Starmania

If you’ve read my old posts on this blog, you already know that I’m a huge fan of musicals, especially the French ones. Today I’m going to introduce you to one of them, as I promised not so long ago.

Starmania is a cyberpunk rock opera and its official theatrical premiere was in 1979. Michel Berger and Luc Plamondon are responsible for the phenomenal music and lyrics, that are remembered to this day. The proof of that is not only the fact that it is still played in various places, but as far as I know, there are also plans to make it a full, 3D movie.

So what’s the plot, you may ask?

Imagine that Occident is no longer divided into separate countries, but is united into one entity. Its capital, called Monopolis, is a city of everyone’s dreams, dreams of becoming a star. In the run-up to the presidental election, Monopolis is terrorized by the Black Stars, a gang leaded by Johnny Rockfort along with Sadia, a cross-dressed woman, who was originally born in the upper-class. They plan their attacks in the Underground Cafe right before the eyes of a waitress, Marie-Jeanne, who is wishing for a better life. Above this Underground Cafe rises the golden tower of billionaire and former military Zero Janvier. The latter announces his candidacy for the presidential election and defends the  model of a police state. His campaign is based on racism, liberal economy and anti-ecological conception: the "new atomic world". In the meantime, Sadia decides to contact Crystal, who is the host of a show called Starmania, with an offer one cannot just refuse: an exclusive interview with Johnny Rockfort.  And that’s just the beginning of a disaster.

It may sound a little complicated, because a lot of things is happening at once, and the plot gets more and more intense with time as the new characters appear, but it really pulls you in, and the music compliments the story so well, it makes the experience more wholesome, satisyfing and more powerful in transmitting the message, which by the way is very up-to-date : the world is threatened by terrorism and dictatorship, two forces that have the power to destroy the peace once and for all. It was portrayed perfectly by the main characters, who are lost, who are longing to love and be loved, who don’t know what to do with their lives, so they question the meaning of life in despair; the existential turmoil is clear and enhanced by media manipulation.

Interesting fact : There’s also an English version of this musical, it’s called Tycoon, and had its debut on stage in 1996. The lyrics were rewritten  by Tom Rice, who I reckon did a great job at adapting Starmania. What really surprised me though was that it starred Celine Dion, Cyndi Lauper and Tom Jones in the studio version. I also found a live performance where Celine Dion sung one of the songs from this musical, in French, in a duet with Bruno Pelletier, it’s so unbelievably epic I need to share it with you.

S.O.S d’un terrien en detresse – a song which all of you must know by now, and I hope are not bored of – properly depicts these feelings of loneliness, loss and uncertitude, and think it’s a good summarize of this whole musical. Thus one more time, I encourage you to listen to the original version, sung by Daniel Belavoine and also the English version Only the very best, performed by Peter Kingsbery, the lyrics of which are changed drastically, but I think the main idea stays there intact. It’s good to have many performances to choose from, don’t you think?