CANDIDE (TV)
Summary
This musical special program was recorded in 1989 at the Barbican Centre in London, Leonard Bernstein conducts the London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in a concert production of his 1956 Broadway musical "Candide." First, Bernstein tells the audience about the origin of "Candide" and describes Voltaire's feelings about optimism. After the overture, Act I begins in the land of Westphalia ("Life Is Happiness Indeed") where the pedantic professor Dr. Pangloss attempts to instill in his skeptical students his optimistic philosophy of the goodness in the world ("Best of All Possible Worlds"). Two of his students, the exceedingly innocent Candide and the beautiful Cunegonde, who is the daughter of a wealthy and powerful baron, fall in love ("Oh, Happy We"). However, when Cunegonde's brother Maximilian learns of their love, he insists that the illegitimate Candide is not good enough for his sister and consequently, Candide finds himself exiled from his home. While wandering in the forest, Candide comes upon an army that later invades Westphalia. Everyone is killed and Candide is crushed when he comes upon the body of his beloved Cunegonde ("It Must Be So").
He wanders the world until is reunited with his old master, Dr. Pangloss, who now is afflicted with syphilis but nonetheless retains his optimism about the goodness of the world. Soon after, Pangloss and Candide are taken prisoner by members of the Spanish Inquisition and are brought before the grand inquisitors. Pangloss attempts to explain that they cannot kill him because he has syphilis ("Auto-da-fée"), but his argument fails and he dies without ever losing his boundless optimism. Candide is flogged and then left to ponder his teacher's theories of optimism ("Candide's Lament"). Meanwhile, in Paris a mysterious masked beauty describes the feminine wiles she must use in order to survive ("Glitter and Be Gay"). Suddenly, Candide arrives in the same city and discovers that this woman is none other than his lost and supposedly deceased love, Cunegonde ("You Were Dead You Know"). Their reunion is interrupted by an Old Lady who has come to warn Cunegonde that her two lovers are approaching. In the confusion, Cunegonde accidentally stabs both lovers to death. Cunegonde, the Old Lady, and Candide flee. On their way to South America, the Old Lady recounts the story of her life ("I Am Easily Assimilated"). At this point, Leonard Bernstein interjects an anecdote about how he came up with the name of the city in which the Old Lady was born and reveals who created the words that rhyme with it. The first act ends with the "Quartet Finale."
Next, Bernstein explains how he and librettist Lillian Hellman created the musical as a reaction against McCarthyism. Then, Act II begins as Candide, Cunegonde, and the Old Lady arrive in Buenos Aires. There, the Governor falls in love with Cunegonde and asks her to be his lover ("My Love"). Next, Maximilian is taken by a Jesuit priest, and Candide flees Buenos Aires after he is told that the members of the Spanish Inquisition are after him. Once the two men are gone, Cunegonde and the Old Lady celebrate their feminine triumph with a song. Meanwhile, Candide and a new friend travel through the jungles of Argentina where they meet up with Maximilian, who is now the Father Superior of a Jesuit tribe. When Candide expresses his desire to marry Cunegonde, Maximilian still insists that Candide is not good enough for his sister. Candide inadvertently stabs Maximilian to death and then escapes. Meanwhile, three years pass and Cunegonde and the Old Lady find that they are unhappy with their privileged state in life ("Quiet"). At the same time, Candide and his travel companion discover paradise ("Eldorado").
However, Candide cannot get Cunegonde out of his mind. He and his friend leave the Eden they have discovered with three golden fleece in their possession. Candide hopes they can ransom Cunegonde from the governor. Since Candide is a wanted man and cannot return to Buenos Aires, he gives his companion one of three sheep to use for ransom. They plan to meet in Venice and Candide ventures off to find a way to get there. He comes across a man who is willing to exchange his boat for one of the sheep. Little does Candide realize that he is being swindled and that the boat is destined to sink ("Bon Voyage"). Though the ship sinks at sea, Candide survives and makes his way onto another sea vessel where five deposed kings and his supposedly deceased teacher Dr. Pangloss plan their futures in a parliamentary fashion. Candide arrives in Venice, a place of much gambling and corruption. The Old Lady, the gamblers, and Maximilian explain why there is no profit in cheating. ("What's the Use?"). Then, not realizing to whom they are speaking, the Old Lady and Cunegonde attempt to swindle Candide out of his money. Candide finally realizes the truth about life and love (reprise of "You Were Dead You Know"). In the end, the entire group of friends and foes learn serious lessons about life and its limitations ("Make Our Garden Grow").
(This is a home video version of a program that was telecast on A&E on October 15, 1991, at 9:00 p.m.)
Details
- NETWORK: A&E
- DATE: October 15, 1991 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:19:20
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:31250
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Music; Operas
- SERIES RUN: A&E - TV, 1991
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Harry J. Kraut … Executive Producer
- Humphrey Burton … Director
- Hugh Wheeler … Adapted by
- Voltaire … Writer
- John Wells … Writer
- Leonard Bernstein … Music by, Lyrics by
- Lillian Hellman … Lyrics by
- John LaTouche … Lyrics by
- Dorothy Parker … Lyrics by
- Stephen Sondheim … Lyrics by
- Richard Wilbur … Lyrics by
- Leonard Bernstein … Conductor
- London Symphony Orchestra … Orchestra
- London Symphony Chorus … Chorus
- Simon Joly … Choral Director
- Jerry Hadley … Cast, Candide
- June Anderson … Cast, Cunegonde
- Adolph Green … Cast, Dr. Pangloss and Martin
- Christa Ludwig … Cast, The Old Lady
- Nicolai Gedda … Cast, The Governor, Vanderdendur, and Ragotski
- Della Jones … Cast, Paquette
- Kurt Ollmann … Cast, Maximilian and Captain
- Clive Bayley … Cast, the Bear-Keeper, an Inquisitor, and Czar Ivan
- Lindsay Benson … Cast, the Doctor, an Inquisitor, and King Stanislaus
- Neil Jenkins … Cast, the Cosmetic Merchant, an Inquisitor, and Prince Charles Edward
- Richard Suart … Cast, the Junkman, an Inquisitor, and King Hermann Augustus
- John Treleaven … Cast, the Alchemist, an Inquisitor, Sultan Achmet, and the Crook
- Simon Bainbridge … Cast, the First Choir Soloist
- Chris Short … Cast, the Second Choir Soloist
- Aileen Perris … Cast, the Third Choir Soloist
- Andrew Farrow … Cast, the Choir Croupier