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1971 "Jesus Christ Superstar" Broadway show review...
1971 "Jesus Christ Superstar" Broadway show review...
Item # 723842
October 14, 1971
THE NEW YORK TIMES, Oct. 14, 1971
* "Jesus Christ Superstar" rock opera
* English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber
* Iconic Broadway show - performance
* Opening day review - best publication (very rare)
The top of page 54 has the official review by Clive Barnes for the classic rock opera "Jesus Christ Superstar" on Broadway. The heading reads: "Stage: Christ's Passion as Serious Pop" with subheads that include: "'Jesus Christ Superstar' Billed as Rock Opera" (see images) This show made it's premiere the previous day.
And page 56 has a related article headed: "Religious Opinion Differs Over 'Superstar'" This performance is considered the first high-profile Broadway rock opera that made a lasting mark.
I suspect this to be an extremely rare item because there was really no reason to save it at the time.
Complete with all 92 pages, nice condition.
AI notes: In October 1971, Jesus Christ Superstar opened on Broadway to a range of critical responses, with the New York Times review by Clive Barnes emerging as the most influential. Barnes praised Andrew Lloyd Webber’s score as unusually strong for an English musical and highlighted standout songs like “Superstar” and “I Don’t Know How to Love Him”, but he critiqued the show’s dramatic conception, finding that the rock-infused, anachronistic style gave the story a sense of “smugness” and failed to truly renew the meaning or impact of Christ’s narrative. Other major New York publications, such as the New York Post, Daily News, and Village Voice, generally recognized the innovative music and energy of the performances, though some echoed concerns about the production’s staging choices and the lyrics’ occasional pedestrian quality. Overall, while audiences were enthusiastic and the show quickly drew crowds, critics were divided on whether its bold, contemporary approach successfully captured the depth and drama of the Passion story, making the New York Times review the most widely cited and historically significant account of the production’s early reception.
A cultural phenomenon that was divisive but influential, changing the landscape of musical theater and paving the way for future rock operas.
Category: The 20th Century
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