A Little Night Music | Sondheim Society

A Little Night Music (1973)

Words & Music: Stephen Sondheim

Book: Hugh Wheeler, suggested by the film Smiles of a Summer Night (1955) by Ingmar Bergman.

Premise: Set in turn-of-the-century Sweden, A Little Night Music follows interwoven romantic entanglements among artists, lawyers, servants and aristocrats. Actress Désirée Armfeldt reunites with former lover Fredrik Egerman, whose young wife Anne is pursued by his son Henrik. Over a midsummer weekend of “night smiles”, jealousies surface, regrets are confronted and partners realign, revealing the multiple follies of love. All is observed by a wry chorus, largely in triple time, underscoring the comedy with melancholy and grace.

Background: A Little Night Music emerged in the early 1970s from Stephen Sondheim’s growing interest in European cinema and sophisticated adult relationships. He and director Hal Prince were inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s 1955 film Smiles of a Summer Night, whose ironic treatment of desire and social ritual suggested a new musical form. Sondheim decided to write almost the entire score in waltz time, using its pulsing rhythm to mirror emotional patterns of pursuit and retreat. Hugh Wheeler’s book adapted Bergman’s intricate plotting while reshaping it for the stage, emphasizing wit, sexual politics and emotional restraint. The project was developed during a transitional period in Broadway history, when concept-driven musicals were challenging traditional structures. Rehearsals revealed the need for a unifying perspective, leading to the invention of the liederslieder quintet as a commenting ensemble - refined, conversational, emotionally exact and driven by inner feeling rather than theatrical spectacle. After previews refined tone and pacing, the show opened on Broadway in 1973, marking a confident step toward mature, literate musical storytelling.

Major productions/concert performances/recordings:

Broadway 1973

Broadway Production (1973)

Sam S. Shubert Theatre, 225 West 44th Street, New York

Tryout: Colonial Theatre, Boston

Opens: 23 January 1973 (2 previews)

Closes: 10 February 1973 (23 performances)

Shubert Theatre, New York

Previews: 15 February 1973 (12 previews)

Opens: 25 February 1973

Closes: 15 September 1973

Majestic Theatre, New York

Opens: 17 September 1973

Closes: 3 August 1974

Performances: 601

Producer: Harold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell

Director: Harold Prince

Musical Director: Harold Hastings

Choreography: Patricia Birch

Orchestrations: Jonathan Tunick

Scenic Production Designer: Boris Aronson
Costumes Designer: Florence Klotz
Lighting Designer: Tharon Musser
Music Publisher: Tommy Valando

Cast:

Mr. Lindquist: Benjamin Rayson
Mrs. Nordstrom: Teri Ralston (replaced by Joy Franz)
Mrs. Anderssen: Barbara Lang (replaced by Sherry Mathis, after which Barbara Lang returned)
Mr. Erlanson: Gene Varrone (replaced by David Vosburgh)
Mrs. Segstrom: Beth Fowler
Fredrika Armfeldt: Judy Kahan (replaced by Sheila K. Adams)
Madame Armfeldt: Hermione Gingold
Frid, her butler: George Lee Andrews (replaced by Dick Sabol)
Henrik Egerman: Mark Lambert
Anne Egerman: Victoria Mallory
Fredrik Egerman - Len Cariou (replaced by William Daniels)
Petra: D. Jamin-Bartlett
Desiree Armfeldt: Glynis Johns
Malla, her maid: Despo
Bertrand, a page: Will Sharpe Marshall
Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm: Laurence Guittard
Countess Charlotte Malcolm: Patricia Elliott
Osa: Sherry Mathis

Musical Numbers:

During Previews, song names were not listed in the programme, so the below were guesses by "StylishCynic" on BroadwayWorld; for the official track listing, see album selections beneath

"Vocal Overture" – The Quintet (of Mr. Lindquist, Mrs. Nordstrom, Mrs. Anderssen, Mr. Erlanson, and Mrs. Segstrom)

Act One

“Night Waltz” – Orchestra
“Now” – Fredrik
“Later” – Henrik
“Soon” – Anne, Henrik, Fredrik
“The Glamorous Life” – Fredrika, Desiree, Malla, Mme. Armfeldt, The Quintet
“Remember?” – The Quintet
“You Must Meet My Wife” – Fredrik, Desiree
“Liaisons” – Mme. Armfeldt
“In Praise of Women” – Carl-Magnus
“Every Day a Little Death” – Charlotte, Anne
“A Weekend in the Country” – Company

Act Two

“The Sun Won’t Set” – The Quintet
“It Would Have Been Wonderful” – Fredrik, Carl-Magnus
“Night Waltz II” – The Quintet (recorded but not on the Original Broadway Cast Recording)
“Perpetual Anticipation” – Mrs. Nordstrom, Mrs. Segstrom, Mrs. Anderssen
“Send in the Clowns” – Desiree
“The Miller’s Son” – Petra
"Finale" – Company

Awards

Tony Awards
Best Musical
Best Music and Lyrics (Stephen Sondheim)
Best Book (Hugh Wheeler)
Best Actress in a Musical (Glynis Johns)
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical (Patricia Elliott)

Drama Desk Awards
Outstanding Musical
Outstanding Music (Stephen Sondheim)
Outstanding Lyrics (Stephen Sondheim)
Outstanding Book of a Musical (Hugh Wheeler)
Outstanding Director of a Musical (Harold Prince)
Outstanding Performance (Glynis Johns)
Outstanding Performance (Patricia Elliott)
Most Promising Performer (D. Jamin-Bartlett)

New York Drama Critics Circle Award

Best Musical

Recordings:

A Little Night Music (Original Broadway Cast Recording)

Producer: Goddard Lieberson
Associate producer: Thomas Z. Shepard

Engineers: Edward T. Graham, John Guerriere
Quadraphonic sound supervisor: Jay David Saks
Quadraphonic remix engineer: Ray Moore
Liner notes: William Evans
Lyric sheet included with the original LP release

LP [stereo/quadraphonic], April 1973 [Columbia KS 32265]
LP [quadraphonic], 1973 [Columbia SQ 32265] [deleted 1977]
LP [UK release], 1973 [CBS Embassy S 31515]
Cassette, 197? [Columbia ST 32265] [deleted 1976]
8-track Cartridge [stereo], 197? [Columbia SA 32265] [deleted 1976]
8-track Cartridge [quadraphonic], 197? [Columbia SAQ 32265] [deleted 1977]
LP reissue, 19?? [Columbia JS 32265]
LP, 1982 [Time-Life Records STL-AM12] [with Company and A Funny Thing Happened...]
Cassette, 1982 [Time-Life Records 4TL-AM12] [with Company and A Funny Thing Happened...]
Compact Disc, 19?? [Columbia CK 32265] (60:11 mins.)
Cassette reissue, 19?? [Columbia JST 32265]

Selections:

"Overture and Night Waltz" (3:43), "Now/Later/Soon" (10:24), "The Glamorous Life" (3:50), "Remember?" (2:23), "You Must Meet My Wife" (4:07), "Liaisons" (4:59), "In Praise of Women" (3:21), "Every Day a Little Death" (2:27), "A Weekend in the Country" (6:41), "The Sun Won't Set" (1:49), "It Would Have Been Wonderful" (4:25), "Perpetual Anticipation" (0:55), "Send in the Clowns" (3:26), "The Miller's Son" (4:26), "Finale" (Reprise: "Send in the Clowns" and "Night Waltz") (3:06)

Remastered and Expanded Release
Reissue Producer: Thomas Z. Shepard
Reissue Engineers: Robert Wolff, Dixon Van Winkle
Liner notes: Didier C. Deutsch and Thomas Z. Shepard
Adds two bonus tracks: "Night Waltz II - The Sun Sits Low" and "The Glamorous Life" (film version)

Compact Disc, November 1998 [Sony Classical/Columbia/Legacy SK 65284] (68:18 mins.)
Compact Disc (reissue), October 2009 [Masterworks Broadway 56208]

Selections:
Act I: "Overture and Night Waltz" (3:59), "Now/Later/Soon" (10:37), "The Glamorous Life" (4:01), "Remember?" (2:30), "You Must Meet My Wife" (4:07), "Liaisons" (5:06), "In Praise of Women" (3:30), "Every Day a Little Death" (2:28), "A Weekend in the Country" (6:40)
Act II: "Night Waltz I - The Sun Won't Set" (1:49), "Night Waltz II - The Sun Sits Low" (1:42), "It Would Have Been Wonderful" (4:26), "Perpetual Anticipation" (0:58), "Send in the Clowns" (3:27), "The Miller's Son" (4:28), "Finale" (3:33), "The Glamorous Life" (film version), performed by Elaine Tomkinson (4:57)

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