Candide
Recently Updated
Candide: A West End Satirical Spectacle
"Candide" swept into the West End at the Saville Theatre on April 30, 1959, a bold operetta by Leonard Bernstein that ran for several months, though exact performance counts remain elusive. Based on Voltaire’s 1759 novella, with a book by Lillian Hellman assisted by Michael Stewart, it skewers optimism amid chaos, set to Bernstein’s vibrant score. Revived in 2005 by the English National Opera at the London Coliseum, it starred Robert Rounseville and Edith Coates originally, later featuring Alex Jennings. As of March 23, 2025, its legacy blends Broadway roots with London flair, a theatrical whirlwind of wit and melody.
From Voltaire to the Stage
Bernstein’s "Candide" began as a 1956 Broadway venture, with Hellman’s libretto targeting the McCarthy-era witch hunts via Voltaire’s satire. After a flop (73 shows), it hit London in 1959, directed by Robert Lewis with Jack Cole’s choreography. Denis Quilley led as Candide, Mary Costa as Cunegonde, with Alexander Faris conducting. A 2005 ENO revival, directed by Robert Carsen, ran February 11 to March 12, reimagining the piece with Jennings as Pangloss and Toby Spence as Candide, cementing its West End mark after a circuitous path through revisions and cities.
A Picaresque Musical Odyssey
Young Candide, taught by Dr. Pangloss that this is “the best of all possible worlds,” faces exile from Westphalia after loving Cunegonde. War, earthquakes, and betrayal follow—Pangloss dies (then revives), Cunegonde turns courtesan, and Candide kills her patrons in Paris. From Lisbon’s auto-da-fé to El Dorado’s gold, the tale ends with a humbled Candide marrying Cunegonde, vowing to “make our garden grow.” Songs like “Glitter and Be Gay” and “Make Our Garden Grow” fuse operatic flourish with biting humor, a rollercoaster of 18th-century absurdity.
A West End Tale of Two Runs
The 1959 Saville run dazzled with Quilley’s earnest Candide and Laurence Naismith’s Pangloss, though its length—over three hours—tested patience; critics admired the music but found Hellman’s book heavy. The 2005 ENO staging at the Coliseum, with Gary Magee’s Pangloss and Anna Christy’s Cunegonde, ran 12 shows, earning praise for its “ferocious fizz” (The Guardian). Both leaned on Bernstein’s genius, with the latter’s tighter focus and modern edge outshining the original’s sprawling charm, though neither matched Broadway’s 1997 revival scale.
A Lasting satirical Echo
By March 23, 2025, "Candide"’s West End journey—from 1959’s ambitious debut to 2005’s polished revival—reflects its knack for reinvention. Its 1988 Scottish Opera version, conducted by Bernstein, and a 1999 National Theatre run add to its UK lore, though no full West End return has emerged. With a 1989 “final” recording and stagings worldwide, its blend of opera and musical theatre defies category, a Voltairean jab at optimism that still stings. In London’s musical pantheon, "Candide" gleams as a rare, restless satire.