After six years of absence from the stage, due to Alias' shooting schedules, Victor Garber made a short return to the theatre in the "Los Angeles Opera", playing the role of "Fredrik" in Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music". During July 2004, the "Los Angeles Opera" stage opened its curtain to this stunning production of Sondheim's musical directed by Scott Ellis, choreographed by Susan Stroman, conducted by John DeMain and performed by a terrific cast.                  Synopsis | Victor's Character | Cast List | Production Dates                              Multimedia Gallery | Reviews | Links Synopsis Base on the Ingmar Bergman film Smiles of a Summer Night, Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music tells the story of middle-aged Fredrik Egerman and his teenage bride, Anne, with whom he has never had sexual relations in spite of the fact that they have been married for eleven months. The couple lives in the same house with Fredrik's son Henrik, a seminary student one year older than Anne. The lack of intimacy aside, things seem to be going tolerably well for the couple until they attend a comedy at the theatre that features Desirée Armfeldt, an actress with whom Fredrik once had an affair. Although Anne can't stomach the thought of sleeping with Fredrik, she doesn't like the thought of any other woman performing that particular service for her husband either, and when she notices Desirée making eyes at Fredrik, she demands to be taken home immediately. Once home, however, Fredrik can't stop thinking of his former lover, and when he goes to visit her, his eleven months of forced celibacy get the best of him, and he is soon on his way to being in bed with the actress. No sooner have they undressed, however, than they are interrupted by Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, a married man with whom Desirée is having an affair. Malcolm is a self-proclaimed man of the world and knows how these things work, but the situation grows more complicated the next morning when the Count baldly relates the evening's events to his wife Charlotte who's little sister happens to be a girlhood friend of Anne's. Later, when the Count drifts to sleep Charlotte decides to tip Anne off about Fredrik's activities. Meanwhile, however, Desirée has issued an invitation to Fredrik and his family to spend a weekend with her at her mother's country estate. In spite of what she now knows, Anne decides to accept the invitation looking as young as possible so as to shame Desirée back behind her wrinkles. When Malcolm learns of the invitation, he announces that he and Charlotte will attend as well, invited or not, as he is determined not to lose his mistress. Once all of the players arrive at the isolated estate, the stage is set for a sexually-charged weekend of thinly veiled accusations and unexpected revelations. Victor Garber's Character and Performance Victor Garber played "Fredrik Egerman", the middle-aged lawyer married to his much younger wife, Anne. Fredrik and Anne have been married for eleven months but the marriage has never been consummated. Although always patient with the situation, Fredrik is growing restless as shown while he sings "Now". It was Victor's first song in the play and what a wonderful way to start it. He sang it exquisitly and the song was perfect for his voice. One evening, Fredrik and Anne attend a play featuring Desirée Armfeldt, an actress with whom he once had an affair. The lack of intimacy with Anne and the memories of his past with Desirée lead Fredrik to visit the actress later that night. This was surely a great moment performed by both Victor Garber and Judith Ivey as Fredrik and Desirée revived their past and talked about their present lives. Once again, Victor delighted us with his lovely voice as he sang "You Must Meet My Wife". Fredrik and Desirée's meeting is interrupted, however, by an unexpected surprised visit by her current lover, Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm and the three actors delighted us with one of the most hilarious moments of the play with Fredrik and Desirée trying to explain to Malcolm what Fredrik was doing at her lodgings at such late hours and why he was wearing just a robe. Victor was superb during the entire scene and the laughs and applauds that he got from the audience were surely well deserved. Deciding to re-conquer Fredrik, Desirée invites him and his family to a weekend at her mother's country house. Fredrik accepts the invitation but the situation gets very complicated when Count Malcolm decides to show up as well, uninvited, to prevent Fredrik and Desirée from spending time together. Also Anne and Charlotte, Malcolm's wife, decide to go ahead with a plan to part their respective husbands from the actress. A succession of fun moments occured, especially whenever Victor Garber and Marc Kudisch shared the stage. Fredrik and Malcolm's scenes were always full of great humor and acting. Victor and Marc's singing skills could be admired, once more, when they sang together "It Would Have Been Wonderful", in a moment of profound gloom regarding Desirée. At the end of the play, Anne and Henrik, Fredrik's son, run away together, Charlotte and Count Malcolm regain their love and passion for each other, and Fredrik ends up in Desirée's arms. After both wonderfully singing "Send In The Clowns", Fredrika, Desirée's and almost-for-sure Fredrik's daughter, hugs the couple in a tender family moment. It was a fantastic musical and an outstanding performance of Victor Garber as Fredrik, in a sensational return to the stage. Cast List Victor Garber Fredrik Egerman Judith Ivey Desiree Armfeldt Zoe Caldwell Madame Armfeldt Marc Kudisch Count Carl-Magnus Laura Benanti Anne Egerman Michele Pawk Charlotte Danny Gurwin Henrik Egerman Jessica Boevers Petra Kristen Bell Fredrika Armfeldt Ashley Rose Orr Fredrika Armfeldt (July 15, 16, 21, 28, 29, 30) Hank Stratton Frid Eric Axen Frid (July 28) Michael Chioldi Mr. Lindquist Joohee Choi Mrs. Anderssen James Schaffner Mr. Erlanson/Bertrand Laura Kay Swanson Mrs. Nordstrom Stephanie Woodling Mrs. Segstrom Maureen Dodson Malla Allison Prival Osa John DeMain Conductor Scott Ellis Producer Susan Stroman Choreographer Michael Anania Set Designer Lindsay W. Davis Costume Designer Kenneth Posner Lighting Designer Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Production Dates "A Little Night Music" was produced at the "Los Angeles Opera" from 7 July 2004 to 31 July 2004. Multimedia Gallery Photos Photos by "Robert Millard". All the photos were posted with the express permission of the "Los Angeles Opera". Audio A few audio files will be add shortly... Reviews Links to reviews related to the show: A Little Night Music" is the Perfect Summer Treat, by Timothy Kuryak, L.A. August 1, 2004 Links Links related to the show: Los Angeles Opera: A Little Night Music Playbill News			List of stage credits Plays .Present Laughter .Follies .Of Thee I Sing .A Little Night Music .Art .Macbeth .The Royal Family .Arcadia .Damn Yankees .Two Shakespearean Actors .Reassurance .Assassins .Merrily We Roll Along .Love Letters .Lend Me a Tenor .The Devil's Disciple .Wenceslas Square .You Never Can Tell .Noises Off .The Importance of Being Ernest .The Miser .Little Me .They're Playing Our Song .Sweeney Todd .Deathtrap .Tartuffe .The Autumn Garden .As You Like It .Daarlin' Juno .House of Mirth .Cracks .Don Juan .A Midsummer Night's Dream .Joe's Opera .The Soldier's Tale & The Knight of the Burning Pestle .Cyrano De Bergerac .Ghosts .The Waltz of the Toreadors .Godspell .The Roar of the Greasepaint .The Diary of Ann Frank .Kiss Me Kate .Life With Father .Heidi .Tom Sawyer .The King and I .Macbeth Events / Readings / Workshops .All About Eve .An Evening of Lunacy and Laughter .100 Years of Al Hirschfeld - A Celebration .A Joy of Christmas Concert .Wise Guys (Workshop) .Mame .Steel Pier .Ragtime .A Cheever Evening .A Christmas Memory .Sondheim - A Celebration At Carnegie Hall .An Evening of Songs .The Long Wharf Christmas Program