PRAIRIE'S Zambello Talks REBECCA, 'MERMAID' and Broadway to Variety

Francesca Zambello, off her recent success with Little House on the Prairie, is turning her focus to the continued musical journey of REBECCA. 

Zambello talks to Variety about next step for the tuner, deciding whether REBECCA should open in North America or London. She also shares her views on the current state of Broadway, what she is up to next and the importance of building new audiences for the future.

She remarks, "I don't think Broadway has to be the epicenter of American theater. It's an integral part of it, but if we want to keep theater alive, we have to think about our whole country." To read the full article click here.

The director is also helming a rare staging of Tchaikovsky's THE TSARINA'S SLIPPER'S for Britain's Royal Opera House, according to reports. The production will run November 20 - December 8 at Covent Garden.

The opera is based on Nikolai Gogol's short story "Christmas Eve," which debuted in 1876. It centers around a blacksmith who attempts to woo a beautiful but non-committal young woman. The only conditions under which she will marry the blacksmith is if he brings her the Tsarina's own slippers from the court of Catherine the Great.  Enlisting the help of the Devil to gate-crash a ball in St. Petersburg and bring his damsel what she wishes, he does just that. The company will consist of members from both the royal opera and the ballet, which share the Covent Garden facilities.

In addition to Little House on the Prairie, Francesca Zambello recently directed the Broadway production of Disney's The Little Mermaid. Ms. Zambello has won multiple Olivier Awards, Evening Standard Awards for Best Musical and Best Opera, and French Grand Prix des Critiques. Her additional awards include: Japanese Golden Prize, Helpmann Award, Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres, Russian Federation's Medal for ServIce To Culture, the Palme d'Or in Germany, and the Golden Mask in Russia. In London she has directed at the Royal Albert Hall: Show Boat and West End: Napoleon. Additional credits include: Raimund Theater, Vienna: a new musical based on Rebecca; Seattle Children's Theatre: Tibet Through the Red Box; Bregenz's floating stage: West Side Story; Old Globe: First Wives Club; and Skylight Music Theater: Artistic Director, 1984-91. Her Opera credits include: Metropolitan Opera: An American Tragedy (world premiere), Cyrano de Bergerac (with Placido Domingo), Les Troyens; Teatro alla Scala: Cyrano; Washington National and San Francisco Operas: The Ring, San Francisco Opera: Artistic Advisor; Royal Albert Hall: La Bohème; The Bolshoi: Fiery Angel; Chicago Lyric Opera: Salome; Royal Opera House: Carmen, Don Giovanni; Paris Opera: Boris Godunov, War and Peace, Billy Budd, William Tell. Ms. Zambello's Film credits include: War and Peace (ORF), Amahl and the Night Visitors (BBC), and The Little Prince (BBC/PBS).

For further information, visit: www.roh.org.uk.