Kismet (musical)
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Kismet is a musical music and lyrics written in 1953 by Robert Wright and George Forrest, adapted from the music of Alexander Borodin, and produced by Charles Lederer, who in 1954, won three Tony Awards for it. The musical was adapted from the book by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis, based on the play by Edward Knoblock.[1]
It premiered on December 3 1953 at the Ziegfeld Theater in New York in the middle of a newspaper strike, and despite the lack of reviews was a hit, running for 583 performances. The original production starred Alfred Drake as the poet Hajj, Doretta Morrow as his daughter Marsinah, Richard Kiley as the young Caliph of Baghdad, and Joan Diener as the vampy wife of the evil Wazir. The show was even more successful in London's West End, enjoying a 648-show run at the Stoll Theatre.
The musical Kismet was made into a film in 1955 starring Howard Keel and Ann Blyth; a studio cast recording was made in 1991 starring Samuel Ramey.
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Synopsis
Kismet follows a poor poet-gone-beggar, Hajj, who sells rhymes on street corners, and his daughter Marsinah through an eastern tale of magical curses and evil potentates.
Music
The derivation of musical numbers in Kismet from Borodin's music is given partially as follows:
Act I
- "Sands Of Time": In the Steppes of Central Asia
- "Fate": Symphony No. 2, 1st movement, opening theme
- "Bazaar of The Caravans": Symphony No. 2, 4th movement, opening theme; Prince Igor, No. 17, "Polovetsian Dances", Wild Dance of the Men
- "Not Since Nineveh": Prince Igor, No. 1 (Prologue) & No. 17, "Polovetsian Dances" (introductory theme)
- "Baubles, Bangles And Beads": Prince Igor, No. 2a and 2f (Skula and Yeroshka's music); String Quartet No. 1, 2nd Movement (Scherzo), secondary theme
- "Stranger In Paradise": Prince Igor, No. 17, "Polovetsian Dances", Gliding Dance of the Maidens
- "He's In Love!": Prince Igor, No. 17, "Polovetsian Dances", General Dance (D Major)
- "Gesticulate": Prince Igor, No. 15, "Aria of Khan Konchak"; Symphony No. 1, 4th Movement, opening theme
Act II
- "Night Of My Nights": "Sérénade" from Petite Suite for piano
- "And This Is My Beloved": Prince Igor, No. 14 (Ovlur's theme); String Quartet No. 1, 3rd Movement (Notturno, originally in 3/4 meter), opening theme
- "The Olive Tree": Prince Igor, No. 23, Trio (also used in the opera's overture)
- "Zubbediya, Samahris' Dance": Prince Igor, No. 2b, Song of Vladimir of Galich & No. 17, "Polovetsian Dances", Dance of the Boys and Men
"Stranger In Paradise" has been covered by many artists, including Bing Crosby and Tony Bennett).
The plot of the musical film Silk Stockings starring Fred Astaire and Cyd Charisse revolves around the adaptation of a Russian composer's works for a jazzed-up Hollywood musical, and has been taken to be a reference to the adaptation of Borodin's works to Kismet.
Sources
- Borodin, A. Le Prince Igor. Partition pour chant et piano. Edition M.P. Belaieff. (Russian, French, and German text.)