''Kristina från Duvemåla'' ''("Kristina from Duvemåla")'' is a Swedish musical written by former
ABBA
ABBA ( , , formerly named Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid or Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Frida) are a Swedish supergroup formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group's ...
members
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, producer, a member of the musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma Mia!'' He co-produced the films ...
(lyrics) and
Benny Andersson
Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, singer, composer and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma M ...
(music). It is based on a
series of four novels by Swedish author
Vilhelm Moberg
Karl Artur Vilhelm Moberg (20 August 1898 – 8 August 1973) was a Swedish journalist, author, playwright, historian, and debater. His literary career, spanning more than 45 years, is associated with his series ''The Emigrants''. The four ...
detailing a family's poverty-driven migration from Sweden to America in the mid-19th century: ''
The Emigrants'' (1949), ''
Unto a Good Land
''Unto a Good Land'' ( sv, Invandrarna) is a novel by Vilhelm Moberg from 1952. It is the second part of ''The Emigrants'' series.
Plot
This novel describes the journey of the Emigrants from New York City, New York to Taylors Falls, Minnesota. T ...
'' (1952), ''
The Settlers
''The Settlers'' (german: Die Siedler) is a City-building game, city-building and real-time strategy video game series created by Volker Wertich. The The Settlers (1993 video game), original game was released on the Commodore Amiga in 1993, wit ...
'' (1956), and ''
The Last Letter Home
''The Last Letter Home'' ( sv, Sista brevet till Sverige) is a novel by Vilhelm Moberg from 1959. It is the fourth and final part of ''The Emigrants'' series, the shortest book of the four, with a faster pace.
Plot
This novel tells about Karl-Osk ...
'' (1959).
History
The show premiered at the
Malmö Opera and Music Theatre
Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal pop ...
in
Malmö
Malmö (, ; da, Malmø ) is the largest city in the Swedish county (län) of Scania (Skåne). It is the third-largest city in Sweden, after Stockholm and Gothenburg, and the sixth-largest city in the Nordic region, with a municipal populat ...
, Sweden, on 7 October 1995 and received a rapturous welcome. The audience gave it a 10-minute standing ovation, while the critics unanimously praised it.
Reuters
Reuters ( ) is a news agency owned by Thomson Reuters Corporation. It employs around 2,500 journalists and 600 photojournalists in about 200 locations worldwide. Reuters is one of the largest news agencies in the world.
The agency was estab ...
report in ''The Globe and Mail
''The Globe and Mail'' is a Canadian newspaper printed in five cities in western and central Canada. With a weekly readership of approximately 2 million in 2015, it is Canada's most widely read newspaper on weekdays and Saturdays, although it ...
'', 10 October 1995, page D2. Martin Nyström of ''
Dagens Nyheter
''Dagens Nyheter'' (, ), abbreviated ''DN'', is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Stockholm and aspires to full national and international coverage, and is widely considered Sweden's newspaper of record.
History and profile
''Da ...
'' wrote that Andersson and Ulvaeus "created a great Swedish musical that thematically touches on the great questions of our time" and compared Andersson's musicality with that of
Schubert
Franz Peter Schubert (; 31 January 179719 November 1828) was an Austrian composer of the late Classical and early Romantic eras. Despite his short lifetime, Schubert left behind a vast ''oeuvre'', including more than 600 secular vocal wor ...
; while ''
Svenska Dagbladet
''Svenska Dagbladet'' (, "The Swedish Daily News"), abbreviated SvD, is a daily newspaper published in Stockholm, Sweden.
History and profile
The first issue of ''Svenska Dagbladet'' appeared on 18 December 1884. During the beginning of the ...
s Carl-Gunnar Åhlén concluded that Björn Ulvaeus "succeeded in presenting the drama without getting bogged down, despite its almost Wagnerian length."
A few years later, however,
Dagens Nyheter
''Dagens Nyheter'' (, ), abbreviated ''DN'', is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Stockholm and aspires to full national and international coverage, and is widely considered Sweden's newspaper of record.
History and profile
''Da ...
reviewer Marcus Boldemann wrote that "Kristina från Duvemåla is not an A-class musical work."
On 12 October 1996, the 90-minute (of a nearly four-hour score) concert version with the original cast was presented, in Swedish, in
Minneapolis
Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...
,
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...
, as an opening event of the
Plymouth Music Series 1996–1997 season in
Orchestra Hall; and next day in
Chisago Lakes High School
Chisago Lakes High School, located in Lindström, Minnesota, serves more than 1,100 students in grades 9-12. The school has earned accreditation by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. It provides an average curriculum for its s ...
in
Lindstrom, Minnesota
Lindström (also spelled Lindstrom) is a city in Chisago County, Minnesota, Chisago County, Minnesota, United States, located 35 miles northeast of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul, Twin Cities. The population was 4,442 at the 2010 United States Censu ...
– the area where much of the events in Moberg's books took place and where the statue of the books' two main characters stands on the main street of the town.
The American premiere received a glowing review from ''
Minneapolis Star and Tribune
The ''Star Tribune'' is the largest newspaper in Minnesota. It originated as the ''Minneapolis Tribune'' in 1867 and the competing ''Minneapolis Daily Star'' in 1920. During the 1930s and 1940s, Minneapolis's competing newspapers were consolida ...
'': "I have seen the future of the music theater, and its name is Kristina... Engaging, emotionally charged – and at times haunting – a piece of work capable of enchanting US viewers even when performed in a cut-down, concert version and in a tongue foreign to the audience"; while
Helen Sjöholm
Marie Helen Sjöholm (; born 10 July 1970) is a Swedish singer, actress and musical theatre performer who lives in Gamla Enskede in Stockholm. She grew up in Sundsvall and started to sing in choirs at an early age, working, among others, with S ...
who performed the role of Kristina was described as "extraordinary."
''
Time
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' magazine later wrote that "the show has Swedes, Americans, Indians; a sacrificial whore and the death of a child; and – in case you think it sounds too solemn for your tastes – a bilingual fart joke... and it's one of the most ambitious swatches of musical theater (39 songs!) since Gershwin's 1935 "Porgy and Bess," with one of the most serious, lyrically seductive scores since Rodgers and Hammerstein were creating their midcentury, midcult epics."
Subsequently, the musical was staged at
Gothenburg Opera
The Gothenburg opera house ( sv, Göteborgsoperan) is an opera house at Lilla Bommen
Lilla Bommen is a part of Gothenburg harbor used for visiting boats and also the name given to the land surrounding the harbor. The eponymous building along w ...
and then premiered at the
Stockholm
Stockholm () is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, largest city of Sweden as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in Scandinavia. Approximately 980,000 people liv ...
's
Cirkus
CirKus are a trip hop band formed by Burt Ford (Cameron McVey), Karmil (aka Matt Kent), Lolita Moon and Neneh Cherry.
History
DJ and producer Karmil was recruited by Burt Ford (Neneh's husband Cameron McVey) as an assistant recording engi ...
that was specially renovated for it. This production won four 1998
Guldmasken Guldmasken (English: '' Golden Mask'') was awarded annually for private theatre productions in Swedish theatres. The award was the Swedish equivalent of the Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more common ...
Theatre Awards (Swedish equivalent of
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
). Counting all three runs, which were almost continuous, interrupted only by summer vacations and hiatuses due to the production's physical moving, ''Kristina från Duvemåla'' ran for nearly four years (more than 650 performances in total), making it the second longest running musical in Swedish history. In 2001, a touring concert staging was presented featuring most of the original performers recreating their previous roles. All three original Swedish productions were directed by Lars Rudolfsson with set design by
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as the Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual cer ...
-winner
Robin Wagner and musical direction by
Anders Eljas
Anders Erik Gillis Eljas (born 15 January 1953 in Stockholm) is a Swedish musician, orchestrator and conductor.
Biography
He was educated at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he studied piano and violin, began his musical career at ...
.
The original cast triple CD set was released in 1996 and peaked at number two on the Swedish album chart, remaining on it for a total of 74 weeks and winning the 1996 Swedish
Grammis
The Grammis are music awards presented annually to musicians and songwriters in Sweden. The oldest Swedish music awards, they were instituted as a local equivalent of the Grammy Awards given in the United States. The awards ceremony is generall ...
Award as the best album. For a number of years, a song from the musical "Guldet blev till sand" (The gold turned into sand) performed by
Peter Jöback
Peter Arne Jöback (born 4 June 1971 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish singer, actor and musical artist.
Biography
Early life and education
Peter Jöback was born on 4 June 1971 in Stockholm. He spent his childhood in Värmland and Östergö ...
held the distinction of having spent the longest amount of time on the national Swedish radio chart
Svensktoppen
''Svensktoppen'' () is a weekly record chart airing at Sveriges Radio. Until January 2003, the songs had to be in the Swedish language. Svensktoppen has aired since 1962, except for the years 1982-1985. The last years before the January 2003 cha ...
.
By the mid-2000s, the show had been translated into English by
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, producer, a member of the musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma Mia!'' He co-produced the films ...
and the ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'' English lyricist
Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer (5 October 192514 October 2020) was a South African-born English journalist and lyricist. He was best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation of ''Les Misérables'' and for his long-time collaboration ...
. English translations of individual songs have been presented at various concert performances throughout the last two or three years, mainly by
Helen Sjöholm
Marie Helen Sjöholm (; born 10 July 1970) is a Swedish singer, actress and musical theatre performer who lives in Gamla Enskede in Stockholm. She grew up in Sundsvall and started to sing in choirs at an early age, working, among others, with S ...
or Swedish musical theatre stalwart
Tommy Körberg
Bert Gustav Tommy Körberg (; born 4 July 1948) is a Swedish singer, actor, and musician. English-speaking audiences know him best for his role as Anatoly/"The Russian" in the musical ''Chess''. He played the role on the 1984 concept album, and ...
, always in association with Benny Andersson or Björn Ulvaeus.
English-language version of the musical
In the US
In March 2006, a workshop was held in New York and featured Sara Chase as Kristina,
Clarke Thorell as Karl Oskar, Kevin Odekirk as Robert and
Alice Ripley
Alice Ripley (born December 14, 1963) is an American actress, singer, songwriter and mixed media artist. She is known, in particular, for her various roles on Broadway in musicals, including the Pulitzer Prize-winning ''Next to Normal'' (2009 T ...
as Ulrika, the latter performing the song "You Have to Be There" from the musical in her and
Emily Skinner's 2006 show at
The Town Hall in New York and later releasing this live recording on ''Raw at Town Hall'' 2-CD set.
At the time, there had been talk of a fall 2007 opening at
The Broadway Theatre
The Broadway Theatre (formerly Universal's Colony Theatre, B.S. Moss's Broadway Theatre, Earl Carroll's Broadway Theatre, and Ciné Roma) is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 1681 Broadway (Manhattan), Broadway (near 53rd Street (Manhatta ...
, but those plans never materialized partly due to a protracted legal battle over the use of the original book written for the musical.
The English-language premiere of the musical, in a concert version under the name "Kristina: A Concert Event," took place at
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
on 23 and 24 September 2009, with
Helen Sjöholm
Marie Helen Sjöholm (; born 10 July 1970) is a Swedish singer, actress and musical theatre performer who lives in Gamla Enskede in Stockholm. She grew up in Sundsvall and started to sing in choirs at an early age, working, among others, with S ...
as Kristina,
Russell Watson
Russell Watson is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. He began singing as a child, and became known after performing at a working men's club. He came to attention in 1999 when he sang "God ...
as Karl Oskar,
Louise Pitre
Louise Pitre (born January 1, 1957) is a Canadian actress in musical theatre. She performs on Broadway and in Canada. She is best known for her role as Donna Sheridan in the ABBA-themed musical '' Mamma Mia!'', which earned her a 2002 Tony Award ...
as Ulrika and Kevin Odekirk as Robert.
The performances received mixed reviews, from ''
TIME
Time is the continued sequence of existence and events that occurs in an apparently irreversible succession from the past, through the present, into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequence events, to ...
'' commenting that "some of the most rapturous melodies ever heard in Carnegie Hall poured out of that grand old barn last night" to ''
Variety
Variety may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats
* Variety (radio)
* Variety show, in theater and television
Films
* ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont
* ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' concluding that "Moberg's series adds up to some 1,800 pages, and many in the restless Carnegie Hall audience may have felt they were sitting through all of them...U.S. audiences are likely to find Kristina's epic tale less than gripping."
Talkin' Broadway critic Matthew Murray admitted: "It’s a musical you don’t just want to listen to: During the better portions of its score – of which there are many – you feel you have to...Andersson’s work is so big, so thoroughly conceived, and so varied in style, tempo, and color that it often feels more like a symphony than a musical. Of course, making it one would mean jettisoning the specific story treatment and lyrics, losses most shows couldn’t weather. But its music is so good that Kristina could be even more powerful as a result."
The Carnegie Hall concert recordings were released on a 2-CD set by
Decca Records
Decca Records is a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lewis (Decca), Edward Lewis. Its U.S. label was established in late 1934 by Lewis, Jack Kapp, American Decca's first president, and Milton Rackmil, who later became American ...
on 12 April 2010.
In the UK
Kerry Ellis
Kerry Jane Ellis (born 6 May 1979) is an English actress and singer who is best known for her work in musical theatre and subsequent crossover into music. Born and raised in Suffolk, Ellis began performing at an early age before training at L ...
premiered the song "You Have to Be There" in its English-language version, at ''Thank You for the Music,'' a special event celebrating the music of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus on 13 September 2009. The song is featured on her debut album ''
Anthems
An anthem is a musical composition of celebration, usually used as a symbol for a distinct group, particularly the national anthems of countries. Originally, and in music theory and religious contexts, it also refers more particularly to short s ...
'' (2010) produced by
Brian May
Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947) is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and astrophysicist, who achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen (band), Queen. May was a co-founder of Queen with lead singer Fredd ...
. She has since sung the song at various live events, including
Anthems: The Tour (2011).
The UK premiere of the musical, also in a concert version, took place at the
Royal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall on the northern edge of South Kensington, London. One of the UK's most treasured and distinctive buildings, it is held in trust for the nation and managed by a registered charity which receives no govern ...
on 14 April 2010.
Similarly to the US, it received a mixed critical response. "The inspiration for both score and lyrics feels more like a retread of the worst excesses of ''
Les Misérables
''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century.
In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its original ...
'' (a fact amplified here by sharing the English lyricist of that show,
Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer (5 October 192514 October 2020) was a South African-born English journalist and lyricist. He was best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation of ''Les Misérables'' and for his long-time collaboration ...
) and
Frank Wildhorn
Frank Wildhorn (born November 29, 1958) is an American composer of both musicals and popular songs. His musical ''Jekyll & Hyde'' ran for four years on Broadway. He also wrote the #1 International hit song "Where Do Broken Hearts Go" for Whitne ...
, with the occasional
Lloyd Webber rock riff thrown in for good measure," wrote ''
The Stage
''The Stage'' is a British weekly newspaper and website covering the entertainment industry and particularly theatre. It was founded in 1880. It contains news, reviews, opinion, features, and recruitment advertising, mainly directed at those wh ...
,'' while ''
The Times
''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper ''The Sunday Times'' (fou ...
'' concluded that "the piece displayed moments of musical power. But it will need major restructuring if it is to work on the theatrical stage... if it showed gleams of promise, this concert also emphasised that Kristina still has a long road to travel before any of us is truly moved to say thank you for the music."
Contrary to these opinions, chief classical music and opera critic for the ''
Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
''
Edward Seckerson
Edward Seckerson is a British music journalist and radio presenter specialising in musical theatre. Formerly Chief Classical Music Critic of the Independent, Edward Seckerson is a writer, broadcaster and podcaster. He wrote and presented the lon ...
wrote a highly sympathetic review of the performance, calling Benny Andersson "a composer/melodist of startling distinction." He suggested that "this one-off concert performance...presented only its bare bones, a series of musical snapshots from a much larger whole... So dramatically sketchy, musically sumptuous. But Andersson's gorgeous folk-sourced melodies (like a Swedish
Grieg) spirited us forward from one accordion-flecked knees-up and effusive ballad to the next... If ever a piece sung a nation's pride, this is it."
Independent review
Original cast (1995–1999)
*Kristina – Helen Sjöholm
Marie Helen Sjöholm (; born 10 July 1970) is a Swedish singer, actress and musical theatre performer who lives in Gamla Enskede in Stockholm. She grew up in Sundsvall and started to sing in choirs at an early age, working, among others, with S ...
*Karl Oskar – Anders Ekborg
Jon Anders Ekborg (born 9 October 1960) is a Swedish actor and singer who has performed the roles of Karl Oskar in '' Kristina från Duvemåla'' and Freddie Trumper in ''Chess'', two musicals that were written by former ABBA members Benny Anders ...
*Robert – Peter Jöback
Peter Arne Jöback (born 4 June 1971 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish singer, actor and musical artist.
Biography
Early life and education
Peter Jöback was born on 4 June 1971 in Stockholm. He spent his childhood in Värmland and Östergö ...
*Ulrika – Åsa Bergh
*Fina-Kajsa – Marianne Mörck
*Danjel – Tommy Juth
*Arvid – Lars Leishem
Replacement performers included Frida Bergh (Kristina), Joakim Jennefors (Karl Oskar), Niklas Andersson (Robert), Lisa Gustafsson (Kristina) and Christer Nerfont (Robert).
Helsinki, Gothenburg and Stockholm cast (2012–2015)
*Kristina – Maria Ylipää
Maria Mikaela Markuntytär Ylipää (born 8 August 1981) is a Finnish singer and actress, who has starred in the musical '' Kristina från Duvemåla'' (Helsinki 2012, Göteborg 2014, Stockholm 2015) and acted in the films ''Keisarikunta'' (2004) a ...
*Karl Oskar – Robert Noack
*Robert – Oskar Nilsson
*Ulrika – Birthe Wingren
*Fina Kajsa – Veronika Mattsson / Helen Elde
*Danjel – Kent Sjöman
*Arvid – Ingemar Raukola
Norway, Norwegian premiere concert cast (2016)
On 9 September 2016, the concert version with a Norwegian cast (but sung in Swedish) was presented at Lillestrøm Kultursenter, Lillestrøm
Lillestrøm is a municipality in Viken county. It is located in the traditional district of Romerike. With a population of 85,757 inhabitants, it is the fourth most populated municipality in Viken. It was founded on 1 January 2020 as a merger be ...
. It was later presented at Lørenskog Hus, Lørenskog
is a Municipalities of Norway, municipality in Akershus in Viken (county), Viken Counties of Norway, county, Norway. A suburb of Oslo, it is part of the Oslo urban area and the Districts of Norway, traditional region of Romerike. The administrati ...
, and at Ullensaker Kulturhus, Jessheim
Jessheim is a town in the Ullensaker municipality in Akershus of Norway.
History
The railway station with the Jessheim station was built in 1854 as part of the Hovedbanen line from Oslo to Eidsvoll.
The railroad had at the initial construction o ...
. The entire run was sold out and got rave reviews in the press. The Romerike symphony Orchestra and St. Laurentius choir was conducted by Anders Eljas
Anders Erik Gillis Eljas (born 15 January 1953 in Stockholm) is a Swedish musician, orchestrator and conductor.
Biography
He was educated at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, where he studied piano and violin, began his musical career at ...
who was also musical director for this production.
*Kristina – Reidun Sæther
*Karl Oskar – Espen Grjotheim
*Robert – Sigurd Marthinussen
*Ulrika – Kirsti Lucena Andersen
*Fina Kajsa – Hege Schøyen
Hege Schøyen (born 22 May 1957, in Oslo) is a Norwegian singer, actor and comedian. She has played at the Oslo revue theatre Chat Noir and at Nationaltheatret. She was television presenter for the youth program series ''Midt i smørøyet'' at th ...
*Danjel – Christian Ranke
*Arvid – Morten Gjerløw Larsen
Bømlo Teater, Norwegian premiere, fully staged version (2021)
In August 2021, the first fully staged production was played on the outdoor stage at Bømlo Teater in Bømlo
Bømlo is a municipality in the southwestern part of Vestland county, Norway. It is located in the traditional district of Sunnhordland. The administrative centre of the municipality is the village of Svortland. Other villages in Bømlo inclu ...
on the west coast of Norway
Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and t ...
. The version was the same as the one developed for the Helsinki production. It was played for the first time in Norwegian, translated by Runa Våge Krukhaug. The production was directed by Jostein Kirkeby-Garstad, and conducted by musical director Gunvald Ottesen.
*Kristina – Christine Guldbrandsen
Christine Guldbrandsen (born 19 March 1985 in Bergen, Norway) is a singer who is best known internationally for being the Norwegian entrant in the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. She has released three albums in Scandinavia: ''Surfing in the Air'', ...
*Karl Oskar – André Søfteland
André — sometimes transliterated as Andre — is the French and Portuguese form of the name Andrew, and is now also used in the English-speaking world. It used in France, Quebec, Canada and other French-speaking countries. It is a variation o ...
*Robert – Anders Gjønnes
*Ulrika – Mareike Wang
*Fina Kajsa – Britt Synnøve Johanssen
*Danjel – Espen Hana
*Arvid – Håkon Kvarven Paulsen
Plot
;Prologue
For 25 years Nils has worked with an iron rod to move stones from the fields of his farm Korpamoen in Ljuder's parish, Småland, Sweden. One day he slips and a big rock rolls onto him, breaking both his hip and femur. As a cripple he cannot work and is forced to sell the farm. His oldest son, Karl Oskar, barely of age, convinces Nils to sell the farm to him, and he buys it for 1700 riksdaler.
;Act I
Karl Oskar visits his girlfriend Kristina, who waits for him and pictures him making his way through the familiar surroundings ("Duvemåla Pasture"). Karl Oskar tells her that he has bought his father's farm, and can now marry her ("My Lust For You"). They marry and begin a life together, but times are hard because of bad harvests (King of Stone's Kingdom). Kristina worries that they cannot support their growing family, and suggests to her husband that they take steps to prevent another pregnancy. Karl Oskar says that it would be a betrayal of his love for her.
Karl Oskar's younger brother, Robert, is on his way to begin work as a farm hand on a nearby farm. He stops by a stream and wishes he was as free as the water ("Out Towards a Sea").
Kristina is pregnant again, and she and Karl Oskar worry that they won't be able to feed their children during winter, because of a drought and bad harvest. An angry Karl Oskar tells God that since he took their hay last year, he might as well take the rest. Shortly thereafter lightning strikes the barn, setting it on fire. Kristina tells her husband that he got what he wished for ("Bad Harvest").
Young Arvid, who works as a farmhand beside Robert at the farm of Nybacken, is unjustly punished by his mistress; in desperation, he sets out to kill her with an axe, but Robert stops him. The two boys dream of a better world, a world across the ocean, called North America, which Robert has read about.
Kristina loves her home, and is happy to be married to Karl Oskar and have their three children (Blåklintstäcket/Kristina's Apple Tree). One day Robert returns home, having been beaten by his master. He refuses to go back, and asks for his share of the inheritance so he can leave Sweden and travel to North America. Karl Oskar confesses that he has been considering the same thing; he and Robert try to convince Kristina that she will love America, but she is too afraid ("No"). Kristina asks her beloved Uncle, Danjel, to help her change her husband's mind. In a dream, Danjel has a vision where he is called to fulfill his uncle's work of restoring God's Kingdom on earth and to lead the people away from the false teachings. One night he gathers a group of outcasts to celebrate communion ("Little Group"); the gathering is disrupted by the Provost and the local authorities, who scatter the group and intend to bring them all to justice for breaking the law. One of the persons in the room, Ulrika of Västergöhl, a former prostitute who is now born again through Christ and lives in Danjel's house, is furious over the hypocrisy of their persecutors, one of whom used to be her customer. Ulrika vows that her illegitimate daughter Elin will never have to suffer because her mother was a whore ("Never").
Kristina, and Karl Oskar's parents, try to convince him to stay, pointing out the advantages of home ("Golden Wheat Fields"). When Kristina makes christening porridge for the new baby, their starving oldest daughter (Anna) eats it, but the grain swells in her stomach, and she dies ("Come To Me Everyone"). Realising that the poverty in Sweden is just as dangerous as anything overseas, Kristina agrees to move. They visit the Provost and write down their reasons for emigrating in the church book. The provost warns them of all the horrors waiting in America, saying that God will wipe America off the face of the earth within fifty years. The emigrants begin their journey. Karl Oskar, Kristina, their children and Robert have gained some companions; Danjel and his family are moving to escape religious persecution, along with Ulrika and her daughter, and so is Arvid, who has also been living with Danjel. A group of 16 people leaves Ljuder, never to return ("We Open Up the Gateways.")
The ship turns out to be smaller than they had thought it would be. Karl Oskar must bunk with the bachelors. For the first time in their marriage, Kristina and Karl Oskar are separated ("Farmers at Sea"). One day Kristina discovers lice on her body. She is horrified, since she has never had them before in her life, and blames Ulrika, who has none ("Lice").
An old woman on the ship, Fina-Kajsa, is traveling to find her son in America, carrying a big grindstone because she has heard grindstones are very expensive in America. Fina-Kajsa tells the story of how lice came to be.
One night in the middle of a storm Karl Oskar is woken by his oldest son, Johan, who tells him that his mother is bleeding. Kristina, pregnant with her fifth child, has fallen ill with scurvy. The captain does what he can to help her, and Karl Oskar sits by her side, waking through the longest night of his life ("Stay"). When morning finally comes Kristina is alive, but Danjel's wife, who has been ill for a long time without telling her husband, has died ("Burial at Sea").
Fina-Kajsa has a letter from her son, saying that he has plowed 100 acres of fields with good soil. Karl Oskar asks where this is, and Fina-Kajsa reads: "Taylors Falls, Minnesota." Easy to remember, Karl Oskar points out ("Minne" meaning "memory" in Swedish).
On Midsummer's Eve land is finally spotted, after two and a half months on the ocean. The sight of all the New Yorkers out for a Sunday walk overwhelms the immigrants, and so does the foreign language ("A Sunday in Battery Park"). An apple given by one friendly lady to the children reminds Kristina of home. Johan asks if they can go home now. Kristina remembers her motherland, where they now are celebrating midsummer ("Home"). The group travels by train and steamboat, amazed at how wide America is ("Travel Through America"). At a land grab Karl Oskar's and Kristina's daughter Lill-Märta disappears. At the last moment, when the paddle steamer already started moving, Ulrika finds Märta and returns the girl to her parents.
One night the immigrants are left on a pier in Stillwater. It is dark and rainy, and no one understands what they say; they are completely abandoned, until Baptist pastor Henry O Jackson shows up and offers the immigrants shelter, warmth and food.
As Danjel prays, thanking the Lord for the food, they find out that they have a word in common: "Amen."
Robert tells his friend Arvid of his plans to go on the California trail and dig for gold and asks him to come along. Karl Oskar is highly skeptical, but his brother is firmly set on leaving ("The Dream of Gold"). The women are amazed by how Pastor Jackson handles household chores, and begin to understand that women are more equal in this country. The immigrants struggle to communicate with Reverend Jackson ("To Think That Men Like Him Can Exist").
Karl Oskar and Kristina continue to Lake Ki-Chi-Saga, where they intend to build their new home. Here, with help from Ulrika, Kristina gives birth to a healthy son. Karl Oskar reads the Christmas Gospel for his little family, and Kristina tells her new-born child about the land where she was born, and of her astrakan apple tree which is still carrying fruit ("My Astrakan").
;Act II
A few years have passed by. The settlers gather and celebrate their choice to move to this New World ("The Superiors"). But Kristina lies awake at night, tormented by her longing for Sweden, and begs God to let her return ("Bright Evenings in Springtime"). Karl Oskar tells her that if God tries to move her back he will reach out his hand and keep her by his side. He shows her the boots that belonged to their daughter Anna, and reminds her why they left Sweden. He plans to write to her father and ask for some seeds from her astrakan tree, in the hope that a new tree planted at their new settlement will help her feel at home.
When Christmas comes Karl Oskar has bought Kristina a new stove, called the Queen of the Prairie. Their friends gather at New Duvemåla to celebrate Christmas, and they all marvel at the new stove ("The Queen of the Prairie"). The fun gathering is disrupted when Karl Oskar gets into a fight with Nöjd, a fur hunter, who tells Karl Oskar that he does not own the land he farms, which is stolen from the Indians. Karl Oskar describes his plight back home in Sweden, and tells Nöjd how hard he has worked to turn the wild grass on his property into a home and a farm ("Wild Grass").
One evening in June, a strange man is spotted down at the lake shore. Robert has come back from the gold fields. Arvid is not with him, but Robert has a lot of money, which Karl Oskar deposits at the bank. Kristina finds Arvid's watch and demands to know where Arvid is. Robert tells her that he eventually reconciled to his fate and then tells her the story of how they went searching for gold, but ended up lost in the desert. Arvid drank poisoned water and died ("Robert's Story").
The money Robert gives to Karl Oskar turns out to be counterfeit. Karl Oskar becomes furious ("Wild Cat Money"), believing that his brother knew this. Robert walks out to the woods where he finds a lonely stream, the symbol of the freedom he never found. He has caught yellow fever, and by the stream he dies ("Out Towards a Sea (Reprise)").
Karl Oskar and Kristina plant seeds in their new farmlands, and a great wheat field is grown ("The Field"), along with Kristina's apple tree, planted from seeds from home.
Back in Sweden Ulrika was a whore and no respectable man would look at her twice. Now she tells Kristina she has had several suitors ("Won't You Marry Me?") and has decided to marry Pastor Jackson, with whom she has been in love since they met; she will convert to Baptism. Kristina and Ulrika cherish their friendship ("A Miracle of the Lord"). Kristina comes to watch her friend being baptised by Pastor Jackson ("Down to the Sacred Wave").
Kristina suffers a miscarriage and Ulrika takes her to the doctor, then brings Karl Oskar the bad news that, after her miscarriage, Kristina's body cannot take much more. Another childbirth would mean her death ("Miscarriage"). A devastated Kristina thinks of all the bad things that have happened to her, having to leave her home, losing her child and now her husband's love. She desperately prays to God, not knowing what she will do if he isn't real ("You Have To Be There").
As time passes, Kristina begins to feel better. One day the settlers gather for a big harvest feast ("Harvest Feast"), and she tells Uncle Danjel of her wish to live long enough to see her children grow up. She also tells him about her apple tree, which finally is blooming and will give fruits to the autumn. After the feast Kristina tries to convince Karl Oskar that it is God's meaning that husband and wife should be together, and that if God wants her to live she will live, but if He wants her to die He will take her regardless. Karl Oskar argues, until she repeats the words he said to her so many years ago ("Here You Have Me Again").
During the civil war, the state of Minnesota gets a civil war of its own, an Indian uprising. Chaos, murder and violence begin to spread ("Red Iron/The Sioux uprising") at the same time as Kristina finds out that she is once again carrying a child. She tells Karl Oskar, who is worried. She turns to God and asks for help to comfort him, since she is so weak and tired herself ("Help Me Comfort"). The settlers have to leave their homes as the uprising spreads ("Where Do We Belong?"). Karl Oskar sends the children away with Danjel, but cannot leave himself because Kristina has miscarried again, and lies dying in her bed.
Karl Oskar is the only settler remaining in St. Croix Valley, but the apples on the Astrakan tree have finally matured. Karl Oskar gives Kristina the first of the ripe apples, and she smells it. She tells Karl Oskar not to grieve, saying she will be waiting for him at Duvemåla Pasture, as she used to ("I'll Be Waiting There"). Kristina then dies peacefully in her husband's arms.
Music numbers in the original set
(English translations in parentheses)
Kristina: A Concert Event (2009 English language version)
On 23 and 24 September 2009, Benny Andersson
Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, singer, composer and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma M ...
, Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, producer, a member of the musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma Mia!'' He co-produced the films ...
, Ki-Chi-Saga and Universal Music
Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, Dutch law. UMG's cor ...
presented "Kristina: A Concert Event"; Music by Benny Andersson
Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, singer, composer and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma M ...
; Lyrics by Björn Ulvaeus
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, producer, a member of the musical group ABBA, and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess'', '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', and '' Mamma Mia!'' He co-produced the films ...
and Herbert Kretzmer
Herbert Kretzmer (5 October 192514 October 2020) was a South African-born English journalist and lyricist. He was best known as the lyricist for the English-language musical adaptation of ''Les Misérables'' and for his long-time collaboration ...
. The concert took place at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall ( ) is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City. It is at 881 Seventh Avenue (Manhattan), Seventh Avenue, occupying the east side of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street (Manhattan), 56th and 57th Street (Manhatta ...
.
;Act One
*Overture
*Path of Leaves and Needles
*Where You Go I Go With You
*Stone Kingdom
*Down to the Sea
*A Bad Harvest
*No!
*He's Our Pilot
*Never
*Golden Wheat Fields
*All Who Are Grieving
*We Open Up the Gateways
*Peasants at Sea
*Lice
*In The Dead of Darkness
*A Sunday in Battery Park
*Home
*American Man
*Dreams of Gold
*Summer Rose
;Act Two
*Emperors and Kings
*Twilight Images Calling
*Queen of the Prairie
*Wild Grass
*Gold Can Turn To Sand
*Wildcat Money
*To The Sea
*Miracle of God
*Down to the Waterside
*Miscarriage
*You Have to Be There
"You Have to Be There" (Swedish: ''Du måste finnas'') is a song from the 1995 musical '' Kristina från Duvemåla'', written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, originally performed by Helen Sjöholm. The lyrics are sung by the lead character ...
*Here I Am Again
*With Child Again
*Rising from the Myth and Legend
*I'll Be Waiting There
Note: In the Playbill
''Playbill'' is an American monthly magazine for theatergoers. Although there is a subscription issue available for home delivery, most copies of ''Playbill'' are printed for particular productions and distributed at the door as the show's pr ...
for the concert the song "Summer Rose" was listed as a reprise at the end of Act Two but was not performed at either of the two concerts.
The cast featured:
*Kristina – Helen Sjöholm
Marie Helen Sjöholm (; born 10 July 1970) is a Swedish singer, actress and musical theatre performer who lives in Gamla Enskede in Stockholm. She grew up in Sundsvall and started to sing in choirs at an early age, working, among others, with S ...
*Karl Oskar – Russell Watson
Russell Watson is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. He began singing as a child, and became known after performing at a working men's club. He came to attention in 1999 when he sang "God ...
*Ulrika – Louise Pitre
Louise Pitre (born January 1, 1957) is a Canadian actress in musical theatre. She performs on Broadway and in Canada. She is best known for her role as Donna Sheridan in the ABBA-themed musical '' Mamma Mia!'', which earned her a 2002 Tony Award ...
*Robert – Kevin Odekirk
*Daniel – David Hess
*Brusander – Robert Ousley
*Arvid – Greg Stone
*Fina-Kajsa – Joy Hermalyn
*Jackson – Walter Charles
*Nojd – Raymond Jaramillo McLeod
*Ensemble – Derin Altay, Chris Bohannan, Jane Brockman, Walter Charles, Rebecca Eichenberger, Osborn Focht, Blythe Gruda, Liz Griffith, Joy Hermalyn, David Hess, Michael James Leslie, T. Doyle Leverett, Rob Lorey, Frank Mastrone, Raymond Jaramillo McLeod, Linda Mugleston, Jan Neuberger, Robert Ousley, Sal Sabella, Wayne Schroder, Greg Stone, Jessica Vosk, Kathy Voytko
*Understudies – For Kristina: Kathy Voytko; For Karl Oskar: David Hess
American Theatre Orchestra
Music director and conductor: Paul Gemignani
Director: Lars Rudolfsson
Music (1995 original cast recording)
The song titles are the original Swedish ones. The titles in parenthesis are the titles directly translated into English.
;Act One
*"Prolog"
*"Duvemåla hage" (Duvemåla Pasture)
*"Min lust till dig" (My Desire for You)
*"Ut mot ett hav" (Out to a Sea)
*"Missväxt" (Bad Harvest)
*"Nej" (No)
*"Lilla skara" (Little Group)
*"Aldrig" (Never)
*"Kom till mig alla" (Come to Me, Everyone)
*"Vi öppnar alla grindar" (We Open All the Gates)
*"Bönder på havet" (Peasants at Sea)
*"Löss" (Lice)
*"Stanna" (Stay)
*"Begravning till sjöss" (Burial at Sea)
*"A Sunday in Battery Park"
*"Hemma" (Home)
*"Från New York till Stillwater" (From New York to Stillwater)
*"Tänk att män som han kan finnas" (To Think that Men Like Him Exist)
*"Kamfer och lavendel" (Camphor and Lavender)
*"Drömmen om guld" (The Dream of Gold)
*"Min astrakan" (My Astrakan pple Tree
;Act Two
*"Överheten" (The Superiors)
*"Ljusa kvällar om våren" (Bright Evenings in Springtime)
*"Präriens Drottning" (The Queen of the Prairie)
*"Vildgräs" (Wild Grass)
*"Jag har förlikat mig till slut" (I Have Resigned at Last)
*"Guldet blev till sand" (The Gold Turned into Sand)
*"Wild Cat Money"
*"Ut mot ett hav (repris)" (Out to a Sea (Reprise))
*"Vill du inte gifta dig med mig?" (Won't You Marry Me?)
*"Ett Herrans underverk" (A Miracle of the Lord)
*"Down to the Sacred Wave"
*"Missfall" (Miscarriage)
*"Du måste finnas" (You Must Exist)
*"Skördefest" (Harvest Feast)
*"Här har du mig igen" (Here You Have Me Again)
*"Red Iron"/"Hjälp mig trösta" (Red Iron/Help Me Comfort)
*"Var hör vi hemma?" (Where Do We Belong?)
*"I gott bevar" (In Good Keeping)
References
External links
Official Website
icethesite archives – Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus news site – Kristina från Duvemåla – The Musical
Kristina at the Royal Albert Hall on 14 April 2010
Kristina från Duvemåla at Svenska Teatern, Helsinki premiere February 2012
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kristina Fran Duvemala
1995 musicals
Works about Swedish-American culture
Swedish musicals
Musicals based on novels
Musicals by Benny Andersson
Musicals by Björn Ulvaeus