THE MUSIC
Molière gave music a role in more than half of his plays. In fact he quickly became the grand master of the King’s sumptuous fêtes and divertissements at Versailles (sound and light spectacles). His partner in music was the King’s favorite composer Jean-Baptiste Lully. And even though today, Lully’s baroque music is not widely celebrated, together they invented a new form of “total art theatre”, the comédie-ballet.
To remain in the spirit of Molière most completely, I added songs and dance to this show.
Molière
Soundtrack to the 2007 movie. Frederic Talgorn, composer.
Entrer Dans La Lumière
(Performed by Akasha, Kendall, Linda, Marcus, Bradley)
“Stepping into the light”. By Patricia Kaas. The song is about an artist walking onstage and into the spotlight.
ACTE I
Beau Comme Le Soleil
(Duet performed by Akasha as Henriette and Hailey as her sister Armande.)
“As handsome as the sun”. From the French-Canadian musical Notre-Dame de Paris. Music by Richard Cocciante, lyrics by Luc Plamondon. The song is about two girls in love with the same man.
La Vie en Rose
(Performed by Akasha as Henriette in love.)
“Life Through Rose-Colored Glasses”, 1946. Lyrics Édith Piaf, music Louis Gugliemi. This song was the signature song of French chanteuse, Édith Piaf.
I Feel Pretty
(Performed by Akasha as Henriette.)
This is a song from the musical West Side Story, 1957. Music by Leonard Bernstein, and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
I’m Not At All In Love
(Armande rejecting love and marriage. Performed by Hailey & the girls; arrangement by Tom Husak.)
From The Pajama Game musical. Score by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The original Broadway production opened in 1954 with Janis Paige and won a Tony for Best Musical.
Parlez-Moi D’amour
(Performed by Kendall as a self-deluded Bélise.)
“Speak to me of Love”. Written by Jean Lenoir, 1930. Barbara Streisand recorded an English version written by Bruce Sievier.
Marche Pour Les Trompettes
(Arrival of L’emplumé)
Marc-Antoine Charpentier composer. Conducted by Hervé Niquet, director of Le Concert Spirituel baroque music ensemble.
ACTE II
I Wanna Be Loved By You
(Performed by Kendall as Agnès who just fell in love.)
Written by Bert Kalmar in 1928. Most people remember Marilyn Monroe’s rendition in the 1959 film Some Like it Hot.
The Shoop-Shoop Song (It’s in his Kiss)
(Performed by Kendall and the girls. Agnès reminiscing her first encounter with handsome Horace.)
Written by Rudy Clark. The best-known recording of the song is Cher’s 1991 rendition.