THE CHARACTERS
The Quintet
These five singers serve as a type of Greek chorus. They are not a part of the story but wander through the scenes singing background songs which refer to what is going on. Hal Prince said they "represent people in the show who aren't wasting time ... the play is about wasting time".

Fredrika
The young girl lives with her grandmother and is the recipient of much of the old lady's advice. As a result, she is more mature and level headed than many of the adults in the piece. She is the product of an affair Fredrik had had with Desirée some fourteen years before, but he is unaware of her existence until he meets her, learns her name and puts two and two together.

Madame Armfeldt
Desirée's mother, she is old, philosophical and ready to die after a highly successful career as a courtesan who numbered royalty among her lovers.

Anne Egerman
Only eighteen she is very naïve and still a virgin although she has been married for eleven months. She loves Fredrik like an uncle rather than a husband and has no idea how a wife should act. She is very shallow, much more interested in herself, her looks and her wardrobe until she gets to know Henrik. Her jealousy of Desirée is another facet of her self interest

Henrik Egerman
Serious and studious, he is studying to become a minister. Then he acquires a stepmother who is younger than he is. To his consternation, he finds himself falling in love with her and is overcome with a sense of sin.

Fredrik Egerman
A successful lawyer, he finds himself in an untenable position with regard to his young wife. He loves her youth but is frustrated because of her naïve reluctance to be a true wife. He starts to find relief with an old love, Desirée, but is reluctant to give into his feelings at first. Finally he finds happiness with her.

Petra
She is Anne's maid, confidant and best friend but is more sensible and has a much more realistic view of the world. She is always ready for a good time.

Desirée Armfeldt
A successful actress, she travels constantly appearing in the plays of famous authors such as Ibsen. She has had a number of lovers but has not wanted to settle down until she meets Fredrik again after many years. She has a daughter Fredrika whom she leaves in the care of her mother so that she can continue to travel and follow her own desires. When she meets Fredrik again, she realizes that time is passing and is now ready to settle down.

Carl-Magnus Malcolm
An empty-headed "hunk" he is attractive to women but is a mere dalliance for Desirée. He is incapable of real feeling except for himself until his wife manages to make him jealous. Then he realizes he loves her.

Charlotte Malcolm
She is well aware of her husband's numerous infidelities but, at bottom, really loves him and is willing to wait until he discovers that he loves her.

THE MUSIC

Contrary to most musicals of the time, it opens not with a lavish spritely overture, but with a sing note on the piano. This is a signal that something very new is about to unfold.

Book musical
This is a musical in which the spoken words can function alone as a complete play and the songs also can stand alone and do not necesary relate to the story.

A Little Night Music
A misinterpretation of the title of Mozart's Serenade #13, Eine kleine Nachtmusik which really means A Small Serenade.

Time Signatures
While it is sometimes said that the entire score is in waltz time (i.e. 3/4) this is not strictly true. There are some waltzes (e.g. the opening Night Waltz and You must meet my wife), most are in related by being in triple meter (6/8, 3/8, 12/8, etc.) but are not really waltzes. Remember is in mazurka form, Later and Liaisons are sarabandes, In Praise of Women is a polonaise and A Weekend in the Country is a gigue.

OTHER NOTES
Luther
Martin Luther (1483-1546) is considered to be the originator of the Protestant Reformation. The German monk and priest was outlawed and excommunicated for his Ninety-Five Theses condemning the sale of indulgences by the Roman Catholic Church. He also translated the Bible into German so that the people could read and understand it themselves. The result was the foundation of the Lutheran Church which became most popular among the Protestants of Northern Europe. In Sweden, King Gustavus Vasa (1523-1560) declared Sweden a Lutheran state. In 1781 religious freedom was given to all Christians, but today about 86% of Swedes are still members of the Lutheran Church. Thus, Henrik is studying to be a Lutheran minister.

Fourteen years
This is the same as Fredrika's age tells us Fredrik is her father. Also, since his son Henrik is 19, Fredrik was either marries or a widower at the time.

Clowns
This equates the clowns of the song with Fredrik and Desirée who are the fools of the second smile.

Sun Won't Set
It is midsummer and so far north that the sun never really sets. In a recurring theme in Act II, the Quintet waits and repeatedly hopes for it to disappear, but it never does.

Grand Guignol
Guignol was originally a giant puppet who gave his name to the Théâtre du Grand-Guignol where pieces dealing with prostitutes, criminals and other dregs of society such as those in Sweeney Todd were portrayed. The genre was particularly popular between the two World Wars.

Head
This is a reference to the Biblical story of John the Baptist. He rejects the advances of the daughter of King Herod and in revenge she demands his head on a silver platter.

Harold Prince (1928 - )
New York City native Hal Prince graduated from the University of Pennsylvania at age nineteen and then spent two years in the army in Germany before beginning his work in the theatre as an assistant stage manager. He later co-produced The Pajama Game with George Abbott. Later in his career he also directed opera including Willie Stark, Madama Butterfly and Turandot as well as musicals such as The Phantom of the Opera, Evita and Sweeney Todd. In 2006 he was awarded a Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. Altogether he was involved as producer or co-producer and/or director for over sixty shows.

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Revised December 2009
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