David Byrne and Fatboy Slim's Here Lies Love cast recording features performances by the original 2013 Public Theater cast of the Obie Award-winning Here Lies Love musical, starring Ruthie Ann Miles and Jose Llana as Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos and featuring seven new songs written for the musical. Here Lies Love, raves the Daily News, "will leave you walking on air." On the album, says Playbill: "The score is revealed to be as glitteringly faceted as the production itself." PopMatters calls it "exceedingly seductive."
Nonesuch Records released the cast recording of David Byrne’s Here Lies Love on May 6, 2014 (internationally on May 12). The recording features music by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim as performed by the original 2013 Public Theater cast of the Here Lies Love musical starring Ruthie Ann Miles and Jose Llana as Imelda and Ferdinand Marcos. Here Lies Love is available digitally and as a two CD set.
The physical copy of the recording includes a 80-page full color book with lyrics, credits, an introduction by Public Theater director Oskar Eustis and two essays about the creation of the piece by Byrne.
Here Lies Love premiered at New York’s Public Theater in April of last year and was extended four times. It won an Obie Award for music and lyrics; an Outer Critics Circle Award; Drama Desk Awards for Outstanding Music, Lighting Design, and Projection Design; and two Theatre World Awards. The Public’s production was hailed by the New York Observer as “the must-see event of the season” and by Vogue as “a life-giving, roof-raising, booty-shaking blast of joy.”
Marcos’s love for disco and club music served as the inspiration for the musical, telling the story of Filipina First Lady Imelda Marcos, retracing her meteoric rise to power and subsequent descent into infamy and disgrace at the end of the People Power Revolution.
Here Lies Love, which draws its name from Imelda’s requested tombstone epitaph, was originally released in 2010 as an album with multiple singers performing the lead roles, including Santigold, Florence Welch (Florence + The Machine), Sia, Steve Earle, St. Vincent, Natalie Merchant, Tori Amos, Sharon Jones, Nicole Atkins, and many others.
The cast recording of Here Lies Love features seven new songs written specifically for the musical including “Child of the Philippines,” “The Fabulous One,” based on Ninoy Aquino’s famous speech “A Pantheon for Imelda,” and “God Draws Straight,” based on the book People Power: An Eyewitness History. Of the new songs written for the musical, Byrne says “I was thrilled with the result—I’d been gently nudged by my collaborators to write something that I’d never tried before.”
Byrne collaborated with director Alex Timbers (Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson) to bring the music to the stage. Ruthie Ann Miles’ starring performance was praised as “striking” by New York magazine, “magnetic, sexy and poignant” by the New York Post, and “vivid and haunting” by the New York Daily News. Entertainment Weekly declares “not only does [Miles] have a lovely, dynamic set of pipes, but she also infuses the first lady with just the right amount of strength and sensitivity.” Miles earned a Theatre World Award for her performance. The cast recording of Here Lies Love also features Renee Albulario, Melody Butiu, Natalie Cortez, Debralee Daco, Joshua Dela Cruz, Kelvin Moon Loh, Jeigh Madjus, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Conrad Ricamora, Trevor Salter, and Janelle Velasquez.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Most DB guitars and programming recorded at South Hell Studio, NYC and Malu’s Motel
Vocal recording: Patrick Dillett at his studio
Additional engineering by David Groener, Simon Akkermans and Jonathan Altschuler
Vocal Supervisor: Kimberly Grigsby
Music Associate (vocal scores): Scotty Arnold
Orchestra Contractor: Garo Yellin
Mixed by Patrick Dillett at his studio
Mastered by Greg Calbi at Sterling Sound, NYC
Production Management: Frank Hendler, Jasper Berg, Rebecca Sherman, Steven Showalter, Brian Hultgren
Design: Doyle Partners
Art Supervision: LeeAnn Rossi
Cover Photograph: Slim Aarons/Hulton Archive/Getty Images
Production Photography by Joan Marcus
Marcos Family Portrait by Ralph Cowan
David Byrne is published by Moldy Fig Music, Inc. (BMI). Fatboy Slim and Cagedbaby are published by ASongs Publishing (ASCAP). Los Amigos Invisibles is published by Universal Music Publishing (ASCAP).
Here Lies Love was originally produced and presented by the Public Theater, April–July 2013
Concept and Lyrics: David Byrne
Music: David Byrne and Fatboy Slim
Additional Music: Tom Gandey, J Pardo
Direction: Alex Timbers
Choreography: Annie-B Parson
Set Design: David Korins
Costume Design: Clint Ramos
Lighting Design: Justin Townsend
Sound Design: M.L. Dogg and Cody Spencer
Projections: Peter Nigrini
Music Supervisor: Kimberly Grigsby
Collaborating Music Producer: Justin Levine
Music Editor: Matt Stine
Fight Director: Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum
Production Stage Manager: Alaina Taylor
Associate Artists Director: Mandy Hackett
Associate Producer: Maria Goyanes
General Manager: Steven Showalter
Production Executive: Ruth E. Sternberg
Artistic Director: Oskar Eustis
Executive Director: Patrick Willingham
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CAST
Melody Butiu (Estrella), Jose Llana (Marcos), Kelvin Moon Loh (D. J.), Ruthie Ann Miles (Imelda), Conrad Ricamora (Aquino), and Renée Albulario, Natalie Cortez, Debralee Daco, Joshua Dela Cruz, Jeigh Madjus, Maria-Christina Oliveras, Trevor Salter, Janelle Velasquez (Ensemble)