My Fair Lady by Frederick Loewe, libretto by Alan Jay Lerner was premiered at Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris December 9th, and will be performed at this outstanding Musical theatre in Paris until  January 2nd. 2011.

It is in a first class, old fashion production, trustfully to the ideas, which is world famous from the wonderful cinema production with Audrey Hepburn in the titelrole, but with all the songs sung by Julie Andrews
. In this remarkable production staged by Robert Carsen, it is remarkable, that the splendid titelrole holder SARAH GABRIEL is singing better and more beautiful than Julie Andrews in the film, an absolute pleasure to listen to. As regisseur, Robert Carsen is being good helped by an outstanding, moving scenografi by Tim Hatley and beautiful costumes by Anthony Powell, while Lynne Page has done the good choreography a, Adam Silverman the atmosphaere making ligting, and Ian Burton is responsible for the Dramaturgie. Kevin Farrell is conductor for this good production, and is having under his baton Orchestre Pasdeloup and the choir of Châtelet, the choir of Châtelet, choir instruction Stephen Betteridge. And a group of good dancers.

Costume scetches by Anthony Powell - My Fair Lady

This production of My Fair Lady is a coproduction with Théâtre Mariinsky in Saint-Petersburg, where it will be the first musical ever to be presented at the theater. In Saint-Petersburg Valerij Gergiev will be musically responsibel.

Robert Carson, Regi - My Fair Lady, Paris

Robert Carsen is having a brilliant casting for this outstanding production. First of all, as mentioned Sarah Gabriel as eliza Doolittle, but she is not alone on stage. Alex Jennings is a good choise as Henry Higging, Nicholas Le Prevost as Colonel Pickering, Donald Maxwell wonderful as Alfred P. Doolittle and Ed Lyon amazingwith the most beautiful voice as Freddy Eynsford-Hill. Jenny Galloway good as Mrs. Pearce and Margaret Tyzack as Mrs. Higgins. In addition a long list of great and importent roles of all kinds. With Simon Butteris as Zoltan Karpathy.

In his staging Robert Carsen is trustfull to the history that we know from Gabriel Pascals film My Fair Lady, based on Pygmalion by Georg Bernard Shaw. The personal instruction is clear, letting each of the leading roles play their roles who is bringing the history forward without any delayes, but without forgetting any of the points, and using the choir and the groups to build up the big scenes, as at the Flower Market Place – Covent Garden, at Ascot and at the Royal Ball. The movements are good, and the Scenography by Tim Hatley is giving fast elegant shifts between the many different stages, so that the history not is stopping, and we can, like in the film follow the history easely.

All the famouse melodies are there, and one of the very big hits was the handsome Ed Lyon singing “On the Street Where You Live”– Extraordinary good

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The swinging Orchestration is by Robert Russell Bennett and Philip J. Lang, and it sounds good.