Role

:

Composer  

Country

:

United States of America

Birth

:

1965 in New York City, NY

 

Adam Guettel is an American composer and lyricist who has made a significant contribution to the world of classical music. Born on December 16, 1964, in New York City, Guettel is the son of Mary Rodgers, a composer, and Henry Guettel, a theatrical producer. He grew up in a family of musicians and was exposed to music from a young age. His grandfather, Richard Rodgers, was a renowned composer and lyricist who wrote many popular Broadway musicals. Guettel began his musical education at the age of four when he started taking piano lessons. He later studied at the Professional Children's School in New York City and the Berkshire School in Massachusetts. He went on to attend Yale University, where he studied music composition and theory. During his time at Yale, Guettel wrote his first musical, "The Sorrow and the Pity," which was performed at the Yale Cabaret. After graduating from Yale, Guettel moved to London, where he worked as a composer and arranger for various theater productions. He also worked as a music director and conductor for several West End productions. In 1996, he returned to the United States and began working on his first major musical, "Floyd Collins." "Floyd Collins" premiered off-Broadway in 1996 and was a critical success. The musical tells the true story of Floyd Collins, a Kentucky cave explorer who becomes trapped underground. The score, which features a mix of bluegrass, gospel, and classical music, was praised for its originality and emotional depth. The show received several awards, including the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Musical and the Obie Award for Best Music. Guettel's next musical, "Myths and Hymns," was a song cycle that explored themes of spirituality and mythology. The show premiered off-Broadway in 1998 and featured a cast of four singers. The score, which drew inspiration from a variety of musical genres, was praised for its complexity and beauty. In 2003, Guettel's most famous work, "The Light in the Piazza," premiered on Broadway. The musical, which is based on a novella by Elizabeth Spencer, tells the story of a young American woman who falls in love with an Italian man while on vacation in Florence. The score, which features lush orchestrations and soaring melodies, was praised for its beauty and emotional power. The show received several Tony Awards, including Best Original Score and Best Orchestrations. Guettel's next musical, "Love's Fire," was a collection of one-act plays based on Shakespearean sonnets. The show premiered off-Broadway in 1998 and featured a cast of well-known actors, including Amy Irving and John Turturro. The score, which featured a mix of classical and contemporary music, was praised for its originality and sophistication. In 2006, Guettel wrote the music and lyrics for "The Princess Bride," a musical adaptation of the popular novel and film. The show premiered at the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut and featured a cast of Broadway veterans. The score, which drew inspiration from a variety of musical genres, was praised for its humor and charm. Guettel's most recent work, "Millions," premiered at the Children's Theatre Company in Minneapolis in 2016. The musical, which is based on the novel by Frank Cottrell Boyce, tells the story of two brothers who find a bag of money and must decide what to do with it. The score, which features a mix of pop and classical music, was praised for its energy and inventiveness.

More....