''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'' is a

musical Musical is the adjective of music. Musical may also refer to: * Musical theatre, a performance art that combines songs, spoken dialogue, acting and dance * Musical film Musical film is a film genre in which songs by the Character (arts), charac ...

with a book and lyrics by

Graciela Daniele Graciela Daniele (born December 8, 1939) is an Argentine- American dancer, choreographer, and theatre director. A stage musical based on her life, title '' The Gardens of Anuncia'', premiered in 2021, created by Michael John LaChiusa. Biography ...

and Jim Lewis (and additional material by

Michael John LaChiusa Michael John LaChiusa (born July 24, 1962) is an American musical theatre and opera composer, lyricist, and librettist. He is best known for musically esoteric shows such as '' Hello Again'', '' Marie Christine'', '' The Wild Party'', and '' See W ...

) and music by

Bob Telson Robert Eria Telson (born May 14, 1949) is an American composer, songwriter, and pianist best known for his work in musical theater and film, for which he has received Tony, Pulitzer, and Academy Award nominations. Biography Robert Eria Telso ...

. It is based on

Gabriel García Márquez Gabriel José García Márquez (; 6 March 1927 – 17 April 2014) was a Colombian writer and journalist, known affectionately as Gabo () or Gabito () throughout Latin America. Considered one of the most significant authors of the 20th centur ...

's 1981 novella of the

same name ''Same Name'' is an American reality television series in which an average person swaps lives with a celebrity of the same first and last name. It premiered on July 24, 2011 on CBS. The series received low ratings, and CBS pulled it after four-ep ...

Production

The musical premiered on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

at the Plymouth Theatre on June 15, 1995, and played 37 performances and 28 previews before closing on July 16, 1995. The show was a presentation of

Lincoln Center Theater The Vivian Beaumont Theater is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater in the Lincoln Center complex at 150 West 65th Street on the Upper West Side of Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Operated by the nonprofit Lincoln Center Theater (LCT ...

, as part of their New Collaboration Series. The production was conceived, directed, and choreographed by

.Canby, Vincent.
"Theater Review: Chronicle Of A Death Foretold; A Tale of Fate And Magic, Told Back to Front"

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

, June 16, 1995. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. The original production starred

Tonya Pinkins Tonya Pinkins is an American actress and filmmaker. Her award-winning debut feature film ''Red Pill'' was an official selection at the 2021 Pan African Film Festival, won the Best Black Lives Matter Feature and Best First Feature at The Mykonos ...

, Saundra Santiago as Angela Vicario and dancers

George de la Peña George de la Peña (born December 9, 1955) is an American ballet dancer, musical theatre performer, choreographer, actor, and teacher. He was born in 1955 in New York City, New York. Originally trained as a concert pianist, de la Peña switched t ...

(as Santiago), Alexandre Proia (as Bayardo San Roman), Gregory Mitchell and Luis Perez. It was nominated for three

Tony Award The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Broadway Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes excellence in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ce ...

s and five

Drama Desk Award The Drama Desk Awards are among the most esteemed honors in New York theater, recognizing outstanding achievements across Broadway, Off-Broadway, and Off-Off-Broadway productions within the same categories. The awards are considered a signific ...

s, although it failed to win any awards.

Synopsis

In a small town in South America, Bayardo San Roman, a newly married man rejects Angela Vicario, his young bride when he discovers that she is not a virgin. She returns to her family home, where they make her reveal her lover. She names Santiago, the best friend of her brothers, who is innocent. They are determined to avenge the family honor by killing their best friend: a "death foretold."

Analysis

The show is called a "dance theatre" piece, "driven more by dance than by music." John Simon, writing in ''New York Magazine'' termed it a "dance-drama", with "dancing, singing, speaking, and posturing." The show has three songs and no actual book, with the "narrative propelled by dance."

Critical reception

Vincent Canby Vincent Canby (July 27, 1924 – October 15, 2000) was an American film and theatre critic who was the chief film critic for ''The New York Times'' from 1969 until the early 1990s, then its chief theatre critic from 1994 until his death in 2000. ...

of ''

'' found the musical "a frequently stunning show that is less a conventional musical adaptation than a performance piece". ''

Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...

'' magazine wrote that, despite the fact that in "the novella's passage from page to stage, something of its fateful weight has been forfeited", the musical was "smart, surrealistic and visually entrancing."Leithauser, Bra
Perchance To Dream - Time
'Time'' Magazine

Awards and nominations

Original Broadway production

References

External links

''Chronicle of a Death Foretold'' at the Internet Broadway Database
{{Michael John LaChiusa 1995 musicals Broadway musicals Musicals based on short fiction Musicals set in South America