What is the story behind the song Brigadoon?
Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song "Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years.
Did Brigadoon originate from Scotland?
Those who have researched the myth about Brigadoon have reason to think the legend does not originate from Scotland, but Germany. There is an old German legend of a cursed village named Germelhausen. It was said that the village’s bells were so loud that they could be heard ringing out of across the Bavarian Mountains.
What happened to the village of Brigadoon?
It is believed the village of Brigadoon disappeared in 1754. Bob Curran writes in his book Lost Lands, Forgotten Realms: Sunken Continents, Vanished Cities, and the Kingdoms that History Misplaced that “the spell that was cast over Brigadoon was put in place to protect it from advancing English Redcoats during the Jacobite Rebellion.”
When did Brigadoon Come Out?
"'Brigadoon'" The World of Musical Comedy (4 ed.), Da Capo Press, 1984, ISBN 0-306-80207-4, p. 442 ^ Rothstein, Edward. "Brigadoon Is Back Early (After Five Years, in Fact)", The New York Times, November 9, 1991, accessed 6 November 2009
Why is Brigadoon cursed?
Some believe that Brigadoon did once exist, but disappeared in 1754 when it fell under a magical curse designed to protect it from the English during the Jacobite Rebellion.
Is there a real Brigadoon?
Though the village of Brigadoon is fictional, it's named after the bridge Brig o' Doon, located in Ayrshire, Scotland, being the setting for the final verse of the Robert Burns's poem Tam o' Shanter.
What was Brigadoon based on?
Brigadoon is a 1954 American Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer musical film made in CinemaScope and Metrocolor based on the 1947 Broadway musical of the same name by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. The film was directed by Vincente Minnelli and stars Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse.
How did Brigadoon end?
The dance halts when Harry attempts to kiss Jean. Unable to be with the woman he loves, Harry swears he will leave Brigadoon, end the magic and Brigadoon will disappear forever.
When was Brigadoon made?
September 8, 1954 (USA)Brigadoon / Release date
Is Brigadoon a good musical?
"Brigadoon" is really one of the best musicals ever made, a stunning blend of remarkable music with an unbeatable story.
Who wrote Brigadoon music?
Alan Jay LernerBrigadoon / PlaywrightAlan Jay Lerner was an American lyricist and librettist. In collaboration with Frederick Loewe, and later Burton Lane, he created some of the world's most popular and enduring works of musical theatre both for the stage and on film. He won three Tony Awards and three Academy Awards, among other honors. Wikipedia
What is the legend of Brigadoon?
I have been learning about the Legend of Brigadoon. The Legend: The legend of Brigadoon is the story of a mythical village in the Scottish Highlands. The village became enchanted centuries ago remaining unchanged and invisible to ...
Who wrote the book The Legend of Brigadoon?
The most common portrayal of the legend was the1947 Broadway musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Fredrick Loewe. The story involves two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village which appears for only one day every hundred years. Tommy, one of the tourists, falls in love ...
What is the musical Brigadoon named after?
The story behind the name of Brigadoon is a bit complex. Some people believe that the musical was named for Brigid, a Celtic goddess. Others suggest that it is named for Brig o’ Doon, a famous Scottish landmark which is referenced in a Robert Burns poem.
What is the plot of Brigadoon?
Like Oklahoma! and Carousel, Brigadoon included a serious love story as the main plot and a lighter romance as subplot.
Where is Brigadoon in Scotland?
Though the Highland village of Brigadoon is fictional, it is named after the (Lowland) Brig o' Doon, a bridge located south of Alloway, Ayrshire, Scotland , which is the setting for the final verse of Robert Burns 's poem " Tam o' Shanter ".
What year was Brigadoon on Broadway?
1947 Broadway. 1949 West End. 1957 Broadway revival. 1963 Broadway revival. 1980 Broadway revival. 1988 West End. 1992 U.S. tour. Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. Songs from the musical, such as " Almost Like Being in Love ", have become standards.
How many performances did Brigadoon have?
It starred David Brooks, Marion Bell, Pamela Britton, and Lee Sullivan. In 1949, Brigadoon opened at the West End theatre and ran for 685 performances; many revivals have followed.
Who wrote the song Brigadoon?
Lyricist and book writer Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe had previously collaborated on three musicals; the first, Life of the Party, closed during pre-Broadway tryouts, and the second and third, What's Up? and The Day Before Spring, had met with moderate success. Inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein 's successful collaborations Oklahoma! and Carousel, they created Brigadoon, about a magical village in the Scottish highlands.
Who played Harry Beaton in Brigadoon?
Also appearing were Finlay Currie, in one of his last roles, as Mr. Lundie, Edward Villella as Harry Beaton, and Marlyn Mason as Meg. The TV film was directed by Fielder Cook. The 1966 telecast of Brigadoon has not been shown since its 1968 rebroadcast, nor has it ever been released on videocassette or DVD.
Who is Tommy in the movie Brigadoon?
It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years. Tommy, one of the tourists, falls in love with Fiona, a young woman from Brigadoon.
When did Brigadoon return to Scotland?
Meanwhile back to 1947, Cheryl Crawford, Robert Lewis and James Jamieson prepared to take Brigadoon back to its eponymous Scotland home and London’s West End, under Prince Littler’s auspices, in the spring of 1949.
When was Brigadoon filmed?
Brigadoon was produced in Australia (1951), Mexico (1960), Germany (1980) and Japan (1980s), and was adapted as a spectacle on ice (1953), MGM film (1954), musical for television with Robert Goulet and Sally Ann Howes (1966), and filmed for Dutch television in 1964.
Where does Tommy's catharsis occur in Brigadoon?
In Brigadoon, Tommy’s catharsis occurs in the musical scena of Act 2, Scene 4, in the Manhattan bar. More obvious examples from Lerner are Gaston’s discovery mid-lyric in the title song of Gigi that that little girl has become a grown woman before his very eyes.
Who is Gaston Lachailles' uncle?
There’s a great deal of Alan Jay Lerner in the two men of Gigi, playboy lover Gaston Lachailles, and his uncle the older roué Honoré Lachailles, who “thanks heaven for little girls.”. YouTube. Subscribe. Info.
Who said "a thought and its mood" in the book?
As biographer Edward Jablonski put it, “this procedure would frequently suggest a title, or an idea on which to build, or in Lerner’s words, “a thought and its mood.
Overview
Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and music by Frederick Loewe. The song "Almost Like Being in Love", from the musical, has become a standard. It features two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every 100 years. Tommy, one of the tourists, falls in love with Fiona, a young woman fro…
Background
Lyricist and book writer Alan Jay Lerner and composer Frederick Loewe had previously collaborated on three musicals; the first, Life of the Party, closed during pre-Broadway tryouts, and the second and third, What's Up? and The Day Before Spring, had met with moderate success. Inspired by Rodgers and Hammerstein's successful collaborations Oklahoma! and Carousel, they created Brigadoon, about a magical village in the Scottish highlands.
Plot
New Yorkers Tommy Albright and Jeff Douglas have travelled to the Scottish Highlands on a game-hunting vacation, but they get lost on their first night out. They begin to hear music ("Brigadoon") coming from a nearby village that does not appear on their map of the area. They head over there to get directions back to their inn and find a fair in progress ("McConnachy Square"), with villagers dressed in traditional Scottish tartan. Andrew MacLaren and his daughters arrive at the fair to pu…
Productions
The original Broadway production, directed by Robert Lewis and choreographed by Agnes de Mille, opened March 13, 1947, at the Ziegfeld Theatre, where it ran for 581 performances It starred David Brooks as Tommy, George Keane as Jeff, Marion Bell as Fiona, Lee Sullivan as Charlie, Virginia Bosler as Jeannie, James Mitchell as Harry, and Pamela Britton as Meg. The concertmistress of the orchestra was noted American violinist Joan Field. De Mille won the Tony Award for Best Choreo…
Adaptations
A Cinemascope film version of Brigadoon, directed by Vincente Minnelli, was released by MGM in 1954 with Gene Kelly, Van Johnson, and Cyd Charisse in leading roles.
On October 15, 1966, a television film version was broadcast on ABC. This version won five Primetime Emmy Awards.
The 1966 television version used a modernized, abbreviated script that accommodated much mo…
Reception
Brigadoon opened to very positive reviews with praise for its originality, and for integration of song and story, though some critics had minor points of criticism.
Brooks Atkinson of The New York Times praised the musical's integration, saying: "For once, the modest label 'musical play' has a precise meaning. For it is impossible to say where the music and dancing leave off and the story begins. Under Bob Lewis's direction all the arts of the theatre hav…
Recordings
The following list of recordings is based on John Kenrick's discography for the site Musicals 101.
• 1947 Original Broadway cast recording (incomplete, due to recording limitations of the period; some lyrics were censored)
• 1954 Original motion picture soundtrack (originally incomplete, but re-released on CD with deleted songs, alternate takes, and undubbed vocals)
Sources
• Bloom, Ken; Vlastnik, Frank (2004). Broadway Musicals: The 101 Greatest Shows of all Time. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers. ISBN 1-57912-390-2.
• Stempel, Larry (2010). Showtime: A History of the Broadway Musical Theatre. New York: W.W. Norton & Company. ISBN 978-0-393-92906-5.