Candide in Concert Collaboration in Adelaide.
In May 2024, South Australia’s flagship theatre and opera companies will come together for the first time in more than a decade. State Theatre Company South Australia and the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra will join forces to present a concert version of Leonard Bernstein’s beloved comic operetta and existential vaudeville, Candide.
Based on Voltaire’s 1759 novella, this ever-relevant Broadway musical tells the story of naïve young Candide, facing exile after falling in love with the Baron’s daughter, Cunegonde, and their mutual embarking on an enthralling, lyrical, sobering but hilarious journey across the globe that challenges their optimistic outlooks on life and love.
Voltaire’s characters leap off the page and onto the stage in this major theatrical event, bringing together some of Australia’s most celebrated musical and opera stars, including Alex Lewis (The Merry Widow, Barrie Kosky’s The Nose) as Candide, Annie Aitken (Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Cunegonde, John Longmuir (The Pirates of Penzance, The Barber of Seville) and featuring Adelaide Cabaret Festival Icon Hans (Matt Gilbertson) and Australian and West End stage star Caroline O’Connor (Chicago, Moulin Rouge, 9 to 5 The Musical). Artistic Director Mitchell Butel will share directing duties with Co-Director and Choreographer, Amy Campbell (A Chorus Line, Once) as well as assuming the roles of our Narrator and Candide’s teacher, Pangloss, in his first stage appearance since The Normal Heart.
Composed by West Side Story and On The Town’s Leonard Bernstein and with lyrics from writers of including Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Stephen Sondheim, the scor features “The Best of All Possible Worlds”, “Glitter and Be Gay”, “Eldorado” and “Make Our Garden Grow”.
The history and artistry of State Theatre Company South Australia and State Opera South Australia will converge in this epic, mischievous new production at Adelaide’s Her Majesty’s Theatre.
Conductor: Anthony Hunt. Co-Director: Mitchell Butel. Co-Director & Choreographer: Amy Campbell.
Starring: Annie Aitken, Mitchell Butel, Hans, Alex Lewis, John Longmuir and Caroline O’Connor
Music by Leonard Bernstein | Book by Hugh Wheeler after Voltaire
Lyrics by Richard Wilbur, with additional lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, John Latouche, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and Leonard Bernstein | Orchestrations by Leonard Bernstein and Hershy Kay; Musical Continuity and additional orchestrations by John Mauceri.
23-25 May
Her Majesty’s Theatre