One month from today the Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaues masterpiece musical Kristina från Duvamåla makes its English-language debut in New York.
Kristina – A Concert Event will be held on the evenings of September 23 and 24 at the prestigious Carnegie Hall. The English version has been a long time coming. There has been talk that the translation was completed and presented to potential backers as long ago as the Broadway premiere of Mamma Mia! in 2001.
A workshop was held in New York a few years ago, and the musical was then presented to potential financial backers, whose declined to finance the show citing that “sad doesn’t sell’. Hopefully this concert version will introduce Kristina to the world and see an eventual full English production.
The concert stars Helen Sjöholm reprising her role as Kristina, British singer Russell Watson as Karl Oskar, Canadian Louise Pitre (who originated Donna in Mamma Mia! in North America) as Ulrika, Broadway star Kevin Oderkirk as Robert, and a supporting cast of musical theatre veterans.
Presumably composers Andersson and Ulvaeus will be attending.
ABBA fans, and no doubt fans of the musical and the stars, will be making their way to New York in the hundreds. I’m excited that I too will be there for this auspicous event, along with many friends from around the world, including at least eight making the trek all the way from Australia.
For more information, full cast list and links to buy tickets go to Kristina – A Concert Event at Carnegie Hall.
For all the news on Benny and Björn’s projects see icethesite.
ABBA Omnibus blog 