Lowe's musical “My Fair Lady. My Fair Lady (musical) Other meanings of this word
- (English My Fair Lady) can mean: "My Fair Lady" musical by Frederic Lowe, based on the play by Bernard Shaw "Pygmalion" "My Fair Lady" comedy film of 1964, based on the musical of the same name ... ... Wikipedia
My Fair Lady (film)- My Fair Lady My Fair Lady Genre musical cinema ... Wikipedia
My Fair Lady (film, 1964)- This term has other meanings, see My Fair Lady. My Fair Lady ... Wikipedia
MUSICAL- MUSIC, musical (English musical, from music music), a genre of a musical film, the basis of which is singing and choreographic numbers, which are a single whole and united by a single artistic concept. Musical as a stage genre ... ... Encyclopedia of Cinema
MUSIC, OPERETTA- Operetta is a great comforter. The good thing about the operetta is that it allows even the smartest to be an idiot for three hours. Lord, how wonderful it is! Sylvia Cheese Musical: a spoken genre for those who cannot sing and musical for those who cannot speak. Charles ... ... Consolidated encyclopedia of aphorisms
MUSICAL Modern encyclopedia
Musical- (English musical), a musical stage genre that combines elements of dramatic, choreographic and operatic arts. It was formed in the USA in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. on the basis of combining various independent types of performances (revues, shows, ... ... Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary
Musical- (English Musical) (sometimes called a musical comedy) a musical stage work in which dialogues, songs, music are intertwined, choreography plays an important role. Plots are often taken from famous literary works, ... ... Wikipedia
musical- a, m. 1) Musical theatrical genre of a comedy character, which combines elements of dramatic art, operetta, ballet, stage. 2) Musical stage work or film of this genre. The French brought films of different genres ... ... Popular dictionary of the Russian language
Musical- (from English musical comedy, musical play musical comedy, musical play) musical theater genre. Born in the 20s. 20th century on Broadway, was the symbol of the new theater. aesthetics and new theater. management (during the years of the great depression, total ... ... Russian humanitarian encyclopedic dictionary
Books
- , Shaw Bernard. The collection includes three plays by Bernard Shaw. Among them, the most famous - "Pygmalion" (1912), based on which many films were shot and the legendary Broadway musical "My Fair Lady" was staged. ... Buy for 335 rubles
- Pygmalion. Candida. The Swarthy Lady of Sonnets, Shaw Bernard. The collection includes three plays by Bernard Shaw. Among them is the most famous Pygmalion (1912), based on which many films have been shot and the legendary Broadway musical My ...
| My fair lady | |
| My fair lady | |
| Playbill for the Broadway production, created by Elem Hirschfeld |
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| Music |
Frederick Lowe |
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| The words |
Alan Jay Lerner |
| Libretto |
Alan Jay Lerner |
| Based on | |
| Performances | |
In 1960, "My Fair Lady" was shown in the USSR (Moscow, Leningrad, Kiev). The main roles were played by: Lola Fisher (Eliza Doolittle), Edward Mulhair and Michael Evans (Henry Higgins), Robert Coot (Colonel Pickering), Charles Victor (Alfred Doolittle), Reed Shelton (Freddie Ainsford Hill).
In 1965, the musical was staged at the Moscow Operetta Theater with Tatyana Shmyga in the title role.
Filmed in 1964. The film won the Oscar for Best Picture in the same year.
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Links
- (English) in the Internet Broadway Database Encyclopedia
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Excerpt from My Fair Lady (musical)
In the club everything went on as usual: the guests who had gathered for dinner sat in groups and greeted Pierre and talked about the city news. The footman, having greeted him, reported to him, knowing his acquaintance and habits, that a place had been left for him in a small dining room, that Prince Mikhail Zakharych was in the library, and Pavel Timofeich had not yet arrived. One of Pierre's acquaintances, between talking about the weather, asked him if he had heard about Kuragin's abduction of Rostova, which they talk about in the city, is it true? Pierre, laughing, said that this was nonsense, because he was now only from the Rostovs. He asked everyone about Anatole; he was told by one that he had not come yet, the other that he would dine today. Pierre found it strange to look at this calm, indifferent crowd of people who did not know what was going on in his soul. He walked around the hall, waited until everyone had gathered, and without waiting for Anatole, did not dine and went home.Anatole, whom he was looking for, dined at Dolokhov's that day and consulted with him about how to fix the spoiled business. It seemed to him necessary to see Rostova. In the evening he went to his sister to talk to her about the means of arranging this date. When Pierre, having traveled all over Moscow in vain, returned home, the valet reported to him that Prince Anatol Vasilich was with the Countess. The Countess's drawing-room was full of guests.
Pierre, without greeting his wife, whom he had not seen since his arrival (she was more than ever hated by him at that moment), entered the living room and, seeing Anatole, approached him.
“Ah, Pierre,” said the Countess, going up to her husband. “You don’t know in what position our Anatole…” She stopped, seeing in her husband's lowered head, in his shining eyes, in his determined gait, that terrible expression of fury and strength that she knew and experienced after the duel with Dolokhov.
- Where you are - there is debauchery, evil, - said Pierre to his wife. “Anatole, come on, I need to talk to you,” he said in French.
Anatole looked back at his sister and obediently got up, ready to follow Pierre.
Two talented young authors - composer Frederick Lowe and librettist Alan Jay Lerner would never have composed their most famous musical - "My Fair Lady", if not for the other star couple - Rogers and Hammerstein. The creators of "Oklahoma" refused to cooperate with the film producer Gabriel Pascal, who was running around with the idea of making a musical performance out of the famous play "Pygmalion" by Bernard Shaw and for a long time tried unsuccessfully to find authors. Lowe and Lerner appreciated the quality of the dramatic material - despite the fact that the play was published in 1912, the topics that it touched upon - the person and her rights, the relationship between man and woman, the culture of the language - and culture in the broadest sense of the word - are relevant at all times.
The plot of the musical, which was originally called My Fair Eliza, repeats in many ways Shaw's play.
Phonetics professor Henry Higgins makes a bet with his fellow linguist Colonel Pickering - he undertakes to turn a London flower girl named Eliza Doolittle, whom they meet on a rainy evening in Covent Garden, into a real lady. Higgins takes six months to rid the girl of the common pronunciation and teach her good manners. After this period, she will have to appear at the embassy ball, and if no one guesses about her social origin, Pickering will pay all the training costs, and Eliza herself will be able to go to work at the flower shop. The offer sounds tempting, and Eliza moves to the professor's house. In search of his daughter, her father, the scavenger Alfred Dolittle, comes there, and he manages to beg Higgins for five pounds in compensation for the fact that he was deprived of a wet nurse.
Learning is not easy for Eliza, sometimes the heartlessness and despotism of the teacher bring her to tears, but, in the end, she begins to make progress. And yet, the first publication (and the professor takes her out not somewhere, but to the races in Ascot, where the flower of the English aristocracy gathers) refuses to be unsuccessful: having learned to pronounce the words correctly, Eliza did not stop speaking the language of the London lower class - which shocks the professor's mother and fascinates Freddie Ainsford Hill, a young man from an aristocratic family.
The day of the embassy ball is coming. Eliza passes the exam brilliantly, despite the attempts of Higgins' former student, the Hungarian Karpaty, to find out who she really is. After the ball, Higgins revels in his success, completely oblivious to the girl, which causes her to protest. A conversation takes place between her and the professor, from which it becomes clear that Eliza has changed not only externally, but also internally, that she is not a toy in the professor's hands, but a living person.
The heroine leaves Higgins' house, meets her admirer on the way - Freddie, who is constantly spinning around her house, and goes with him to the poor quarter where she once lived. There, Eliza is in for a surprise - Dolittle's father got rich and decided to finally marry her mother. It turns out that after his visit to the house of Professor Higgins, he, struck by the natural oratorical gift of Eliza's father, wrote a letter to the famous philanthropist, recommending Mr. Dolittle as the most original moralist of our time. As a result, the London scavenger got a huge inheritance - and with it all the vices of bourgeois society, which he so condemned. But his daughter's problems are not interesting to him, and Eliza goes to the house of Professor Higgins's mother, who sincerely sympathizes with her.
Soon the professor himself appears there. There is another skirmish between him and Eliza, during which Eliza declares to Higgins that she can live fine without him. She doesn't even need to go to work a flower shop - she can give phonetics lessons, and there will definitely be no end to the students. Outraged Higgins goes home. On the way, he still throws off his mask and admits to himself, and therefore to the viewer, that, in general, he is used to Eliza - such an awkward declaration of love through the lips of a convinced bachelor. In his office, he turns on a recording with the voice of his student, made when she first appeared at his house. Eliza enters the room quietly. Noticing the girl, Higgins straightens up in his chair, pulls his hat over his eyes and says his catchphrase: "Eliza, where the hell are my night shoes?"
Adapting Pygmalion for musical theater, the authors tried to treat the text of the original source as carefully as possible, and yet the emphasis in the play shifted - the story of the transformation of the main character from a vulgar flower girl into a charming young lady came to the fore, and Shaw's philosophical reasoning faded into second place , if not on the third plan. In addition, the heroine of "Pygmalion" eventually marries Freddie and opens a flower shop, and then a vegetable shop (this is stated in the afterword to the play, written by the playwright himself, who did not really believe in romantic love). Eliza Bernard Shaw has no illusions about Higgins - "Galatea does not completely like Pygmalion: he plays a too godlike role in her life, and this is not very pleasant." Eliza Lowe and Lerner still return to their teacher - the audience would not accept the parting of the main characters. Alan Jay Lerner himself explained his decision to change the ending: “I omitted the afterword 'My Fair Lady', because in it Shaw explains how Eliza stays not with Higgins, but with Freddie, and I - may Shaw and heaven forgive me! "I'm not sure he's right."
The earliest listeners to My Fair Lady were Broadway star Mary Martin (South Pacific, Peter Pan) and her husband Richard Halliday. When Mary Martin heard that Lerner and Lowe were adapting Pygmalion for musical theater, she, aiming for the lead role in a future musical, immediately wanted to hear what they had done. After reviewing several issues (including The Ascot Gavotte and Just You Wait, ’enry’ iggins), Martin didn’t say anything to the authors, but she immediately complained to her husband: “How could it happen that these lovely boys have lost their talent?” Holliday later relayed her words to Lerner, adding that Just You Wait is very reminiscent of Cole Porter's I Hate Men from Kiss Me Kate, and The Ascott Gavotte's number is "just not funny." Such a reception, given to the future "Fair Lady" by the very first listeners, made a very painful impression on Lerner and even became the cause of real depression. However, neither Lerner nor Lowe still did not see Eliza Dolittle in Mary Martin and did not intend to invite her to the play. The role went to aspiring singer Julie Andrews. Subsequently, Lerner and Lowe themselves teased each other when their work was not going, quoting Mary Martin: "These lovely boys have lost their talent."
The musical premiered on March 15, 1956. The show immediately became wildly popular, tickets were sold out six months in advance. However, the overwhelming success of the musical came as a complete surprise to its creators: “Neither I nor F. Lowe believed that we were the heroes of the occasion. It's just time for something bright, theatrical, something unlike the meeting of two lonely people in a dark alley. And "Lady" came out on the posters. " During the year after the premiere, Lowe came to the ticket offices, near which from the night, people eager to see the show were in line, and treated them to coffee. Lowe was looked upon as if he were crazy, and no one could believe that he was the composer who composed My Fair Lady.
The musical has been played 2,717 times on Broadway. It has been translated into eleven languages, including Hebrew, and has successfully walked in more than twenty countries. More than five million copies of the original Broadway lineup were sold, and in 1964 George Cukor's film of the same name was released.
Despite the incredible color of the picture, fans of the musical were disappointed. They expected to see Julie Andrews in the role of Eliza, and the role went to Audrey Hepburn - by that time, unlike Julie, she was already a movie star. Rex Harrison, who played Higgins on Broadway, was not replaced, and the eccentric professor successfully moved from the stage to the big screen, for which he received a well-deserved Oscar.
The musical "My Fair Lady" is still loved by the public. Thanks to producer Cameron McIntosh and director Trevor Nunn, the show can be seen in London. The role of Professor Higgins in the premiere was played by Jonathan Price (Peron from the film adaptation of Evita), and Miss Dolittle was played by singer and actress Martin McCutchin.
In Russia "My Fair Lady" has not left the posters of musical and drama theaters for many years. The musical was staged at the theater of A. Kalyagin "Et Cetera" (Moscow). In the production of Dmitry Bertman (artistic director of the Helikon-Opera theater), the flower girl from Tottenham Court Road turned out to be a Muscovite Liza Dulina, who lived near the Hammer and Sickle station. The performance took place partly in Moscow, partly in London, where the Slavic professor Higgins brings his Galatea, the bearer of the colorful Moscow vernacular. The main storyline of the musical was preserved, but otherwise this production was not much like the original source. In its classical version, the performance has been on the stage of the Moscow Operetta Theater for several years now. On 18 January 2012, the Mariinsky Theater (St. Petersburg) hosted the premiere of the musical My Fair Lady staged by the Chatelet Theater in Paris. The play is directed by renowned Canadian director Robert Carsen and choreographer Lynne Page. Lerner & Lowe's classic show was the first musical to be staged at the legendary Russian opera house.
The largest Irish playwright and publicist George Bernard Shaw was born in Dublin in 1856. A brilliant orator, mocker and intellectual, he actively participated in the public life of Great Britain in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For ninety-four years of his life, Bernard Shaw composed 65 plays, 5 novels, a huge number of critical articles and reviews. In his works, he acts as a master of intellectual drama-discussion, built on sharp dialogues, full of paradoxical situations, destroying all traditional ideas about the theater. Shaw's plays scourge political reaction, normative morality, hypocrisy, hypocrisy. In 1925, the writer was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Shaw accepted the title of Nobel laureate, but refused the money. Pygmalion is not Shaw's only work to become a musical. The plays Caesar and Cleopatra (musical Her First Roman) and Arms and the Man (Chocolate Soldier) have also been adapted for musical theater. In Russia, "Pygmalion" was first staged in Moscow, in 1914. Julie Andrews starred as Eliza on Broadway, but Audrey Hepburn starred in the film version of the musical. The work of the actress in this film was evaluated controversially. Firstly, she did not sing herself, although there is a recording of two songs from the musical performed by Audrey. Apparently, her vocals did not seem bright enough for such a grandiose film project, so it was decided to involve Marnie Nixon, a singer who already had the experience of dubbing a star - Natalie Wood, who played the role of Mary in the film adaptation of West Side Story, and Deborah Kerr sang in her voice. who played the main character in the film version of the musical "The King and I". Interestingly, neither Natalie nor Audrey won the Academy Awards, for which both films were nominated. Audrey was also reproached for not being very convincing in the role of a simple London flower girl and that her innate aristocracy would not hide any makeup and distorted speech. This is not surprising - the actress is really "blue bloods". Audrey was born in Belgium, her mother is a Dutch baroness. The full name of the actress is Edda Kathleen van Heemstra Hepburn-Rustone. And yet, Audrey, unexpectedly for her angelic appearance, demonstrates the bright talent of a characteristic actress, and all the more striking is her transformation from a vulgar creep into a shining beauty. Would such a transformation have turned out for prim and correct Julie, who, moreover, had more modest external data? Julie was very worried that she did not get the role of Eliza. Andrews' candidacy was supported by Rex Harrison, on her side was criticism. Until the very beginning of filming, Julie hoped, if not to play herself, then at least to dub Hepburn. But it didn't work out. Ironically, however, in 1964, when My Fair Lady was released, it was Julie who won the Oscar for Best Actress (Mary Poppins).
The musical "My Fair Lady" by Frederick Lowe and Alan Jay Lerner is a romantic story about the transformation of a simple flower girl into a sophisticated and graceful lady that has won the hearts of many viewers around the world. The uniqueness of the musical lies in the combination of various musical material: from sentimental waltz to the Spanish jota.
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Characters |
Description |
| Henry Higgins | phonetic scholar |
| Pickering | military man, interested in studying Indian dialects |
| Eliza Doolittle | flower saleswoman |
| Dolittle Alfred | Eliza's father, a scavenger |
| Mrs. Pierce | cleaning lady working for Higgins |
| Madame Ainsford Hill | aristocrat |
| Freddie | relative of Mrs. Ainsford Hill, in love with Dolittle |
Summary
Secular people gather in a square near the famous Royal Theater in London. The flower girl Eliza is sitting on the steps, her merchandise is accidentally touched by the noble young man Freddie Ainsford Hill, the flowers are scattering and falling. Despite the elegant gentleman's apology, the flower girl expresses her indignation in an extremely rude manner. She demands that Freddie pay damages. A crowd of onlookers quickly creates around them, wondering why all the fuss happened. Someone notices that one person is literally recording the girl's speech, many assume that this is a policeman who wants to arrest Eliza for her rude behavior. It turns out that this is a famous professor who studies phonetics. He was interested in Eliza's pronunciation, which was clearly far from perfect. Arguing that there are no people left among the English who know their native language, he, for the sake of public recognition, easily determines the place of residence of each of the interlocutors. So he meets the military Pickering. Higgins decided to brag to a new acquaintance and casually offered the flower girl to teach her to speak English perfectly in six months, because it is literate speech that is the road to the girl's bright future.
The next day, flower girl Eliza comes to Higgins, she is ready to take lessons from him, as she wants to work in a more paid flower shop. In the beginning, Higgins laughs at the girl who already wants to leave, but Pickering offers to make a bet. Under the terms of the deal, Professor Higgins must teach her how to speak correctly so that no one in high society can recognize her as a simpleton. Pickering promises to pay all maintenance costs. This arrangement suits the professor, and he orders the maid Pierce to take care of Miss Dolittle. Pickering and Higgins discuss life, and the professor expresses his own opinion about marriage and women: he is not going to marry, and believes that women are only capable of creating disorder.
Eliza's father, the scavenger Alfred Dolittle, hears the news that his daughter has moved to live with Professor Higgins. Meanwhile, the girl is diligently trying to learn the pronunciation of sounds, but the study is given to her hard. Doolittle comes to Higgins and wants to receive a monetary reward for her. He presents his philosophy of life, which Higgins seems to be very original. The professor not only gives him money, but also advises Dolittle to the American millionaire as a brilliant speaker.
Eliza studied all day, but to no avail. The professor decides that since swearing and reproaches do not help in learning, then tactics need to be changed. After a nice conversation, the girl finally realizes what she did wrong and flawlessly reads the verse "Just wait for it to rain in Spain." Inspired Eliza sings the song “I want to dance”.
The day has come when Miss Dolittle is to appear in high society at the racetrack. In the beginning, everything goes as well as possible, but Eliza, in a fit of happiness, begins to tell stories from life, adding vernacular to them. With this she captivated the heart of Freddie Ainsford Hill. Frustrated, Eliza returns to Higgins, everyone realizes that hard work is still needed on what to say. Freddie sings a song dedicated to his feelings, but Dolittle is so saddened that she does not want to go out.
A month and a half passed, and it was time for another final test. Eliza was at her best at the ball. No one, not even Professor Karpati, could recognize a simpleton in the girl, moreover, society recognized her as a real princess. Higgins accepts congratulations on the experiment's success, but no one cares about Eliza's fate. Offended and upset, she packs up her things and leaves.
Miss Dolittle returns to her home area, where no one will recognize her. Father became rich thanks to Higgins' recommendation and now wants to get married. The professor and Pickering are very saddened that Eliza has left, they want to find her.
Eliza meets the professor by chance. He confesses that everything has changed without her, and asks her to return. Dolittle does not want to listen to him, she says that all the doors are open for her.
Upon returning home, the professor listened for a long time to records of Eliza's voice. Miss Dolittle enters the room, quietly turning off the phonograph. Higgins, seeing her, does not hide his joy.
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Interesting Facts
- Initially, the musical was supposed to be called "My Fair Eliza", but later the name was changed to "My Fair Lady".
- The 1964 film adaptation won an Oscar.
- Lerner and Lowe worked together for a long time, creating musicals for Broadway. The first truly successful work was the musical "The Gold of California".
- In total, the performance has been staged 2,717 times at the Broadway Theater.
- My Fair Lady was not only nominated, but also won the Tony Honorary Music Award.
- The plot of the play "Pygmalion", which is the basis for the creation of the musical, was greatly changed during the work. So, in the original source, Eliza marries Freddie and opens not a flower shop, but a vegetable shop, as a symbol of disbelief in true love.
- In the film adaptation, the role of Eliza was given to the already famous Audrey Hepburn, many connoisseurs of the musical were upset, because they wanted to see in her place Julia Andrews, who was a permanent performer on Broadway.
- Famous composers refused to producer Gabriel Pascal, because they did not believe in the success of the project.
History of creation
The idea to create a musical performance from the most famous and popular play by George Bernard Shaw at that time belongs entirely to the Hungarian producer Gabriel Pascal. In 1930, he acquired the rights to some of the famous playwright's works, including Pygmalion. In 1938 he managed to film a theatrical version of the play. For a long time, Pascal was looking for a composer who would dare to compose a musical based on the script. The work was offered to such eminent artists as Richard Rogers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Leonard Bernstein, Gian Carlo Mennoti, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. But only composer Frederick Lowe and librettist Alan Jay Lerner decided to show courage and write a musical that has not been removed from the Broadway theater repertoire for more than half a century.
The first dress rehearsal was held at the Schubert Theater in New Haven. The lead roles were assigned to Julia Andrews and Rex Harrison.
On March 15, 1956, the deafening premiere of the play took place at the Mark Hellinger Theater in New York. Then the production took place on Broadway, which lasted for 6 years, and then was again resumed.
In 1964, a film adaptation of the musical was released. The role of Eliza Doolittle was given to Audrey Hepburn, a replacement for Rex Harrison could not be found, since no one could better cope with the role of Professor Higgins. In the same year, the film received an Oscar.
In 1960, this musical performance was staged in the Soviet Union and was shown in three cities: Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kiev. The audience was delighted with what they saw, and the songs quickly became popular and recognizable.
The musical "My Fair Lady" is a multifaceted musical performance. He amazes to the depths of his soul with his simplicity and naivety and at the same time surprises with brilliance and luxury. Having seen and heard this musical creation once, the viewer will forever remember its bizarre melodies and bright surroundings.
In two acts, eighteen scenes.
Libretto and verses by A. J. Lerner.
Characters:
Henry Higgins, professor of phonetics (baritone); Colonel Pickering; Eliza Doolittle, street flower girl (soprano); Alfred Doolittle, scavenger, her father; Mrs Higgins, the professor's mother; Mrs. Ainsford Hill, Society Lady; Freddie, her son (tenor); Clara, her daughter; Mrs. Pearce, Higgins' housekeeper; George, pub keeper; Harry and Jamie, Dolittle drinking companions; Mrs Hopkins; Higgins' butler; Charles, Mrs Higgins's chauffeur; constable; flower girl; a lackey of the embassy; Lord and Lady Boxington; Sir and Lady Tarrington; Queen of Transylvania; ambassador; Professor Zoltan Karpaty; maid; servants at Higgins' house, guests at the embassy ball, peddlers, passers-by, flower girls.
The action takes place in London during the reign of Queen Victoria.
The libretto of My Fair Lady uses the plot of Pygmalion by B. Shaw, one of the most popular comedies of the 20th century. The librettist has significantly changed the original source. He turned a three-act comedy into a performance consisting of almost two dozen pictures, which sometimes replace each other, like motion pictures. The greater fragmentation of the action allowed the authors of the musical to broaden the panorama of the life of London, its various social strata. The musical clearly shows what Shaw's play only talks about in passing: the everyday life of the poor quarter, the people around whom Eliza grew up, and on the other hand, secular society, aristocrats at the races in Ascot, at a high-society ball. The music of the performance, always bright, melodic, sometimes acquires features of irony. The composer makes extensive use of rhythm-intonations of waltz, march, polka, foxtrot; habanera, hota, gavotte are also heard here. The structure of My Fair Lady is a musical comedy. The image of the main character is most fully reflected in the music.
First act
First picture. Covent Garden Square in front of the Royal Opera. Theatrical siding on a cold, rainy March evening. A crowd is crowding under the colonnade of St. Paul's Church. Freddie Ainsford-Hill accidentally touches the basket of the flower girl sitting on the steps and sprinkles bunches of violets. Flower girl Eliza Dolittle is outraged. She vainly demands to pay her for the ruined flowers. In the crowd, they notice that some gentleman is writing down her every word. This is Higgins. To those present, who suspected him of being a police agent, he explains that his profession is phonetics. According to the peculiarities of pronunciation, he determines where each of those who spoke to him comes from. Higgins says of the smart gentleman with a military bearing that he came from India. Pickering is shocked. After introducing themselves to each other, Higgins and Pickering find out that they have long dreamed of meeting each other. After all, both are interested in the same science. Higgins wrote down everything Eliza said with phonetic symbols, as the girl interested him with her terrible pronunciation, as well as continuous slang expressions. Her language, Higgins says, has forever defined her social position. But he, Higgins, could teach her perfect English in six months, and then she could climb the social ladder - say, not selling on the street, but go to a fashion store.
The rain stops and Higgins takes Pickering to his place at Wimpole Street. The crowd gradually disperses. Elisa, warming herself by the fire, divorced by peddlers, sings the song "I would like a room without cracks" - sad, affectionate, dreamy, with a perky chorus "That would be great."
Second picture. A pub on a dirty street where apartment buildings are located. Doolittle appears in the doorway. He is waiting for Eliza to defraud her earned money. When the girl appears, the scavenger tricks her for a coin to drink. Eliza hides in a squalid dwelling, and Dolittle sings merry verses "God has endowed us with strong hands," the dashing chorus of which is readily picked up by drinking companions.
Third scene. The next morning in Higgins' office on Wimpole Street. Higgins and Pickering listen to the tapes. Their work is interrupted by the arrival of Eliza. She remembered what Higgins had said about her, as well as his address, which he had loudly given to Pickering. She wants to learn to "speak in an educated way." An interested Pickering offers Higgins to pay all expenses for the experiment, but he wager that she still won't make it into a duchess. Higgins agrees. He tells his housekeeper, Mrs. Pierce, to strip Eliza's old rags of dubious cleanliness from Eliza, wash and clean her thoroughly, and order new clothes for her. Left alone with Pickering, Higgins expounds his views on life - the views of an inveterate bachelor - in the verses "I am a normal person, peaceful, quiet and simple."
Fourth scene. The same block of apartment buildings on Tottenham Court Road. Neighbors lively share the amazing news: Eliza has not been home for the fourth day, and today she sent a note to send her her favorite things. Dolittle, hearing this, draws his own conclusions.
Fifth scene. Higgins' office the same day, a little later. Mrs. Pearce brings a letter from the American millionaire Ezra Wallingford, who is asking Higgins for the third time to lecture in his League for Moral Improvement. The butler reports on Doolittle's arrival.
The scavenger, who is determined to profit from his daughter's luck, makes such a brilliant speech that Higgins, instead of throwing him out for blackmail, gives money and recommends him to the American as one of England's most original moralists. After Dolittle leaves, the lesson begins. Higgins brings Eliza to such a state that, left alone, she invents a terrible revenge on him. Her monologue "Wait Henry Higgins Wait" sounds parody dark and furious.
Several hours pass (blackout). Eliza continues to teach. Higgins threatened to leave her without lunch and dinner if she did not complete the task. Pickering and Higgins drink tea and cake, while the hungry poor girl repeats endless exercises. Servants feel sorry for their master, who works so hard.
Several more hours pass. Already evening. Eliza is still engaged, "encouraged" by the abuse of the hot-tempered professor. Nothing comes of it. The small choir of servants resounds again.
Deep in the night, when the girl is already completely exhausted, Higgins suddenly, for the first time ever, addresses her gently, with affectionate exhortations, and Eliza immediately grasps what she has been vainly seeking for so long. Delighted, all three, forgetting their fatigue, jump up and begin to dance and sing the sultry habanera "That and wait", which then turns into hota. Higgins decides to check on Eliza tomorrow. He will take her out into the light - to the races in Ascot. And now - sleep! Inspired by her first success, Eliza sings "I Could Dance" - with a joyful, flying melody.
Sixth scene. Entrance to the Ascot Racecourse. Pickering respectfully introduces an elegant elderly lady, Mrs Higgins. He confusedly tries to explain that her son will bring a street flower girl to her box. The shocked Mrs. Higgins is quite vaguely grasping the meaning of his confused speeches.
Seventh scene. Mrs. Higgins' box at the racetrack. An elegant gavotte sounds. The choir of aristocrats "The High World Gathered Here" conveys an ironic description of the so-called "society". The ladies and gentlemen disperse slowly and decorously, Higgins and his mother, Mrs. Ainsford Hill with her daughter and son, and others enter the box. Pickering introduces Miss Dolittle, who makes a compelling impression of Freddie Ainsford Hill. A general conversation begins, during which Eliza, carried away, admits expressions that are completely unacceptable in decent society. This causes Freddie to have a lot of fun.
He and Clara, rarely in the world because of their poverty, mistake Eliza's jargon for the latest fashion. True, Eliza utters all the words impeccably, but the content of her speeches shows Higgins that a lot of work is still needed.
Eighth scene. In front of Higgins' house. Freddie came here to declare his love to Eliza. He is not allowed into the house. Eliza is so upset about her failure that she doesn't want to see anyone. But Freddie is not upset: if necessary, he will wait all his life! Light, lyrical, full of sincere feelings, his song "I walked this street more than once."
Ninth scene. Higgins' office a month and a half later. All this time Eliza worked hard, beyond all measure, and today is the decisive exam. They are going to the ball at the embassy. Pickering is nervous. Higgins is absolutely calm. Eliza in a ball gown is as beautiful as a vision. The Colonel is full of compliments, Higgins says through clenched teeth, "Not bad!"
Tenth scene. The landing of the main staircase of the embassy at the entrance to the ballroom. The footmen report on the arriving guests. A lush, solemn waltz is heard. Mrs Higgins, Professor Higgins, and Colonel Pickering discuss Eliza's first success. Enter Higgins' colleague Professor Karpaty. He accompanies the Queen of Transylvania. His favorite pastime is identifying impostors by pronunciation. Pickering pleads with Higgins to leave while Karpaty has not yet met with Eliza, but he wants to bring the test to the end.
Eleventh scene. Ballroom. Eliza enthusiastically dances with one or another gentleman, including Karpaty, who is very interested in her. Higgins watches, determined to leave events to their natural flow.
Second action
The twelfth scene. Higgins' office.
Tired, Eliza, Higgins and Pickering return from the ball. The girl can hardly stand on her feet, but the men do not pay any attention to her. The servants congratulate the owner on his success. A large ensemble scene unfolds, in which first the stormy polka "Well, dear friend, victory" sounds, and then Higgins's story about the Carpathians - brilliantly parody, with a witty use of hackneyed Hungarian melodic turns.
Finally alone with Higgins, Eliza furiously reveals to him everything that has accumulated in her soul. After all, her position is now hopeless - she cannot return to her former life, but what is her future? For Higgins, everything is simple: the experiment is brilliantly finished and you can not think about it anymore! The professor leaves, trying to preserve her dignity, and Eliza, breathless with rage, repeats: "Well, wait, Henry Higgins, wait!"
Thirteenth scene. Wimpole Street in front of Higgins' house. Dawn. Freddie is sitting on the steps. For many days he has left this post only to eat, sleep and change clothes. His song still sounds joyfully and tenderly. Eliza comes out of the house with a small suitcase. The lyric-comedy duet scene “Your speeches have captivated me” unfolds. Freddie, against the will of the girl, who takes her anger out on him, runs to see her off.
The fourteenth scene. Covent Garden Flower Market, opposite is the familiar brasserie. It's early morning, the market is just starting to wake up. The same peddlers are warming up by the fire as on the night Eliza and Higgins met. They sing her song ("It's great"). Eliza enters, but no one recognizes her. She sees Dolittle, dressed up in a top hat and patent leather shoes, with a flower in his buttonhole, emerge from the pub. It turns out that Wallingford, to whom Higgins once recommended him, left Dolittle by bequest a substantial amount of money. So solid that Dolittle didn't have the heart to give it up. And now he is a complete man. He was among the respected citizens, he has to behave himself. His long-term partner, Eliza's stepmother, also decided to become respected, and today they are getting married. His freedom is gone, his carefree life is over!
Fifteenth scene. Hall of Higgins' house, morning. Both gentlemen are shocked and upset at Eliza's departure. Higgins' verses “What made her leave, I don’t understand” are interspersed with Pickering's reasoning and his phone calls to the police and to the Home Office demanding to find the fugitive.
Sixteenth scene. Mrs. Higgins' house, later. Eliza is here. Over a cup of tea, she tells Mrs. Higgins about the whole incident. Higgins rushes in and begins to rage. Mrs. Higgins leaves her son alone with Eliza, and an explanation takes place between them. It turns out that he felt how he missed her. But the girl is adamant. Eliza's speeches are resolutely, with enthusiasm: "The sun may shine without you, England may live without you." Yes, she will not disappear: she can marry Freddie, she can become Karpaty's assistant ... Eliza leaves, leaving Higgins in disarray.
Seventeenth scene. On the same day in front of the house on Wimpole Street. Dusk. Higgins returns. He made an unexpected and terrible discovery: "I don't understand what's wrong with me, I'm so used to her eyes ..."
Eighteenth scene. A few minutes later in Higgins' office. He, sadly drooping, listens to old recordings - Eliza's arrival at his house. The girl imperceptibly, inaudibly enters the room. She listens for a while with Higgins, then turns off the phonograph and gently continues for him ... Higgins straightens up and sighs in satisfaction. Eliza understands him without words.
L. Mikheeva, A. Orelovich