A Little Night Music

出典: Wikipedio

A Little Night Music is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler. Inspired by the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, it involves the romantic lives of several couples. Its title is a literal English translation of the German name for Mozart's Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major, Eine kleine Nachtmusik. The musical includes the popular song "Send in the Clowns".

Since its original 1973 Broadway production, the musical has enjoyed professional productions in London and elsewhere, and it is a popular choice for regional groups. It was adapted for film in 1977, with Harold Prince directing and Elizabeth Taylor, Len Cariou, Lesley-Anne Down and Diana Rigg starring.

Synopsis

Prologue

The play is set in Sweden at the turn of the 20th century. The show opens with a prologue, introducing the Liebeslieder Singers, who blend fragments of the songs from throughout the play. The other characters enter, engaged in a waltz, but all are uncomfortable with their partners. After the dance, the aging and severe Madame Armfeldt and her solemn granddaughter, Fredrika, enter. Mme Armfeldt tells the child that the summer night "smiles" three times: first on the young, second on fools, and third on the old. Fredrika vows to watch the smiles occur.

Act One

Middle aged Fredrik Egerman is a successful lawyer. He has recently married an 18-year-old trophy wife, Anne, a vain girl who is in love with Fredrik, but too immature to grasp the concept of marriage. The two have been married for eleven months, but Anne still protects her virginity. Fredrik laments his inability to make love to his wife ("Now"). Meanwhile, his son Henrik, a year older than his stepmother, is feeling extremely frustrated. He is a seminary student and everyone is always teasing him, never taking him seriously or letting him talk ("Later"). Anne is intrigued by him, but fails to understand his real meaning. Anne promises her husband that she will consent to have sex shortly ("Soon"). Anne's maidservant Petra, an experienced and forthright girl, slightly older than the teen herself, offers her crass advice.

Desiree Armfeldt is a prominent actress who is reduced to touring in small towns. Madame Armfeldt, Desiree's mother, has taken over the care of her daughter Fredrika. Fredrika misses her mother, but Desiree continually puts off going to see her, preferring, somewhat ironically, "The Glamorous Life". She is performing near Fredrik's home, and the lawyer brings Anne to see the play. While there, Desiree notices Fredrik; the two were lovers years before. Anne, suspicious and annoyed because of Desiree's amorous glances, demands that Fredrik bring her home immediately. Meanwhile, Petra has been trying to seduce Henrik.

That night, as Fredrik remembers his past with Desiree, he sneaks out to see her; the two share a happy but strained reunion, as they "Remember". They reflect on their new lives, and Fredrik tries to explain how much he loves Anne ("You Must Meet My Wife"). Desiree responds sarcastically, boasting of her own adultery, as she has been seeing a married dragoon. Upon learning that Fredrik has gone for eleven months without sex, she agrees to accommodate him as a favor for an old friend.

Madame Armfeldt offers advice to young Fredrika. The elderly woman reflects poignantly on her own checkered past, and wonders what happened to her refined "Liaisons". Back in Desiree's apartment, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm proclaims his unannounced arrival in his typical booming voice. Fredrik and Desiree fool the gullible Count into believing that their disheveled appearance was entirely innocent, but the military man is still suspicious. He instantly dislikes Fredrik and returns to his wife, Countess Charlotte. Charlotte is quite aware of her husband's infidelity, but Carl-Magnus is too absorbed in his suspicions of Desiree to talk to her singing "In Praise of Women". When she persuades him to blurt out the whole story, a twist is revealed—Charlotte's little sister is a school friend of Anne's.

Charlotte visits Anne, who is talking with Petra. Charlotte describes Fredrik's meeting with Desiree; Anne reacts with shock and horror. The older woman explains to Anne that such is the lot of a wife, and that marriage brings pain in "Every Day A Little Death". Meanwhile, Desiree goes to her mother and requests that Madame Armfeldt host a party for Fredrik, Anne, and Henrik. Though reluctant, the elderly woman agrees. She sends out a personal invitation; its receipt sends the women into a frenzy, imagining "A Weekend in the Country". Anne does not want to accept the invitation, but Charlotte convinces her to do so to heighten the contrast between the older woman and the young teenager. Meanwhile, the Count has plans of his own — as a birthday present to his wife, the pair will attend the party uninvited. Carl-Magnus plans to challenge Fredrik to a duel, while Charlotte hopes to seduce the lawyer to make her husband jealous and end his philandering. The act ends as the day of the party dawns.

Act Two

Mme. Armfeldt's country estate is bathed in the golden glow of perpetual summer sunset at this high latitude ("Night Waltz One and Two"). Everyone arrives, each carrying their own amorous purposes and desires—even Petra, who catches the eye of Mme. Armfeldt's fetching manservant, Frid. The women begin to act against each other. Fredrik is astonished to learn the name of Desiree's daughter. Henrik meets Fredrika, and confesses his deep love for Anne to her. Meanwhile, in the garden, Fredrik and Carl-Magnus reflect on how difficult it is to be annoyed with Desiree, agreeing "It Would Have Been Wonderful" had she not been quite so wonderful. Dinner is served, and the characters' "Perpetual Anticipation" enlivens that meal.

At dinner, Charlotte attempts to flirt with Fredrik, while Anne and Desiree trade insults. Soon, everyone is shouting and scolding everyone else, except for Henrik, who finally stands up for himself. He shrieks at them for being completely amoral, and flees the scene. Stunned, everyone reflects on the situation and wanders away. Fredrika tells Anne of Henrik's secret love, and the two dash off searching for him. Meanwhile, Desiree meets Fredrik and asks if he still wants to be "rescued" from his life. Fredrik answers honestly that he loves Desiree, but only as a dream. Hurt and bitter, Desiree can only reflect on the nature of her life ("Send in the Clowns"). Anne finds Henrik, who is attempting to commit suicide. The clumsy boy cannot complete the task, and Anne tells him that she has feelings for him, too. The pair begins to kiss, which leads to Anne's first sexual encounter. Meanwhile, not far away, Frid sleeps in Petra's lap. The maid thinks of the joy and freedom that she longs for before becoming trapped in marriage ("The Miller's Son"). Henrik and Anne, happy together, run away to start their new life. Charlotte confesses her plan to Fredrik, and the two commiserate on a bench. Carl-Magnus, preparing to romance Desiree, sees this and challenges Fredrik to Russian Roulette, in which he grazes Fredrik's ear. Victorious, Carl-Magnus begins to romance Charlotte, granting her wish at last.

After the Count and Countess leave, Fredrika and Madame Armfeldt discuss the chaos of the recent turns-of-events. The elderly woman then asks Fredrika a surprising question: "What is it all for?" Fredrika thinks about this, and decides that it "must be worth it". Madame Armfeldt is surprised, ruefully noting that she rejected love for material wealth at Fredrika's age. She praises her granddaughter, and remembers true love's fleeting nature.

Fredrik finally confesses his love for Desiree, and they promise to start a new life together ("Finale").

Epilogue

Mme. Armfeldt sits alone with Fredrika. Fredrika tells her grandmother that she has watched carefully, but still has not seen the night smile. Mme. Armfeldt laughs and points out that the night has indeed smiled twice: Henrik and Anne, the young, and Desiree and Fredrik, the fools. As the two wait for the "third smile", Mme. Armfeldt closes her eyes, and dies peacefully. As the waltz plays once more, each person is finally with the right partner.

Musical numbers

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Act 1

Overture — Mr. Lindquist, Mrs. Nordstrom, Mrs. Anderssen, Mr. Erlanson and Mrs. Segstrom (Quintet)
Night Waltz — Company
Now — Fredrik Egerman
Later — Henrik Egerman
Soon — Anne Egerman, Frederik Egerman and Henrik Egerman
The Glamorous Life — Fredrika Armfeldt, Desiree Armfeldt, Madame Armfeldt and Quintet
Remember? — Quintet
You Must Meet My Wife — Desiree Armfeldt and Fredrik Egerman
Liaisons — Madame Armfeldt
In Praise of Women — Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm
Every Day a Little Death — Countess Charlotte Malcolm and Anne Egerman
Weekend in the Country — Company

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Act 2

Entr'acte — Orchestra
Night Waltz I (The Sun Won't Set) — Quintet
Night Waltz II (The Sun Sits Low) — Quintet
It Would Have Been Wonderful — Fredrik Egerman and Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm
Perpetual Anticipation — Mrs. Nordstrom, Mrs. Segstrom and Mrs. Anderssen
Dinner Table Scene — Orchestra
Send in the Clowns — Desiree Armfeldt
The Miller's Son — Petra
Reprises — Quintet
Send in the Clowns (reprise) — Desiree Armfeldt, Fredrik Egerman
Last Waltz — Orchestra

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Additional musical numbers

Stage:

Two Fairy Tales — Henrik and Anne Egerman (cut for time)
Silly People — Frid (cut for time)
Bang! — Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm (replaced by 'In Praise of Women')
My Husband the Pig — Countess Charlotte Malcolm (replaced by the second half of 'In Praise of Women')

Screen:

Love Takes Time - Company (lyrics added to Night Waltz)
The Glamorous Life - Fredrika (solo version)

Characters

Fredrik Egerman: A successful widowed middle-aged lawyer. He is married to the 18-year-old Anne and has one son from his previous marriage, Henrik.
Anne Egerman: Fredrik's new, naive wife.
Henrik Egerman: Fredrik's son, 20 years old and Anne's stepson. He is serious but confused, as he reads the works of philosophers and theologians as he studies for the Lutheran priesthood.
Petra: Anne's maid and closest confidante.
Desiree Armfeldt: Self-absorbed, once-successful actress, now touring the country-side in what is clearly not the "glamorous life".
Fredrika Armfeldt: Desiree's thirteen-year-old daughter, who may or may not be the product (unbeknownst to Fredrik) of the actress's and Fredrik's affair.
Madame Armfeldt: Desiree's mother, who has had "liaisons" with royalty.
Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm: A military dragoon who is Desiree's latest lover.
Charlotte Malcolm: Carl-Magnus' wife.
Frid: Madame Armfeldt's manservant.
The Liebeslieder Singers: a group of five singers that act as a Greek chorus. (Prince said that these characters represent "people in the show who aren't wasting time ... the play is about wasting time."<ref>Gussow, Mel, "Prince Revels in 'A Little Night Music'", The New York Times, p. 54, March 27, 1973</ref>)

Productions

Broadway

Original 1973

A Little Night Music opened on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre on February 25, 1973, and closed on August 3, 1974 after 601 performances and 12 previews. It moved to the Majestic Theatre on September 17, 1973 where it completed its run. It was directed by Harold Prince with choreography by Patricia Birch and design by Boris Aronson. The cast included Glynis Johns (Desiree Armfeldt), Len Cariou (Fredrik Egerman), Hermione Gingold (Madame Armfeldt), Victoria Mallory, Mark Lambert, Laurence Guittard, Patricia Elliott, George Lee Andrews, and D. Jamin Bartlett. It won the New York Drama Critics' Circle Award and the Tony Award for Best Musical.

Revival 2009

The 2008 Menier Chocolate Factory (London) production opened on Broadway at the Walter Kerr Theatre in previews on November 24, 2009 and officially on December 13, 2009, with the same creative team. The cast stars Angela Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt and, in her Broadway debut, Catherine Zeta-Jones as Desiree. Also featured are Alexander Hanson as Frederik,<ref>Hernandez, Ernio and Gans, Andrew."A Little Night Music, With Zeta-Jones and Lansbury, Begins on Broadway" playbill.com, November 24, 2009</ref> Ramona Mallory as Anne, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka as Henrik, Leigh Ann Larkin as Petra, Erin Davie as the Countess, Aaron Lazar as the Count, and Bradley Dean as Frid. Catherine Zeta-Jones was awarded the Tony for Best Actress in a Musical for 2010.

The production will temporarily close on June 20, 2010 when the contracts of Zeta-Jones and Lansbury end and then resume on July 13, with new stars Bernadette Peters as Desiree Armfeldt and Elaine Stritch as Madame Armfeldt.<ref>Gans, Andrew."Night Music Will Soar Longer: Peters and Stritch to Join Broadway Cast"playbill.com, June 7, 2010</ref> In an interview, Peters said that Sondheim had "proposed the idea to her this spring and urged the producers of the revival to cast her." Peters has sung the signature song "Send in the Clowns," years ago, but has not sung it recently. She noted that "It will be very fresh."<ref>Healy, Patrick."Peters, Stritch To Join ‘Night Music’ Cast"The New York Times, June 7, 2010</ref> Trevor Nunn will direct rehearsals with the two new stars, and the original cast will remain.<ref>Rizzo, Frank."Elaine Stritch: She's Still Here — in West Hartford"The Hartford Courant, June 10, 2010</ref>

London

Original production (1975)

The London production opened at the Adelphi Theatre on April 15, 1975 and starred Jean Simmons, Joss Ackland, David Kernan, Liz Robertson, and Diane Langton, with Hermione Gingold reprising her role as Madame Armfeldt. It ran for 406 performances. During the run, Angela Baddeley replaced Gingold, and Virginia McKenna replaced Simmons.

Revivals

A London revival opened on October 6, 1989 at the Piccadilly Theatre, directed by Ian Judge, designed by Mark Thompson, and choreographed by Anthony Van Laast. It starred Lila Kedrova as Madame Armfeldt, Dorothy Tutin as Desiree Armfeldt, Peter McEneryas Fredrick, and Susan Hampshire. The production ran for 144 performances, closing on February 17, 1990.

In 1995, a revival by the Royal National Theatre opened at the Olivier Theatre on September 26, 1995 in a production directed by Sean Mathias, with set designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis, costumes by Nicky Gilabrand, lighting by Mark Henderson and choreography by Wayne McGregor. It starred Judi Dench (Desiree), Siân Phillips (Madame Armfeldt), Joanna Riding, Laurence Guittard and Patricia Hodge. The production closed on August 31, 1996. Dench received the Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical.<ref>"Olivier Winners 1996"officiallondontheatre.co.uk, retrieved June 14, 2010</ref>

The third London revival ran at the Menier Chocolate Factory from November 22, 2008 until March 8, 2009. The production was directed by Trevor Nunn, with choreography by Lynne Page, sets and costumes by David Farley and new orchestrations by Jason Carr. The cast included Hannah Waddingham as Desiree, Alexander Hanson as Frederik, Jessie Buckley (Anne), Maureen Lipman (Mme. Armfeldt), Alistair Robins (the Count), Gabriel Vick (Henrik), Grace Link and Holly Hallam (shared role Fredrika) and Kasia Hammarlund (Petra).<ref>Benedict, David."Waddingham to star in 'Night Music'", Variety, October 10, 2008</ref> This critically-acclaimed <ref>[1] nightmusiclondon.com</ref><ref name=night>Nightingale, Benedict."'A Little Night Music' at the Menier Chocolate Factory, London SE1"December 5, 2008</ref><ref name=telegraph>Spencer, Charles."'A Little Night Music' at the Menier Chocolate Factory"The Telegraph, December 4, 2008</ref>production transferred to the Garrick Theatre in the West End for a limited season, opening on March 28, 2009 running until July 25, 2009.<ref>Shenton, Mark."Isn't It Rich?: Menier 'A Little Night Music' Arrives in the West End March 28", playbill.com, March 28, 2009</ref> This production transferred to Broadway on December 13, 2009, starring Catherine Zeta-Jones as Desiree and Angela Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt. Alexander Hanson again played Frederik.<ref>Haun, Harry."Playbill On Opening Night: A Little Night Music — Smiles of an Autumn Night" playbill.com, December 14, 2009</ref> The Broadway revival was originally slated to close on June 20, 2010 (due to Zeta-Jones and Lansbury's departures), but instead will take a three-week hiatus and will re-open in July 13, 2010 with Bernadette Peters as Desiree and Elaine Stritch as Mme. Armfeldt.

Europe

Zarah Leander played Madame Armfeldt in the original Austrian staging (in 1975) as well as in the original Swedish staging in Stockholm in 1978 (here with Jan Malmsjö as Fredrik Egerman), performing Send In The Clowns and Liaisons in both stagings. The successful Stockholm-staging was directed by Stig Olin. In 2010 the musical is scheduled to return to Stockholm and the Stockholm Stadsteater. The cast includes Pia Johansson, Dan Ekborg, Yvonne Lombard and Thérese Andersson.

The Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris production opened in February 2010 starring Kristin Scott-Thomas (Désirée) and Leslie Caron (Madame Armfeldt). Lee Blakeley directs and Andrew George, choreographs.<ref>Gans, Andrew, Jones, Kenneth. "Kristin Scott Thomas and Leslie Caron to Star in A Little Night Music in France", playbill.com, July 6, 2009</ref> It was subsequently announced that Scott-Thomas will be unable to appear in the production due to a foot injury. Italian-born actress Greta Scacchi will be stepping into the role of Désirée.<ref>Hetrick, Adam, Gans, Andrew."Greta Scacchi Replaces Kristin Scott Thomas in Parisian A Little Night Music", playbill.com, December 23, 2009</ref>

Opera companies

The work has also become part of the repertoire of several opera companies. The New York City Opera Company presented two well received productions at the New York State Theatre in Lincoln Center, in August 1990 (11 performances), and July 1991 (7 performances). The 1990 production was telecast on the PBS show "Live at Lincoln Center" on November 7, 1990. The cast included Broadway stars Sally Ann Howes and George Lee Andrews as Desiree and Frederick, with Opera star Regina Resnik as Madame Armfeldt (in 1991).<ref>1990 New York City Opera Production sondheimguide.com, retrieved March 12, 2010</ref>

Michigan Opera Theatre was the first major American opera company to present the work in 1983, and again in November 2009. The New York City Opera staged it in 1990 (winning the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Revival), 1991 and 2003, the Houston Grand Opera in 1999, and the Los Angeles Opera in 2004. Opera Australia presented the first Australian production by an opera company in Melbourne in May 2009, starring Sigrid Thornton as Desiree Armfeldt. <ref>A Little Night Music, Opera Australia</ref>

Opera Theatre of Saint Louis performs the musical during their 2010 Spring Festival Season in June, in St. Louis, Missouri. Designer Isaac Mizrahi directs and designs the production, with a cast that stars Amy Irving, Sian Phillips, and Ron Raines.<ref>Hetrick, Adam."Mizrahi-Helmed 'Night Music', with Irving, Phillips and Raines, Opens in St. Louis"playbill.com, June 6, 2010</ref>

The piece has also become a popular choice for amateur musical theatre and light opera companies.

From September 1-4, 2010, there will be a new production at the Mill Studio in Guildford. The production will be staged by PH Productions.

Film adaptation

Template:Main In 1977, a film version of A Little Night Music was released, starring Elizabeth Taylor, Lesley-Anne Down and Diana Rigg, with Len Cariou, Hermione Gingold and Laurence Guittard reprising their Broadway roles. The setting for the film was moved from Sweden to Austria. Stephen Sondheim wrote lyrics for the "Night Waltz" theme ("Love Takes Time") and wrote an entirely new version of "The Glamorous Life", which has been incorporated into several subsequent productions of the stage musical. However, other songs, including "In Praise of Women," "The Miller's Son" and "Liaisons," were cut and remain heard only as background orchestrations. The film marked Broadway director Hal Prince's second time as a motion picture director. Critical reaction to the film was mostly negative, with much being made of Taylor's wildly fluctuating weight from scene to scene.<ref>Canby, Vincent. "Review: A Little Night Music (1977)", The New York Times, March 8, 1978</ref> Some critics talked more positively of the film, with Variety calling it "an elegant looking, period romantic charade"<ref>[2]variety.com</ref>. There was praise for Diana Rigg's performance, and orchestrator Jonathan Tunick received an Oscar for his work on the score. A soundtrack recording was released on LP, and a DVD release was issued in June 2007.<ref>Template:Imdb title</ref>

Music analysis

The score for A Little Night Music has elements not often found in musical theater, presenting challenges for performers, with complex meters, pitch changes, polyphony, and high notes for both males and females. The difficulty is heightened when songs merge, as in "Now"/"Later"/"Soon", because all three have to be performed in the same key, limiting the ability to pick a comfortable key for each singer. Critic Rex Reed noted that "The score of 'Night Music' ...contains patter songs, contrapuntal duets and trios, a quartet, and even a dramatic double quintet to puzzle through. All this has been gorgeously orchestrated by Jonathan Tunick; there is no rhythm section, only strings and woodwinds to carry the melodies and harmonies aloft."<ref>Deutsch, Didier C."'A Little Night Music' Liner Notes, Song List and Synopsis"masterworksbroadway.com, retrieved June 9, 2010</ref>

Sondheim's engagement with threes extends to his lyrics. He organizes trios with the singers separated, while his duets are sung together, about a third person.<ref name=tunick/>

Another of the show's signature elements is that many songs end on a single brief note played by one or more instruments.

The work is performed as an operetta in many professional opera companies; for example, it was added to the New York City Opera Company repertoire in 1990.<ref>Green, Kay. "Broadway Musicals, Show By Show" (1996). Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 0-7935-7750-0, p. 237</ref>

3/4 Time

Virtually all of the music in the show is written in waltz (3/4) time. Some parts adopt compound meter, with a time signature such as 12/8.<ref name=tunick> </ref>

Passages in "Overture", "Glamorous Life", "Liaisons", and "The Miller's Son" are in duple meter.<ref>Citron, p. 204</ref>

Counterpoint/polyphony

At several points Sondheim has multiple performers each sing a different song simultaneously. This use of counterpoint maintains coherence even as it extends the notion of a "round", familiar in songs such as the traditional Frere Jacques, into something far more complex. Sondheim said: "As for the three songs... going together well, I might as well confess. In those days I was just getting into contrapuntal and choral writing...and I wanted to develop my technique by writing a trio. What I didn't want to do is the quodlibet method...wouldn't it be nice to have three songs you don't think are going to go together, and they do go together...The trick was the little vamp on "Soon" which has five-and six-note chords." Steve Swayne comments that the "contapuntal episodes in the extended ensembles...stand as testament to his interest in Counterpoint."<ref>Swayne, Steve. How Sondheim Found His Sound, University of Michigan Press, 2007, ISBN 0472032291, p. 251</ref>

Polyphony is very different from harmony, which Sondheim rarely employs in this work. When multiple singers sing the same phrases, he has them sing mostly in unison.

"Send In The Clowns"

The show's best-known and Sondheim's biggest hit song was almost an afterthought, written several days before the start of out of town tryouts.<ref>Citron, p. 207</ref> Sondheim initially conceived Desiree as a role for a more-or-less non-singing actress. When he discovered that the original Desiree, Glynis Johns, was able to sing (she had a "small, silvery voice") but could not "sustain a phrase", he devised the song "Send in the Clowns" for her in a way that would work around her vocal weakness, e.g., by ending lines with consonants that made for a short cut-off.<ref>Secrest, Meryle. "Stephen Sondheim: A Life" (1998). Dell Publishing. ISBN 0-385-33412-5, pp. 251-252</ref> "It is written in short phrases in order to be acted rather than sung...tailor-made for Glynis Johns, who lacks the vocal power to sustain long phrases."<ref>Sondheim, S., Shevelove, B., Gelbart, L., Wheeler, H., and Lapine, J. "Four by Sondheim, Wheeler, Lapine, Shevelove and Gelbart" (2000). Hal Leonard Corporation. ISBN 1-55783-407-5, p. 170</ref>

In analyzing the text of the song, Max Cryer wrote that it "is not intended to be sung by the young in love, but by a mature performer who has seen it all before. The song remains an anthem to regret for unwise decisions in the past and recognition that there's no need to send in the clowns-they're already here."<ref>Cryer, Max. Love Me Tender: The Stories Behind the World's Best-loved Frances Lincoln Ltd, 2008, ISBN 0711229112, p. 171</ref>

Influences

There is a Mozart reference in the title—A Little Night Music is an occasionally used translation of Eine kleine Nachtmusik, the nickname of Mozart's Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major, K. 525. The elegant, harmonically-advanced music in this musical pays indirect homage to the compositions of Maurice Ravel, especially his Valses nobles et sentimentales<ref>Citron, Stephen. pp. 200, 203</ref> (whose opening chord is "borrowed" for the opening chord of the song "Liaisons"); part of this effect stems from the style of orchestration that Jonathan Tunick used.

Cast recordings

thumb|right|Cast recording of 1995 National Theatre revival starring Judi Dench In addition to the original Broadway and London cast recordings, and the motion picture soundtrack (no longer available), there are recordings of the 1990 studio cast, the 1995 Royal National Theatre revival (starring Judi Dench), and the 2001 Barcelona cast recording sung in Catalan. In 1997 an all-jazz version of the score was recorded by Terry Trotter.<ref>"Recordings, 'A Little Night Music'"sondheimguide.com, retrieved June 8, 2010</ref>

The 2009 Broadway revival with Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury recorded a cast album on January 4, 2010 which was released on April 6.<ref>Hetrick, Adam and Jones, Kenneth."'A Little Night Music' CD Released April 6; Sondheim and Co. Host Signing"playbill.com, April 6, 2010 </ref>

Critical response

In his review of the original 1973 Broadway production, Clive Barnes in the New York Times called the musical "heady, civilized, sophisticated and enchanting." He noted that "the real triumph belongs to Stephen Sondheim...the music is a celebration of 3/4 time, an orgy of plaintively memorable waltzes, all talking of past loves and lost worlds...There is a peasant touch here." He commented that the lyrics are "breathtaking".<ref> Barnes, Clive, "The Theater:'A Little Night Music", The New York Times, February 26, 1973, p. 26</ref>

In its review of the 1989 London revival, the reviewer for The Guardian wrote that the "production also strikes me as infinitely superior to Harold Prince's 1975 version at the Adelphi. Mr Judge's great innovation is to transform the Liebeslieder Singers from the evening-dressed, after-dinner line-up into 18th century ghosts weaving in and out of the action...But Mr Judge's other great realisation is that, in Sondheim, the lyrics are not an adornment to a song but their very essence: understand them and the show will flow. Thus Dorothy Tutin as Desiree, the touring thesp eventually reunited with her quondam lover, is not the melting romantic of previous productions but a working mother with the sharpness of a hat-pin."<ref>Billington, Michael. "Arts: Night of the short memories - 'A Little Night Music'", The Guardian (London). , October 23, 1989 (no page number)</ref>

The Independent review of the 1995 National Theatre revival praised the production, writing "For three hours of gloriously barbed bliss and bewitchment, Sean Mathias's production establishes the show as a minor miracle of astringent worldly wisdom and one that is haunted by less earthy intimations." The review went on to state that "The heart of the production, in both senses, is Judi Dench's superb Desiree Armfeldt...Her husky-voiced rendering of "Send in the Clowns" is the most moving I've ever heard."<ref> Taylor, Paul and Seckerson, Edward."Double Take: Reviews: 'A Little Night Music'"Independent', September 1995</ref>

In reviewing the 2008 Menier Chocolate Factory production, The Telegraph reviewer wrote that "Sondheim's lyrics are often superbly witty, his music here, mostly in haunting waltz-time, far more accessible than is sometimes the case. The score positively throbs with love, regret and desire." But of the specific production, the reviewer went on to note: "But Nunn's production, on one of those hermetic sets largely consisting of doors and tarnished mirrors that have become such a cliché in recent years, never penetrates the work's subtly erotic heart. And as is often the case with this director's work, the pace is so slow and the mood so reverent, that initial enchantment gives way to bored fidgeting." <ref name=telegraph/>

The Times reviewer gave the Menier Chocolate Factory production four stars and wrote: "The tiny Menier, and the hazy glass panels surrounding a mostly bare stage, suit the composer’s intimate ode to the frustrations of love better than the vast acreage of the Olivier, where the musical last received a major outing." He went on to say "There’s something about the overall tone that subverts anything upbeat. Minor-key numbers merge into songs, and sometimes patter-songs, which largely consist of wry reverie and ravelled internal debate. Add ruefully sardonic lyrics and wickedly adroit rhymes and you’ve as sharply sophisticated a musical as even Sondheim has written or, indeed, Nunn has staged. That means it’s well worth seeing, despite some uneven acting." <ref name=night/>