1) After the death of Sondheim I felt compelled to do an internet search for A Little Night Music. Heaven knows why . . . probably because my friend Chris got me tickets to see the Huntington’s amazing production a few years ago. So I was shocked to discover that Lesley-Anne Down (!) from Upstairs Downstairs had been in a movie version with no less than Elizabeth Taylor Herself and Diana Rigg! Not to mention Hermione Gingold reprising her role from the original Broadway cast.
Diana Rigg and Lesley-Anne Down.
1a) So that was interesting, mostly for Diana Rigg. I very much prefer the 1990 “Live from Lincoln Center” broadcast of the New York City Opera’s version with Sally Ann Howes and Regina Resnik.
2) But aside from all that, this line from “Love Takes Time” keeps coming back to me: “And Love is a lecture on how to correct your mistakes.” Love is often perceived as romantic, intense, parental, uxorious . . . but lecturing? Could that be considered a branch of compassion? This lyric keeps appearing and reappearing in my thoughts — it completely drove a long and involved dream out of my head before I could even reach the bedroom door — and I feel like I have the key to a great emotional insight here . . . but I can’t find the lock.
3) My first personal encounter with any Sondheim was at Interlochen, singing “You’re Gonna Love Tomorrow” from Follies with Katie, Drew, and Laura the night before we graduated as part of a big, final Broadway Night overseen by the remarkable Mrs. Jones. I did not appreciate at that point in my life how great that song, or that musical, really was. Some things are only gained by experience.