Mata Hari (Wildhorn musical)

The musical tells the story of Mata Hari, an exotic dancer who was executed in France following a conviction of espionage during World War I. The musical's official website describes the plot as: "The year 1917. Paris, once the glamorous city of light, is suffering amidst the chaos that is World War I. France, Great Britain and Russia (the allies) are fighting against Germany and the Austrian-Hungarian empire (the enemy). To heal the wounds of war, a beautiful dancer Mata Hari captivates all of Europe, her mysterious dance putting her at the centre of attention within high society. ''Mata Hari's status as a celebrity allows her to travel between the warring countries making her a valuable asset to the French army and one day a visit from George Ladoux of the French military intelligence changes her life forever.'' Meanwhile she begins a relationship with a young French pilot, Armand Gilot, but all is not as it seems...." == Inception and development ==

In 2012, Frank Wildhorn suggested a musical about the life and death of Mata Hari to South Korean producer Hong Hyun Eum. Ivan Menchell, Wildhorn's writing partner, completed the first draft of the script in 2013. The first reading of Mata Hari took place in New York at the Manhattan Pearl Studio. Ock Joo Hyun was the inspiration for Mata Hari and Wildhorn wrote the part to match her voice.''"There is a recording and it's a video on YouTube that she made of a song from Monte Cristo called "Back When The World Was Mine" that many of the actress, best actresses, in New York listen to all the time and really are blown away by it... It's a magical, magical moment this particular video on YouTube. And every time I listened to it I always get inspired that this was a voice I really wanted to write for."'' - Frank Wildhorn, Mata Hari press conference The show took on a meta perspective wherein it was set on a stage in the Moulin Rouge. Mata Hari, a dancer and entertainer, is introduced by the Emcee who purposefully addresses the audience as spectators in the Moulin Rouge. In 2015, another workshop was held, this time in Seoul at the Namsan Creative Center. Sophie Kim, Lee Ji Hoon, Lim Hyun Soo and Kim Soo Yong participated in the workshop as the Korean lyrics and dialogue was tried out for the first time. Then on 25 January 2016, the cast and creatives performed a Music Showcase of the key numbers. Menchell and Wildhorn were both there to introduce, give context to and play the songs that they had been developing. This was the first that the press were able to see the music numbers. The whole showcase was broadcast on Naver Live TV and clips recorded by other musical news outlets such as PlayDB have been uploaded to YouTube. == Productions ==

World premiere (2016) The show officially opened on 29 March 2016 at Blue Square Interpark Hall in Seoul. Previews were held from 25 to 27 March, with a two-day break before the opening as the directors were still negotiating the cast schedule. EMK Musical Company reported that they had $4.5 million of pre-opening ticket sales and over 100,000 audience members attended the show in their limited eight-week run. 2017 Korean production The productions premiere had received much criticism for the lack of substance in the show's plot but was critically acclaimed in its production design. ==Casts==

2016 Korean production ;Act I • "서곡 (Overture)" - Orchestra • "춤을 시작해 (Let the dance begin)" - Emcee, Ensemble • "사원의 춤 (Temple dance)" - Orchestra • "스파이가 되어 (Be a spy)" - Ladoux, Ensemble • "돌아갈 수 없어 (I won’t go back)" - Mata Hari • "저 높은 곳에서 (From way up there)" - Mata Hari, Armand • "수천 명의 목숨 (Ten thousand)" - Ladoux • "누구와 (I wonder who)" - Emcee, Ensemble • "예전의 그 소녀 (The girl I used to be)" - Mata Hari • "떨어질 때 (If you fall)" - Armand, Jack, Ensemble • "수천 명의 목숨 리프라이즈 (Ten thousand reprise)" - Ladoux • "마타 하리가 되다 (Becoming Mata Hari)" - Mata Hari • "안되는데 (Didn’t mean to)" - Armand • "스파이가 되어 리프라이즈 (Be a spy reprise)" - Emcee, Von Bissing, Ensemble • "내 마음을 조심해 (Be careful with my heart)" - Mata Hari, Ensemble • "남자 대 남자 (Man to man)" - Ladoux, Armand • "어딘가 (Some place)" - Mata Hari, Armand ;Act II • "막간음악 (Entr'acte)" - Orchestra • "마지막 춤을 (The last dance)" - Ladoux, MC, Katherine, Von Bissing, Ensemble • "노래를 기억해 (The song remembers)" - Mata Hari • "단 하루 (One more day)" - Armand • "너 때문에 (Because of you) - Ladoux • "너 때문에 리프라이즈 (Because of you reprise)" - Ladoux • "내 길은 하나 (All I want)" - Mata Hari • "선택권 (You have a choice)" - Katherine • "나의 전부 (Everything to me)" - Mata Hari, Armand • "이제 어디로 (What am I to do?)" - Mata Hari, Ladoux, Armand • "너를 통해 (Through you)" - Anna • "끝내야 할 임무 (All that we had to do)" - Ladoux, Ensemble • "그래서 내가 스파이야 (That’s why I’m a spy)" - Mata Hari, MC, Ensemble • "평밤한 일상 (Ordinary lives)" - Armand • "마지막 춤을 리프라이즈 2 (Last dance reprise 2)" - MC, Ensemble • "나팔소리가 잦아든 후에 (When the trumpets fade)" - Ladoux • "너를 통해서 리프라이즈 (Through you reprise)" - Ladoux • "마지막 순간 (One last time)" - Mata Hari • "마타 하리의 고별 공연 (Mata’s farewell performance)" - Ensemble 2017 Korean production The 2017 Korean production has seen major revisions since its premiere. Majority of the main songs have remained the same however songs have been renamed, added and removed. Source; Mata Hari Official Production Site (In Korean) (In English) ;Act I • "서곡 (Overture)" - Orchestra • "살아 (Live)" • "돌아갈 수 없어 (I won’t go back)" - Mata Hari • "소문난 미녀 (Toast of the Town)" • "싸워 (Fight)" • "수천 명의 목숨 (Ten thousand)" - Ladoux • "인생이란 (C'est la Vie)" • "조금 더 큰 일 (This is something more)" • "마타 하리가 되다 (Becoming Mata Hari)" - Mata Hari • "스파이를 찾아 (To catch a Spy)" • "수천 명의 목숨 리프라이즈 (Ten thousand reprise)" - Ladoux • "내 삶이 흘러가 (A Life Time)" - Mata Hari • "스파이를 찾아 리프라이즈 (To catch a spy reprise)" • "남자 대 남자 (Man to man)" - Ladoux, Armand • "안녕 (Good bye)" • "떨어질 때 (If you fall)" - Amrand, Jack, Ensemble • "두 사람 (Two People)" - Mata Hari ;Act II • "막간음악 (Entr'acte)" - Orchestra • "칼날의 끝 (On the edge of a Knife)" - Ensemble • "단 하루 (One more day)" - Ensemble • "너 때문에 (Because of you)" - Ladoux • "너 때문에 리프라이즈 (Because of you reprise)" - Ladoux • "내 길은 하나 (All I want)" - Mata Hari • "스파이를 찾아 리프라이즈 (To catch a spy reprise)" • "내 길은 하나 / 태그 (All I want / Tag)" • "또 한 명 (A soldier falls)" • "이제 어디로 (What am I to do?)" - Mata Hari, Ladoux, Armand • "평밤한 일상 (Ordinary lives)" - Armand • "너를 통해 (Through you)" - Anna • "끝내야 할 임무 (All that we had to do)" - Ladoux, Ensemble • "사원의 춤 (Temple dance)" - Orchestra • "남자 대 남자 리프라이즈 (Man to man reprise)" • "인생이란 리프라이즈 (C'est la Vie reprise)" • "나팔소리가 잦아든 후에 (When the trumpets fade)" - Ladoux • "마지막 순간 (One last time)" - Mata Hari ==References==