Love Lerner

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Welcome to a new Wildcard Wednesday! This week, I’m paying tribute to Alan Jay Lerner, who was born on August 31, 1918. In celebration, I want to spotlight one of my favorite shows that boasts his brilliant lyrics — it’s Love Life (1948), on which he collaborated not with Frederick Loewe (his most famous partner), but rather with the one-of-a-kind Kurt Weill.

Love Life was among the first musicals I featured here on Musical Theatre Mondays, where I also sampled a few audios. But that was so long ago, and now I want to re-offer the entirety of my live Love Life collection — with subscribers who comment below to alert me of their private, non-commercial interest. This includes audios of the 1987 University of Michigan production, the 1990 American Musical Theatre Festival production in Philadelphia, the 1991 Lost Musicals! production, and the 1995 Opera North production that was later broadcast on BBC. Here’s an excerpt: the Opera North cast with the smart “Economics.”

And as another sample of this glorious score (which needs an official, fully-orchestrated cast recording) — here’s the University of Michigan cast with “Here I’ll Stay.” Enjoy!

 

 

Come back next week for another Wildcard! And stay tuned Tuesday for more sitcom fun!

26 thoughts on “Love Lerner”

  1. I think Alan Lerner wrote some of the wittiest lyrics ever in musical theatre. I was not aware of this show so thank you for bringing it to our attention. I would love to hear more. These are such clear recordings.

  2. Love Life is a gem of a score. I’d love to hear these recordings. I’d love to hear the City Center Encores production too, but that’s in an alternate universe, I’m afraid. Or in the future (I still hold out hope). Thank you!

  4. I’ve fortunately already gotten at least two of your Love Life recordings, so I won’t ask for them again. Just wanted to say I agree with you. Love Life and Jubilee are the two shows at the top of my “must record” list. Complete cast recordings of High Button Shoes and Up in Central Park would also be most welcome.

    • Hi, Lloyd! Thanks for reading and commenting.

      Let me know if you’d like access to the recordings you’re missing.

  5. That’s a definite must-hear. I only discovered this score a few days ago and I can’t get enough. Would love to hear the entirety of these recordings.

  7. Hello,
    Please send the audios of the various productions of “Love Life”. This is one of my favorite shows and I am so grateful to you for sharing.
    Thank you,
    F. R.

  8. What finds!!! Would love to have these. Assume you’ve heard Dorothy Loudon’s version of Mr. Right.
    Thanks

  9. Was so sad that the Encores production got stopped by pandemic. Would love to hear these great recordings! Thanks for all you do to keep these works alive!

  11. Jackson, I would love to hear what you have to share of “Love Life” for my non-commercial interests! I agree–this score sure deserves a full fledged recording. I occasionally hear “Green Up Time”, but how did I forget that “Here I’ll Stay With You” is from this show? Thanks for spotlighting Mr. Lerner and this show.

  12. Hi Jackson
    Please provide access to these recordings of fMr.Lerner’s Love Life.
    You have provided so much access to works of various !musical composers and lyricists that are unknown to me. Your collections adds
    to my enjoyment of these talented people.

    Thank you.
    Donna

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