Theatre News

LSO Presents Bernstein’s Candide at Barbican

The London Symphony Orchestra will present Leonard Bernstein’s 1956 Broadway operetta Candide in a one-off concert performance at the Barbican Hall on 5 June 2011, with a cast led by Andrew Staples as Candide, Kiera Duffy as Cunegonde and Jeremy Williams as Pangloss.

Based on Voltaire’s novel, Candide tells the story of a young man determined to cling to his instructor’s philosophy that “all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds” despite the many tragedies that he encounters.

Its last major London outing was in 2008, when Alex Jennings played Pangloss in Robert Carsen’s production at the London Coliseum for English National Opera.

At the Barbican, the LSO will be conducted by Kristjan Järvi. The cast is completed by Marcus Deloach as Maximillian and Kim Criswell as Old Lady, alongside David Robinson, Sarah Jane McMahon, Jeffrey Tucker, Ross Benoliel, Jason Switzer, Michael Scarcelle and Peter Tantsits.

The LSO has a significant history with Candide, having performed and recorded the work in 1989 conducted by Leonard Bernstein in his final concert appearances in London.