Adam Guettel and Craig Lucas’ Tony Award-winning musical The Light in the Piazza will receive its London premiere at the Southbank Centre in June 2019.
Daniel Evans, Chichester Festival Theatre’s Artistic Director, will direct the production which will star renowned opera singer Renée Fleming and Dove Cameron, best known as the star of Disney’s The Descendants.
Renée Fleming said: “I’m delighted to be a part of the London premiere of The Light in the Piazza. Adam Guettel’s score is ravishing, reaching beyond the boundaries of how we think of musical theatre. For my London theatre debut, to play Margaret Johnson — a fascinating, deeply human character whose predicament I find incredibly moving — this was an opportunity I couldn’t resist.”
Set in 1953, the musical tells the story of an American mother and daughter on holiday in Florence. When the young Clara falls in love with local man Fabrizio, she and her mother must confront a secret which could destroy Clara’s hopes for happiness.
Described by the New York Times as having “the most intensely romantic score of any musical since West Side Story”, the musical premiered on Broadway in 2005 starring Kelli O’Hara (The King and I) and Matthew Morrison (Glee, Finding Neverland) as the young lovers.
The Light in the Piazza will feature a live 40-piece symphony orchestra, and will run for 20 performances from 14 June 2019.
The show will have set design by Rob Jones (RSC, Royal Opera House, Metropolitan Opera New York), costume design by Brigitte Reiffenstuel (Royal Opera House, The Metropolitan Opera New York), and lighting design by multi Olivier Award winner Mark Henderson.
The Light in the Piazza runs from 14 June 2019 until 5 July 2019 at Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London.
