directed by [[Graciela Daniele]] at the [[Lincoln Center]] Theater in [[New York]], it ran from  March 2, 2003 to April 18, 2003, starring [[Christian Borle]], [[Betty Buckley]], [[Carolee Carmello]], Keith Byron Kirk, and Michael Rupert.  The production was recorded nearly complete and released on compact disc by Fynsworth Alley (distributed through [[Varèse Sarabande]]).
+The first performance of the song cycle was directed by [[Graciela Daniele]] at the [[Lincoln Center]] Theater in [[New York]], it ran from  March 2, 2003 to April 18, 2003, starring [[Christian Borle]], [[Betty Buckley]], [[Carolee Carmello]], Keith Byron Kirk, and [[Michael Rupert]].  The production was recorded nearly complete and released on compact disc by Fynsworth Alley (distributed through [[Varèse Sarabande]]).
 ==Musical numbers==