May 11, 2021

Lloyd-Webber's long-lived "Cats"

2 minutes

Synopsis

Primitive man probably imitated animal sounds for both practical and religious reasons. More recently, the Baroque-era composer Heinrich Franz von Biber imitated one particular animal for COMIC effect in his “Sonata Representing Animals,” and, in early 20th century slang, it’s simply “the cat’s meow.”

Now speaking of cats, they’re supposed to have nine lives–but would you believe 8,949?

On today’s date in 1981, “Cats,” a musical by the British composer Andrew Lloyd Webber opened at the New London Theatre in that city’s fashionable West End. Despite a bomb threat and brief evacuation of the theatre, the premiere of “Cats” was a great success. 8,949 performances later, on the same date in 2002, when the show finally closed, it had long since entered the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest-running musical to date.

In London, it took in 136 million British pounds in ticket sales. Worldwide, “Cats” has taken in billions of dollars, has been seen by millions, and has been performed in 11 different languages in over 26 countries.

And if you asked YOUR cat to comment on all this, he or she would probably say, “Why are you surprised?” and saunter away.

Music Played in Today's Program

Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber (1644 – 1704) Sonata violino solo representativa Il Giardino Armonico; Giovanni Antonini, cond. Teldec 21464

Andrew Lloyd Webber (b. 1948) Cats Overture Original Broadway Cast orchestra Geffen 22031

On This Day

Births

1791 - Bohemian composer Jan Václav (Johann) Voríšek(Worzischek), in Vamberk;

1855 - Russian composer Anatoly Liadov, in St. Petersburg (Julian date: April 29);

1888 - American popular song composer Irving Berlin (Isidore Balin) inTemun, Russia (Julian date: April 29);

1895 - American composer William Grant Still, in Woodville, Miss.;

1954 - Scottish composer Judith Weir, in Aberdeen;

Deaths

1849 - German composer Otto Nicolai, age 38, in Berlin;

1916 - German composer, Max Reger, age 43, in Leipzig;

1947 - Swedish composer Ture Rangström, age 62, in Stockholm;

Premieres

1728 - Handel: opera "Tolomeo, re d'Egitto" (Julian date: April 30);

1917 - Busoni: opera "Arlecchino" (Harlequin) and "Turandot" in Zürich at the Stadttheater;

1945 - Bernstein: "Hashkiveinu" (text from the Sabbath Evening Service) for Cantor, Choir and Organ, at Park Avenue Synagogue in New York City, by Cantor David Puttterman, Max Heffman conducting;

1948 - Cowell: "Hymn, Chorale, and Fuguing Tune" No. 8 for strings, at Florida State University Recital Hall by the School of Music Faculty String Quartet;

1955 - Bliss: Violin Concerto, in London;

1963 - William Grant Still: opera "A Southern Interlude," by the University of Miami Opera; This opera was later revised as "Highway 1, U.S.A.";

1966 - Andrew Imbrie: Symphony No. 1, by the San Francisco Symphony;

1981 - Andrew Lloyd-Webber: musical "Cats" (after T.S. Eliot's "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats") in London at the New London Theatre; This enormously popular and long-running musical opened on Broadway on October 7, 1982;

1984 - John Harbison: "Ulysses' Bow," by the New Haven Symphony, Murry Sidlin conducting;

1995 - John Adams: musical "I Was Looking at the Ceiling and Then I Saw the Sky"at the Zellerbach Playhouse in Berkeley, California, with the Paul Dresher Ensemble conducted by Grant Gershon;

2000 - Colin Matthews: "Pluto The Renewer" (as a new contribution to Gustav Holst's "The Planet"), in Manchester, by the Hallé Orchestra, Kent Nagano conducting;

2002 - Kenneth Frazelle: "Concerto for Chamber Orchestra," in Glendale, Calif., by the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, Jeffrey Kahane conducting.

Links and Resources

On Biber

On Lloyd Webber's "Cats"