Frankly, I think one of the reasons for that is simply that European and American tastes (or European and Broadway audience tastes) are quite different, and stuff that's success in one won't necessarily be a success in another.

And to be perfectly honest, I couldn't even care less if Rebecca on Broadway is a success or not. I realise it's important for those of you for whom it's your biggest chance of actually seeing the show live, but for me it isn't of any interest... And frankly I even hope it won't be a huge success. I don't want it to be a flop, of course, or to be ruined like DotV, but I hate the thought that if there's a wildly successful Broadway production, after that nobody will ever talk about anything else or consider the original production or any European productions worthy of a mention. Because an English-language production is always considered so much more important than anything else, and it bugs the heck out of me.

Fair enough.

But I would like to point out that on this thread people seem equally enthusiastic about any potential productions of the show, whether they be in Switzerland, the Netherlands, or the United States. The Tanz thread isn't monopolized by discussion of the Broadway outing by any means. On the Elisabeth thread, lately we've only ever talked about the possibility of a German language production at a college on this side of the Atlantic.

Sure, the hype about certain productions in certain styles or languages can get annoying, but I think we're really good about that.

I personally get excited about productions of my favourite shows in any countries that they haven't been in before. Such as Elisabeth in Korea, Tanz in Russia, or Rebecca at St. Gallen. It's hard not to. It means more bootlegs cast album recordings I can purchase legitimately upon visiting itunes, amazon, or any other lovely legitimate sites.

Oooh. Kuntze may be a genius translator, but he can't do English lyrics to save his life. Okay, they're not that bad, but certainly not goof enough to pass muster on Broadway XP

Well, I hope it still works. I would love to be able to see it. *fingers crossed*

If the lyrics for Wicked and Phantom of the Opera can stand on Broadway, then I'm sure nobody will have trouble with Dr. Kunze's.

Talking of which, does anyone know if the St. Gallen production is going to be in Romansche or Schwyzer Deustch? I recall there being Swiss representatives for the Tenth Anniversary Concert of Elisabeth, but are they translating for Rebecca?

Found the video of Maya Hakvoort singing 'Rebecca' for the Osaka Wien concert, by the way:



Also, check out Carolee Carmello's blog, which addresses taking on the role of Mrs. Danvers.

I really hope it will be "standard German", because I really can't understand Schwyzer Deutsch... but I think it will be, because I saw Graf von Monte Christo in Sankt Gallen, and that was in "standard German". I don't even know if Thomas Borchert and Maya Hakvoort (who both aren't Swiss) speak Schwyzer Deutsch?

Okay, that clears up a lot. I guess you have to assume that since the cast seems to comprise of non-Swiss so far that it's going to be in German. And with the production drawing near, it would be strange if they were acutally translating material.

I didn't know Graf von Monte Christo was in German. Shows you what I know.

I'm sure it will be in standard German. At least the previous productions in that theatre have been (I saw Les Mis there, and have heard a few bootlegs of other productions). And I would be surprised if Schwyzer Deutsch is even a language that musicals would usually be done in, as it's more of a spoken dialect.

For the record, I wasn't talking specifically about this forum when I worried that a successful US production of Rebecca would lead to other productions being ignored. Of course you guys pay attention to non-English productions, otherwise you wouldn't even know these musicals. I follow the fandom largely in general, lots of forums and websites, and the musical fandom overall, and it bugs me how much more attention English-language productions get than others. I have a bit of an issue with the dominance of English language in general, but I'm not going to get into that now. But frankly, I think it's fair if sometimes English-speakers have to learn other languages to get to know something awesome; the rest of us are pretty much forced to learn English if we want to get by in today's world. And it's not to say I don't like the English language, but the dominance is hard not to perceive. However, that's a whole different bag of issues and I probably would do better to leave it for now.

YAY! for the Maya clip, and to the Wicked/Poto comment.

Lein, if you or Eefke do make it out to St. Gallen, please be kind and give us alot of picturespam ^^ I can't wait to see what Maya looks like as Danvers *blocks Finnish piano-key dress from my mind* Or Thomas as Maxim Any news on "Ich" casting yet?

Clearly you've never read his English work. Next to those, Schwartz and the Hart/Stilgoe team look like Shakespeare.

Of course I was kidding, just a little. I really have tried to block the English lyrics of 'Manderley In Flammen' from my head... Well, it's come back, in all its lurid technicolour. With numbers like that, it's no wonder the English demo didn't entice an West End production, right off the bat.

Angela, why must you bring back the memory of the piano-key Danvers number??? How much more scarring can my poor mind take?

Getting a little off the point, am I the only one annoyed that Rebecca's Wikipedia page (here) only has ONE paragraph about the musical? Heck, that should have a whole page of its own!

Also...I like "Manderley's On Fire", dang it!

THIS.

So is it a fact that Rebecca's coming to London? And if so, when? (Too lazy to Google.) I may bring my host sister to come see it