Starmania (musical)

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Starmania
Music Michel Berger
Lyrics Luc Plamondon
Productions 1979 Paris
1980 Montreal
1986 Quebec
1988 Paris
1993 Paris

Starmania is a French / Québécois rock opera written in 1976 with music by Michel Berger and lyrics by Luc Plamondon.

Some of its songs have passed into mainstream Francophone pop culture.

In 1978, its first recording was released (in French), sub-titled Starmania, ou la passion de Johnny Rockfort selon les évangiles télévisés ("Starmania, or the Passion of Johnny Rockfort According to the Televised Gospels") with the leading roles filled by Daniel Balavoine, Claude Dubois, Diane Dufresne, Nanette Workman, France Gall, Eric Esteve and Fabienne Thibeault.

In 1979 the show was given its theatrical debut in Paris, starring Balavoine, Étienne Chicot, Dufresne, Gall, and Thibeault, with popular revivals following in 1989 and throughout the 1990s.

In 1992, an English version of the show was created with the release of the album Tycoon, with lyrics by Tim Rice, and starring Céline Dion, Nina Hagen, Cyndi Lauper, Willy Deville, and Tom Jones in the principal roles on the recording. The American premiere of TYCOON, with all english lyrics, was produced at the UTEP Dinner Theatre in El Paso, Texas in 1996, with Michael Berger and Luc Plamondon in attendance. It was staged in Paris alternatively with the French version for a few months.

For the 25th anniversary of Starmania, in November 2004, a concert version was produced in Montreal. In January 2005, the same version was produced in Paris (with a French orchestra and chorus, but with a Québécois conductor and soloists).

In 2004, Starmania was honoured as a MasterWork by the Audio-Visual Preservation Trust of Canada. (video clip).

Contents

[edit] Brief plot outline

The story of Starmania is difficult to summarise due not only to the range of themes introduced throughout the show, but also due to the changes that were made between successive productions. Set in the near future, where the Western world has become a single country, Starmania recounts three love stories set in parallel, touching also on themes of terrorism, totalitarianism, and an individual's right to decide his own destiny.

However the musical is very much a post-modern take on the challenges faced by many when confronted with techtonic cultural shifts occurring in a very short time. Marie-Jeanne, the waitress, is an Everywoman, ostensibly from a small town, who finds much of life in the big city overwhelming. The arrival of Sadia (transgender woman) and Ziggy (gay man) use sexuality/gender identity as a metaphor for foreigners or outsiders. Stella Spotlight, as an aging sex symbol, represents the past.

[edit] Notable songs

[edit] French version

    • "Ouverture"
    • "Quand on arrive en ville"
    • "La complainte de la serveuse automate"
    • "Le blues du businessman"
    • "Un garçon pas comme les autres"
    • "La chanson de Ziggy"
    • "Monopolis"
    • "Travesti"
    • "Petite musique terrienne"
    • "Ce soir on danse au Naziland"
    • "Banlieue nord"
    • "Les adieux d'un sex symbol"
    • "Les uns contre les autres"
    • "Quand on n'a plus rien a perdre"
    • "Ego trip"
    • "Le monde est stone"
    • "S.O.S. d'un terrien en détresse"
    • "Le rêve de Stella Spotlight"
    • "Besoin d'amour"

[edit] English version

  • "Ziggy"
  • "The World Is Stone"
  • "Only the Very Best"
  • "You have the learn to live alone"
  • "Tonight we dance - extravagance!"
  • "The Businessman's Blues"

[edit] Albums (all in French unless stated)

  • 1978 Starmania - Original Version
  • 1979 Starmania - The Show (double album)
  • 1980 Starmania Made in Quebec (LP)
  • 1988 Starmania 88
  • 1992 Starmania - (in English) (Tycoon), but now sold under the title "Starmania - Version anglaise"
  • 1994 Starmania - Mogador 94
  • 1998 Starmania - 20th Anniversary (double CD)