Stage Sounds: Gigi

Gigi is probably my favorite movie musical of all time and has been since I was a preschooler. I've never seen it on stage, but I've seen the movie more times than I can count. I love the music, the costumes, the scenery, just everything about it, and I never ever get tired of it.

Gigi is a musical with music by Frederick Loewe and lyrics & book by Alan Jay Lerner. Based on the 1944 Colette novella and the 1958 MGM musical film directed by Vincente Minnelli (also composed by Lerner & Loewe), the show opened in 1973 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco before moving to the Uris (now Gershwin) Theatre (located on W 51st St), where it ran for 103 performances before closing in 1974. It was brought back to Broadway in 2015 and saw a two month revival at the Neil Simon Theatre. The show has also seen productions and tours in the UK. The original Broadway run and the 2015 revival were both nominated for Grammys in 1974 and 2015, respectively, winning Best Original Score in 1974. The original film was released in 1958 and starred Leslie Caron and Louis Jourdan.

This post will be a little different as I will only be focusing on the film version because I'm extremely biased towards it, but I'll still let you know the talented artists who made these productions what they are . Warning: potential spoilers ahead.

Gigi (Mezzo-Soprano)

Spotlight Song: The Parisians

Film (1958): Leslie Caron & Betty Wand

Original Broadway (1973): Karin Wolfe

Broadway Revival (2015): Vanessa Hudgens

Gigi is, of course, the soul of this movie. Despite the life she's being brought up in, she's just a happy girl dealing with growing up and trying not to lose her joyful view on the world. Leslie Caron and Betty Wand put this character together beautifully (Caron acting and Wand singing), and The Parisians shows off Gigi's personality to a tee. It's not like she dislikes love, but she can't understand her beloved city's obsession with it when life has more than that to offer.

A necklace is love, a ring is love/A rock from some obnoxious little king is love/A sapphire with a star is love, an ugly black cigar is love/Everything you are is love/You would think it would embarrass all the people here in Paris to be thinking every minute of love/I don’t understand the Parisians making love every time they get the chance/I don’t understand the Parisians wasting every lovely night on romance/Any time and under every tree in town/They’re in session two by two/What a crime, with all there is to see in town/They can’t find something else to do

Gaston Lachaille (Tenor)

Spotlight Song: She's Not Thinking of Me

Film (1958): Louis Jourdan

Original Broadway (1973): Daniel Massey

Broadway Revival (2015): Corey Cott

I totally had a crush on Gaston before I even realized what a crush was. He's both ridiculous and endearing, so incredibly bored by the playboy life he feels he "has" to live yet absolutely loving doing regular, every day things with Mamita and Gigi. Louis Jourdan is outstanding in this role, and She's Not Thinking of Me is hilarious both musically and visually. Hearing Gaston's inner monologue as he figures out his fiancée is cheating on him with her ice skating instructor is quite the scene, all set to a lovely waltz at a lively dinner party.

She’s so gay tonight, she’s like spring tonight/She’s a rollicking, frolicking thing tonight/So disarming, soft and charming/She is not thinking of me/No, she’s not thinking of me/In her eyes tonight, there’s a glow tonight/They’re so bright, they could light Fontainebleau tonight/She’s so gracious, so vivacious/She is not thinking of me/Bless her little heart/Crooked to the core/Acting out her part/What a rollicking, frolicking bore/She’s such fun tonight, she’s a treat tonight/You could spread her on bread, she’s so sweet tonight/So devoted, sugar-coated/That it’s heartwarming to see/Oh, she’s simmering with love oh, she’s shimmering with love/Oh, she’s not thinking of me

Honoré Lachaille (Baritone)

Spotlight Song: Thank Heaven for Little Girls

Film (1958): Maurice Chevalier

Original Broadway (1973): Alfred Drake

Broadway Revival (2015): Howard McGillin

If Gigi is the soul of the movie, Honoré is the heart. Serving as the story's narrator, he is just so silly, and I always had a soft spot for him because Maurice Chevalier reminded me very strongly of my grandfather. Thank Heaven for Little Girls is absolutely iconic, and I love singing it now to my daughter. This opening number sets up the story so sweetly, which is so important.

Each time I see a little girl of five or six or seven/I can’t resist the joyous urge to smile and say/Thank Heaven for little girls/For little girls get bigger every day/Thank heaven for little girls/They grow up in the most delightful way/Those little eyes, so helpless and appealing/One day will flash and send you crashing through the ceiling/Thank Heaven for little girls/Thank Heaven for them all, no matter where, no matter who/Without them, what would little boys do/Thank Heaven, thank Heaven/Thank Heaven for little girls

Inez Alvarez (Alto)

Spotlight Song: I Remember It Well

Film (1958): Hermione Gingold

Original Broadway (1973): Maria Karnilova

Broadway Revival (2015): Victoria Clark

Mamita truly loves her Gigi and just wants what's best for her. She can be a little silly and make some choices on the fly, but she's a lovely woman who cares for her loved ones very deeply, even the man who broke her heart and his nephew. I Remember It Well is a lovely duet between she and Honoré. It's a sweet, silly, and tender moment for the two of them.

We met at nine, we met at eight/I was on time, no, you were late/Ah, yes, I remember it well/We dined with friends, we dined alone/A tenor sang, a baritone/Ah, yes, I remember it well/That dazzling April moon, there was none that night/And the month was June, that’s right, that’s right/It warms my heart to know that you/Remember still the way you do/Ah, yes, I remember it well

If you've never seen Gigi, you're in for a really fun time, even if the story is a little outdated for modern times. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!