A CONCORD THEATRICALS TITLE

My Life with Albertine

Full-Length Musical, Drama  /  6w, 6m

Richard Nelson, Ricky Ian Gordon

Book and Lyrics by Richard Nelson / Music and Lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon

A dark exploration of Proust's obsession with his mistress, Albertine, and the jealous fancies he dreams up.

My Life with Albertine

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  • Cast Size
    Cast Size
    6w, 6m
  • Duration
    Duration
    120 minutes (2 hours)
  • SubGenre
    Subgenre
    Adaptation (Literature), Docudrama/History
  • Audience
    Target Audience
    Adult, Teen (Age 14-18)
Accolades
Accolades
  • Winner! Gilman & Gonzalez-Falla Theater Foundation Musical Theater Award

Details

Summary
The musical focuses on Proust's obsession with his red-haired mistress, Albertine. Departing from the typical 'boy meets girl' plot, it explores the darkness of jealousy. Young Marcel, the hero, irrationally believes that Albertine is having lesbian affairs while older Marcel (played by a different actor), reflects on this seminal period in his young life interacting with himself at 17. Simple lullabies and children's songs reflecting Marcel's childish character before his affair are juxtaposed with operatic dirges, capturing the tragic effect of his self-inflicted destruction of happiness. This fascinating play preserves both the essence and themes of Proust's work.
History
Excerpted from "MAKE MINE RARE...BUT WELL DONE! ," as featured in Happy Talk, Volume 13, Issue 2 - Fall 2006:

"My Life With Albertine, with music and lyrics by Ricky Ian Gordon, book and lyrics by Richard Nelson and based on the work of Marcel Proust, is a rich and complex piece about the importance of love and art. Intertwined with the story of Marcel and his obsession with the alluring Albertine, we see that the artist lives his art while he creates it. The musical is both lush and intellectual, aurally conjuring up the spirit of the fin-de-siècle Paris—the impressionistic paintings of Degas, Monet and Toulouse Lautrec, combined with the poetry of Verlaine and Baudelaire. Deemed one of the creative heirs to Stephen Sondheim, Ricky Ian Gordon devises a show that pushes the boundaries of musical theatre for a thoughtful and probing audience. “...The music seems to swirl with regret, romance, fear and, yes, a sense of lost time, suggested by the wayward strains of an accordion.”—Ben Brantley, New York Times"
Keywords
Performing Groups
PRINCIPALS
3 Women
2 Men

FEATURED
3 Women
4 Men

ENSEMBLE
Singing ensemble with many small roles.

CHARACTERS
Narrator, 40s
Marcel, 18-20
Albertine, 17-19
Grandmother
Francoise
Elstir
Cottard
Lift boy
Messengers
Pianist
Andree
Rosemonde
Mlle. Lea, a cabaret singer
A Young Woman
Three Men
Ensemble - Strollers, bathers, mourners, cabaret audience, tango dancers, street singers, chorus: played by the company

My Life With Albertine requires a strong cast of singers. The ensemble is traditional Soprano/Alto/Tenor/Bass, but they need to be good because the choral work is challenging, bringing the tenor to B-flat and the basses to G. They split up doing various roles-The Stroller, The Messengers, The Bathers. I leave that up to choice, but strongly suggest that a highly proficient group of singers be used for the cast of this show as its challenges are almost operatic.
-Ricky Ian Gordon

  • Time Period 1900-1910
  • Features Period Costumes
  • Duration 120 minutes (2 hours)
  • Cautions
    • Mild Adult Themes

Media

"Gordon's music aims for the dark beauty and sophistication that Stephen Sondheim or Kurt Weill might have brought to a project like this..."
— Elysa Gardner, USA Today
"Much of Gordon's music is pensive in nature, sometimes exquisitely so. His contemplative score often recalls salon music of the 1920s. Piano notes fall like teardrops. Throbbing cello and violin lines suggest quickening of breath."
— Michael Sommers, N. J. Star Ledger

"...My Life With Albertine is a worthy and ambitious creation."
— Andy Propst, American Theatre Web

Music

Music Samples

1. "Is It Too Late (Albertine's Last Letter)" - Albertine
2. "Balbec By The Sea" - Marcel, Narrator, Bathers & Strollers
3. "Lullaby" - Grandmother
4. "Ferret Song" - Albertine, Andree, Rosemonde & Marcel
5. "My Soul Weeps" - Albertine
6. "The Prayer" - Narrator, Marcel, Francoise & Chorus
7. "Talk About The Weather" - Marcel, Francoise & Chorus
8. "The Different Albertines" - Narrator & Marcel
9. "My Soul Weeps/Tango" - Rosemonde & Girls
10. "But What I Say Is" - Narrator, Marcel & Albertine
11. "Song Of Solitude" - Narrator
12. "I Want You" - Mlle. Lea
13. "I Need Me A Girl" - Albertine & Cabaret Audience
14. "Sometimes" - Narrator & Marcel
15. "But What I Say Is... (Reprise)" - Narrator, Marcel & Albertine
16. "Sometimes (Reprise)" - Mlle. Lea, Andree & Rosemonde
17. "Ferret Song (Reprise)" - Albertine, Marcel & Andree
18. "The Street" - Marcel & Street Vendors
19. "The Different Albertines (Reprise)" - Narrator & Marcel
20. "The Letters" - Albertine, Marcel, Narrator, Francoise, Messengers & Girlfriends
21. "Albertine's Last Letter (Reprise)" - Narrator
22. "If It Is True" - Albertine

Full Orchestration

Piano Conductor
Accordion
Reed I (Flute, Clarinet, Alto Sax)
Reed II (Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Soprano Sax)
Trombone (Euphonium)
Violin
Cello

Percussion
Snare Drum
Suspended Cymbal
Crash Cymbal
Concert Tom Toms (high & low)
Timpani
Vibraphone
Xylophone
Bells
Glockenspiel
Triangle
Crotales
Mark Tree
Bell Tree
Tambourine (with skin)
Tam Tam
Castanets
Slapstick
Cowbell
Ratchet
Wood Block
Anvil

  • Musical Style Operetta
  • Vocal DemandsDifficult
  • Orchestra Size Medium
  • Chorus Size Medium

Licensing & Materials

  • Licensing fees and rental materials quoted upon application.

Music Rentals

Concord offers a full suite of resources to help you put on the show of a lifetime!
18 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Reed 1
1 Reed 2
1 Trombone
1 Accordion
1 Percussion
1 Violin
1 Cello
1 Logo Pack
18 Libretto-Vocal Book
1 Piano-Conductor
1 Logo Pack
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Authors

Richard Nelson

Richard Nelson

Richard Nelson's plays include CONVERSATIONS IN TUSCULUM, FRANK’S HOME, HOW SHAKESPEARE WON THE WEST, RODNEY'S WIFE, FRANNY'S WAY, MADAME MELVILLE, GOODNIGHT CHILDREN EVERYWHERE (Olivier Award Best Play), THE GENERAL FROM AMERICA, NEW ENGLAND, LEFT, MISHA'S PARTY (with Alexan ...

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Ricky Ian Gordon

Ricky Ian Gordon

Ricky Ian Gordon (b. 1956 in Oceanside, NY) studied piano, composition and acting, at Carnegie Mellon University. After moving to New York City, he quickly emerged as a leading writer of vocal music that spans art song, opera, and musical theater. Mr. Gordon's songs have been ...

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