THE ROCK OPERA PHENOMENON
For two performances only, Andrew Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice's sensational rock opera comes to the California Theatre Of The Performing Arts this September. Based loosely on the Gospels, the story takes a look at the last week of Jesus' life, in a rock operatic concept that was first staged on Broadway in 1971. It originally started life in 1970 as a concept album and features the well-known hits "Superstar" and "I Don't Know How to Love Him," Superstar is a truly timeless and tremendously powerful musical that has garnered fans the world over.
Beginning with the arrival of Jesus and his followers in Jerusalem, the story takes a new look at the struggles faced by both himself, and the infamous Judas Iscariot, using political themes and issues not explored in the Bible. Judas is seen here as more of a tragic antihero dissatisfied with how Jesus is leading and spreading the Word of God, rather than the cruel traitor we are used to seeing. Combining contemporary attitudes and modern slang, the song lyrics offer ironic allusions to modern life as we know it, in a new interpretation of the events of that fateful week.
