The Bronx Opera Company is proud to present a rare NYC production of the landmark musical “Lady in the Dark,” based on the book by Moss Hart, music and lyrics by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin, in two weekend performances on Saturday, Jan. 28, and Saturday, Feb. 4, at 7.30 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 29 and Sunday, Feb. 5, at 2.30 p.m. The shows will be performed at the Lovinger Theatre at Lehman College,  located at 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West.

 

According to Bronx Opera Company, “Lady in the Dark” premiered at the Alvin Theatre on Broadway on Jan. 23, 1941, with a cast led by Gertrude Lawrence and Danny Kaye, with the orchestra conducted by Maurice Abravanel. “The Saga of Jenny,” “My Ship,” and “Tchaikovsky” are the three most well-known songs in what is described as a brilliant piece of musical theatre which combines the verbal style of Hart, the always fascinating, musical language of Weill, and the brilliant lyrics of Gershwin.

 

The Story

Liza Elliott appears to have it all; she runs a successful fashion magazine and has several suitors. Underneath, however, she is miserable, which leads her to see a psychiatrist, who works with Liza to analyze her feelings by way of her dreams. She recounts three dreams: one in which she is the center of a world of glamor, one in which she is the center of her own wedding, and finally a manic “circus” trial scene in which she is forced to defend herself against the charge that she refuses to make up her mind.

 

Ultimately, Liza finds the root of her problem in a childhood song which haunts her, but which she is unable to remember in full. Will she be able to process her dreams, her memories, and the various personalities that surround her?

Bronx Opera Company was founded in 1967 by its artistic director and music director, Michael Spierman, conductor, who runs the company in partnership with his son, Benjamin Spierman, the company’s general director. The company is a member of the New York Opera Alliance.

 

Spring Performances