Musical Theater Treasures: "Zorba"

Here’s another of the great Broadway musical treasures I started to post a couple weeks ago.  (For those who haven’t read my explanation how this “treasures” came about, I described it all here.

This one is from one of the lesser-known musicals by Kander and Ebb, who wrote “Cabaret” and “Chicago,” but it’s a show whose score I love.  And this, of course, has a backstory.When the musical opened in 1968, it only had a modest run of 305 performances, about 10 months.  And one of the reasons attributed to that is because it had the perception of being like “Fiddler on the Roof” which had only opened four years earlier – it starred Herschel Bernardi who had replaced Zero Mostel in “Fiddler” to great acclaimed.  And it co-starred Maria Karnilova who had starred as ‘Golde’ opposite Mostel in that original production of “Fiddler.”  And like “Fiddler on the Roof,” the story took place in a poor Eastern European town.  The problem was that the show had nothing in common with “Fiddler on the Roof.”  It was based on the hit movie “Zorba the Greek,” and dealt with totally different themes.  And had a very different score, generally very Greek in style.  But the perception permeated, and so audiences were a bit disoriented when they saw the show – or chose not go in the first place.  A shame because it’s very good.But – 15 years later, in 1983 someone had the remarkable idea to revive “Zorba,” but with a huge, attention-getting twist.  The revival would star Anthony Quinn, recreating his most famous, Oscar-nominated role from twenty years before, in 1964.  And it would co-star Lila Kedrova, recreating her famous, Oscar-winning role from the film.  And the stage musical would be directed by  Michael Cacoyannis – who, yes, had directed (and written and produced) the movie, getting Oscar nominations for all three categories.

I saw the show in Los Angeles during its pre-Broadway tour.  And thought the show was terrific.  It’s softened a bit from the original, but was still very textured and vibrant, with shades of darkness but hope.  Anthony Quinn was no singer, but he delivered his songs with such rich character and energy that it fit the portrayal wonderful – and he owned the stage when he was on.  Lila Kedrova didn’t sing all that well either, though she only had one number, and it’s a gem.  And she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a musical – for the same role she’d won the Oscar.  The show had a very successful tour and, though not a long run on Broadway, it was a longer run than the original, going 362 performances.And yes, as you’ve figured out by now, here’s video of that production of “Zorba” with Anthony Quinn and Lila Kedrova.  And it features two songs I love from the show, performed by each of them.

Lila Kedrova’s song requires a brief explanation.  Her character ‘Madame Hortense’ is dying, and as ‘Zorba’ and a very few others surround her bed, her spirit rises and sings a number looking back at her childhood, with all the false optimism she lived much of her life.  I dearly love the song, which is very different from the rest of the score – called “Happy Birthday.”  It’s got the sweetest music and lovely, charming, upbeat lyrics, sung from the perspective of a young girl, yet underneath them is a deep heartbreaking wistfulness of self-delusion.  I don’t think you can make out all the words clearly here – it begins with her saying how her mother introduced her to the birthday crowd, “’Ladies and Gentlemen, my beautiful daughter!  It’s her birthday, she’s 16 years old.’  And my mother said, ‘You will dance through life. You will dance all through life!!’” – and then once the song begins, it gets to my favorite passage which goes:

“My mother says,

She looks at me and she remembers --

'Happy birthday!' (Happy birthday!)

She envies me the love I’m just about to see.

But she was yesterday

And I’m tomorrow!

Happy birthday To me!”

And the other song in the video is the final number of the show, sung by “Zorba’ sung to ‘Nikos’, the young American visitor to the town, whose view on life is changed by his time with ‘Zorba’.  And as the young man prepares his departure, ‘Zorba’ gives him a final explanation of his worldview, the wonderful, “I am Free.”

And you get to see Anthony Quinn in his fullness, showing why – despite not being a singer – he was so memorable in the role.  This is a star turn.  And so wonderful we have video of it, both these numbers.