Mark Pentleton

Today is St Lucia’s day and is a special day in Sweden, and indeed in other parts of Scandinavia and Northern Europe. St Lucia or St Lucy was sentenced to be burned, but the flames did not consume her. In Sweden a girl in each town is chosen to be Lucia and leads a [...]

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All musicals need an “eleven o’clock number”, the song which is a turning point towards the end of the second act. There’s no doubt that Du måste finnas is exactly that! Kristina has miscarried and she sits alone under the stars contemplating all the bad things which have happened to her. For the first time [...]

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I’m continuing the series of songs from Kristina från Duvemåla today (more information here). In a work full of tender moments, this song represents one of the most tender. Ulrika is a changed woman since her arrival in Minnesota. Back in Sweden her reputation meant that no man would consider marrying her, but in America [...]

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