Kismet (musical)
Kismet is a musical adapted by Charles Lederer and Luther Davis from the 1911 play of the same name by Edward Knoblock, with lyrics and musical adaptation (as well as some original music) by Robert Wright and George Forrest. The music was mostly adapted from several pieces composed by Alexander Borodin. The story concerns a wily poet who talks his way out of trouble several times; meanwhile, his beautiful daughter meets and falls in love with the young caliph.
Kismet
Alexander Borodin
Adapted by:
Robert Wright
George Forrest
Play by Edward Knoblock
1953 Broadway
1955 West End
1955 Film
1985 New York City Opera
2007 English National Opera
The musical was first produced on Broadway in 1953 and won the Tony Award for best musical in 1954. It was also successful in London's West End and has been given several revivals. A 1955 film version was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Background[edit]
The musical was commissioned by Edwin Lester, founder and director of the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, who conceived of a musical based on the 1911 play Kismet by Edward Knoblock.[1][2] Lester had previously produced Song of Norway, with the same composing team, adapting the melodies of Edvard Grieg. For Kismet, the writers seized upon the music of Alexander Borodin, which they felt had a suitable exotic flavor and lush melodies.[3]
According to Richard E. Rodda in his 2008 liner notes to recordings of Borodin works, Robert Wright and George Forrest specialized in "turning melodies from classical music into film scores and popular songs". The following Borodin works were used as musical sources for Kismet:
Recordings[edit]
Columbia Masterworks Records recorded the original Broadway cast in late 1953; the recording was later reissued on CD by Masterworks Broadway Records.
Other recordings of the musical include a 1961 London studio recording by World Record Club conducted by Kenneth Alwyn with Graham Laver (Hajj), Elizabeth Harwood (Marsinah), Peter Grant (Caliph), Diana Landor (Lalume), Paul Whitsun-Jones (Wazir) and Hazel Holt. A 1964 Decca recording was conducted by Mantovani with Robert Merrill (Hajj), Adele Leigh (Marsinah), Kenneth McKellar (Caliph), Regina Resnik (Lalume), Ian Wallace (Wazir) and The Mike Sammes Singers. An abridged 1964 Capitol version was conducted by Van Alexander with Gordon MacRae as Hajj and the Caliph, Dorothy Kirsten (Marsinah), Bunny Bishop (Lalume), Johnny Guarnieri, Richard Levitt, Salli Terri and the Roger Wagner Chorale.
A 1989 recording on Jay Records that includes some songs from the film version and Timbuktu! as bonus tracks was conducted by John Owen Edwards with Donald Maxwell (Hajj), Valerie Masterson (Marsinah), David Rendall (Caliph), Judy Kaye (Lalume), Richard Van Allan (Wazir), Bonaventura Bottone and Rosemary Ashe.[21] A 1991 Sony Broadway version with new orchestrations by conductor Paul Gemignani stars Samuel Ramey (Hajj), Ruth Ann Swenson (Marsinah), Jerry Hadley (Caliph), Julia Migenes (Lalume), Dom DeLuise (Wazir) and Mandy Patinkin (Marriage arranger).[22]