韦伯经典音乐剧，家长孩子一起看
——英语音乐剧《猫》（Cats）,学会Deuteronmy 《申命记》（《圣经》第5本书的名字）

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以下介绍来自网络

音乐剧《猫》（Cats）简介：



       《猫》的故事来自诗人T-S-艾略特1939年出版的诗集《擅长打扮的老猫精》(Old pusson’s book of practical cats)，大致情节是这样的： 



  在午夜，一个月色中的垃圾场，杰里科猫群的猫们聚集在一起，在等待他们的领袖的到来，好选取一只将被选到九重天，能获得重生的猫.一只只不同性格、不同外貌的猫相继出现，有年轻天真的白猫维克多利亚，有很骚包的兰塔塔格，以及邪恶的麦克维蒂，它们载歌载舞，展现了一场场精彩的表演……



    但一只瘸腿的母猫出现了，它艰难地上场，外表褴褛憔悴，饱受生活的摧残，大家都避开了它，它悲惨地唱起歌，谁能想到它当年是那样的美貌非凡…… 



1981年5月11日，音乐剧《猫》在伦敦首演，从此一炮打红，并凭难以打破的票房纪录成为英国有史以来最成功、连续公演最久的音乐剧。1982年《猫》开始在全世界的舞台剧圣地，美国纽约的百老汇大街上公演，到2000年夏天停演，早已打破了百老汇连续公演最久而且也次数最多的记录。而直到现在.《猫》仍在伦敦西头公演。除此之外，《猫》也是美国最长的巡回演出剧目。



  《猫》曾获得七项托尼奖，包括最佳歌剧。而《记忆》一曲则成为现代音乐中的经典，它的演唱者包括世界闻名的歌手芭芭拉-史翠珊(Barbara Streisand)、拜瑞-曼塔洛(Barry mantilow)和茱迪-柯林丝(Judy collins)。 



  《猫》曾在阿根廷、澳大利亚、奥地利、加拿大、德国、英国、芬兰、法国、荷兰、香港、匈牙利、冰岛、爱尔兰、日本、朝鲜、墨西哥、新西兰、挪威、俄罗斯、瑞典、瑞士、美国和新加坡等地的250余个剧场演出过。             



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比起其他著名的音乐剧，中国听众最熟悉的一定是《猫》。原因不在其他，而在于剧中一首歌的力量，那就是<回忆Memory>。自《猫》诞生以来，<回忆>这首歌就开始传播四海，那如泣如诉的旋律，一下就能抓住人们的心。对于中国听众而言，这首歌的知名度要远远高于《猫》。大多数人也是听了<回忆>之后才知道了音乐剧的《猫》。

 



       <回忆>这首歌是由剧中的魅力猫“格里泽贝拉”演唱的，这是一只年轻时魅力十足而年老后邋遢肮脏的猫，她孤独衰弱，遭人唾弃，流浪在最下等的街区，受到猫族的排挤。她也渴望能升入天堂，但这对她显然是一种奢望。在这个情景下，她演唱了这首<回忆>。在她唱完之后，猫儿们都被感动了，一致推选她升上天堂，全剧落下帷幕。从中我们就可以看出，这首歌在剧中所占的份量，可以说，它是全剧的转折点，也是高潮点，因为所有的猫对“格里泽贝拉”的看法都将在这首歌后发生改变。






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Detailed synopsis

Act I — When Cats Are Maddened by the Midnight Dance

After the overture, the Cats gather on stage and explain the Jellicle tribe and their purpose (Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats). The Cats (who constantly break the fourth wall, in the musical) spot the human audience and explain how the different Cats of the tribe are named (The Naming of Cats). This is followed by a dance from Victoria the White Cat that signals the beginning of the Jellicle Ball (The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball) and Munkustrap tells us that tonight is the night when Old Deuteronomy will choose a cat to be reborn into a new life on the Heaviside Layer.

Munkustrap appears and introduces Jennyanydots (The Old Gumbie Cat), a large tabby cat. She "sits and sits and sits" all day, while at night she rules over the mice and cockroaches, teaching various activities to them. Jennyanydots finishes, greets the other cats, but is interrupted. The music instantly changes, and The Rum Tum Tugger makes an extravagant entrance (The Rum Tum Tugger). The Tugger is a Tom with a wild mane and leopard spots on his chest. He is very fickle and unappeasable, "for he will do as he do do and there's no doing anything about it".

A shabby old grey cat stumbles out and looks around. It is Grizabella. All the cats back away. The cats sing of her saddened, unfortunate state (Grizabella: The Glamour Cat). Grizabella leaves and the music changes to a cheerful upbeat. Bustopher Jones, a fat cat in "a coat of fastidious black", appears (Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town). Bustopher Jones is among the elite of the cats, and visits prestigious gentlemen's clubs. A loud crash startles the tribe. Could this be Macavity? The cats run off the stage in fright. Hushed giggling signals the entrance of Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer, a pair of near-identical cats. They are petty burglars, very mischievous, and they enjoy causing trouble for human families (Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer).

Finally, the Jellicle patriarch, Old Deuteronomy, shows up (Old Deuteronomy). He is a large old Cat that "has lived many lives" and "married nine wives (And more, I am tempted to say – ninety-nine)". He is the one who will choose which Jellicle cat will go to the Heaviside Layer. In most productions, at this point, the cats perform a song (The Awful Battle of the Pekes and the Pollicles) for Old Deuteronomy. It is a story about two dog tribes clashing in the street and subsequently being scared away by the Great Rumpus Cat, a cat with flashing red eyes. After a few words from Old Deuteronomy on the destiny of Jellicle Cats and Pollicle Dogs, a second loud crash, presumably from Macavity, sends the alarmed cats scurrying. But Old Deuteronomy calls them back and the main celebration begins (The Jellicle Ball), in which the cats sing, dance and display their "terpsichorean powers".

After the Ball, Grizabella reappears and tries to dance, but her age and decrepit condition prevent her from doing so. Once again, she is shunned by the other cats, but that does not stop her from singing a short version of Memory.

Act II — Why Will the Summer Day Delay — When Will Time Flow Away?

After the Jellicle Ball, Old Deuteronomy sings of "what happiness is", referring to Grizabella. This message naturally goes over everyone's heads, so he sends the message again and Jemima (or Sillabub, depending on the production) sings it for everyone to hear (The Moments of Happiness). Gus — short for Asparagus — shuffles forward (Gus: The Theatre Cat). He is the cat that was once a famous actor but is now old and "suffers from palsy which makes his paws shake". He is accompanied by Jellylorum, who tells of his exploits. Gus then remembers how he once played the infamous Growltiger, Terror of the Thames (Growltiger's Last Stand). He tells the story about the pirate's romance with Griddlebone and how he was overtaken by the Siamese and forced to walk the plank.

 

Back in the present, after Gus exits, Skimbleshanks is sleeping in the corner (Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat), a cat who is unofficially in charge of the night train to Glasgow. He is very clever and very important because if he is gone "the train can't start". Within his song, a whole locomotive train engine is assembled out of objects in the junkyard, with various cats spinning wheels, holding up the structure and lighting the headlights.

 

With a third crash and an evil laugh, the "most wanted" cat, Macavity appears. He is a "master criminal" and is never found at the scene of the crime. He is a horrifying looking cat and a "villain" of the Jellicle Tribe. Macavity's minions throw a net over Old Deuteronomy and capture him. As the other cats try to follow him, Demeter and Bombalurina sing what they know about Macavity, as they have had some sort of past with him (Macavity: The Mystery Cat). When they are finished, Macavity returns disguised as Old Deuteronomy. When revealed by Demeter, he fights with Munkustrap and Alonzo. Though he holds his own for a time, Macavity is overwhelmed by the two younger tomcats; as the rest of the tribe begins to gang up and surround him, he shorts out the stage lights and escapes in the confusion.

Rum Tum Tugger suggests that the cats find Mr. Mistoffelees (Magical Mr. Mistoffelees). Mr. Mistoffelees is black and small and can perform many feats of magic that no other cat can do. Mr. Mistoffelees performs his dance, which is often one of the most intricate and challenging dance solos in the show. The magical cat restores the lights and brings back Old Deuteronomy, earning praise from all the cats. The Jellicle choice can now be made.

 

After Old Deuteronomy sits down, Grizabella returns to the junkyard and he allows her to address the gathering. Her faded appearance and lonely disposition have little effect on her song (Memory). With acceptance and encouragement from Jemima and Victoria, her appeal succeeds and she is chosen to be the one to go to the Heaviside Layer and be reborn to a new Jellicle Life (Journey to the Heaviside Layer). A large tire rises from the junk piles, carrying Grizabella and Old Deuteronomy partway toward the sky; he then steps off so she can finish the journey on her own. Old Deuteronomy gives his closing speech to the human audience (The Ad-dressing of Cats) and the show comes to a close.

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Music

Musical numbers

Act I "Overture" – Orchestra "Prologue: Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats" – The Company "The Naming of Cats" – The Company "The Invitation to the Jellicle Ball" – Victoria, Carbucketty, Munkustrap "The Old Gumbie Cat" – Jennyanydots, Munkustrap, Bombalurina, Jellylorum, Demeter "The Rum Tum Tugger" – Rum Tum Tugger and Company "Grizabella: The Glamour Cat" – Grizabella, Demeter, Bombalurina "Bustopher Jones: The Cat About Town" – Bustopher, Jennyanydots, Jellylorum, Bombalurina "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" – Mungojerrie, Rumpleteazer "Old Deuteronomy" – Munkustrap, Rum Tum Tugger, Old Deuteronomy "The Awful Battle of The Pekes and the Pollicles" – Munkustrap, Rumpus Cat and Company "The Song of the Jellicles" – The Company "The Jellicle Ball" – Orchestra "Grizabella, The Glamour Cat" (Reprise) – Grizabella "Memory" – Grizabella

Act II "The Moments of Happiness"/"Memory" – Old Deuteronomy, Jemima "Gus: The Theatre Cat" – Asparagus, Jellylorum "Growltiger's Last Stand"-Asparagus as Growltiger, Jellylorum as Griddlebone, and Company "Gus: The Theater Cat" (Reprise) – Asparagus "Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat" – Skimbleshanks and Company "Macavity: The Mystery Cat" – Demeter, Bombalurina "Macavity Fight" – Macavity, Munkustrap, Alonzo "Mr. Mistoffelees" – Quaxo, otherwise known as Mr. Mistoffelees, Rum Tum Tugger "Jellicle Choice"/"Daylight" – Munkustrap and Jemima "Memory" (Reprise) – Grizabella, Jemima "The Journey to the Heaviside Layer" – The Company "Finale: The Ad-Dressing of Cats" – Old Deuteronomy and Company

* Not featured in 1998 video

Instrumentation (Current licensed version)

• Reed 1: Flute, tenor sax, soprano sax
• Reed 2: Clarinet, baritone sax, flute
• Reed 3: Oboe, English horn
• Bass
• Cello
• 2 horns
• 2 trumpets
• Trombone
• Percussion
• 3 keyboards
• Drums
• Guitar