JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
The premiere of the musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice in 1971 on Broadway is Webber's debut on this stage, the triumph of rock opera and the breaking of another taboo of the thematic genre. Earlier, the term "rock opera" appeared on the occasion of the premiere of "Hair", but it was Lloyd Webber, a brilliant orchestral composer who used the characteristic elements of rock: electric guitars and drums, but above all, the inexhaustible rock energy, gave this form a magnetic power.
The story about the last days of Jesus' life, spoken in the language of a musical, from the perspective of both its supporters and opponents, will at first cause controversy.
The action of the play takes place during the seven days preceding the crucifixion. The Death of the Messiah ends the play and there is no mention of a resurrection. Also, the relationship between Jesus and Judas, which is the axis of the musical, is a figment of the authors' imaginations and is not confirmed in the source material. Judas was presented too positively, for many.
The musical "Jesus Christ Superstar" appeared in Poland in 1987 at the Musical Theater in Gdynia, directed by Jerzy Gruza, the Polish adaptation of the lyrics was written by Wojciech Młynarski and Piotr Szymanowski. The main role was played by Marek Piekarczyk, the vocalist of the TSA band. Jakub Wocial and Santiago Bello presented a modern staging of this musical classic at the Rampa Theater in Warsaw. They referred to the idea of Lloyd Weber and Rice to portray Jesus as the first idol in history, attracting both fans and opponents.
Great music, moving songs, choreography and a set of symbols full of symbols move deeply and somewhat into the atmosphere of the last days of the Nazarene, seen from a very close, human perspective. And at a time when Ian Gillian, the lead singer of Deep Purple, sang the title role, and the album announcing the musical was gaining more and more popularity, filmed by the ban on BBC broadcasting due to "sacrilege".
The performance, however, is primarily the people who create it, i.e. the cast, and this is composed of new talents. Due to the enormous technical capabilities of this stage, the Białystok staging received more air and space, it never stops and does not slow down, it is captivating with music and action.
