'Rudolf,' romantic tale of Austrian prince

Im Tae-kyung, left, playing Rudolf, and Kim Bo-kyung, Mary Vetsera, sing “I Was Born to Love You” during a performance of musical “Rudolf,” which is currently on stage at Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul. / Courtesy of EMK Musical Company

By Kwon Mee-yoo

Riveting music of Frank Wildhorn and the tragedy of two lovers in the new musical “Rudolf” is receiving favorable responses from Korean audiences. With music by Wildhorn and lyrics by Jack Murphy, the musical about Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, and his lover Baroness Mary Vetsera, opened in Seoul on Nov. 10.

The musical could be considered a sequel to “Elisabeth,” staged in Korea from February to May, as Rudolf is the son of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. However, the show is created by totally different people from a different approach.

While “Elisabeth,” written by Michael Kunze and composed by Sylvester Levay, is more historically rooted through its German creators, “Rudolf” focuses on the romantic relationship between the crown prince and his lover Mary.

The origin of musical “Rudolf” dates back to 1979 when Wildhorn, most widely-known for “Jekyll and Hyde,” was a student at the University of Southern California.

“I was at USC library and came across this book ‘A Nervous Splendor: Vienna 1888-1889’ by Frederic Morton while browsing,” said Wildhorn. The composer visited Korea with Murphy to celebrate the opening of “Rudolf” here.

He fell in love with the book only by reading the back of the book about the two shots ringing out in Mayerling in the late 19th century.

“I thought, ‘This is a musical,’” the composer said. “There are two young lovers with lots of problems. Bigger-than-life characters in bigger-than-life circumstances attracted me and I love to write music for it.”

Frank Wildhorn, left, composer of “Rudolf,” and Jack Murphy, lyricist, pose for a photo during their visit to Korea to celebrate the Korean premiere of the show. / Courtesy of EMK Musical Company

Wildhorn acquired the rights to turn the story into a musical in 2004 and asked for longtime artistic partner Murphy to join him in 2005.

The composer said his musical vocabulary used for this performance is based on European music, especially Russian. He said he imagined what a musical would be like if Sergei Rachmaninoff wrote one and composed the music of “Rudolf.”

“Wildhorn’s haunting music is like big romantic gestures and this show suits his music,” Murphy said.

Wildhorn and Murphy have been working together as a composer-lyricist duo for 20 years. “It’s our 20th anniversary. We are like an old married couple,” Murphy said jokingly, unraveling the history of them. A friend of Wildhorn introduced Murphy to the composer who was looking for a lyricist partner and the two “clicked and worked together” since then.

In their earlier collaboration, the two had literally worked in the same room all the time for writing music and lyrics, such is their bond, that they can now work over email or Skype. “It is like playing tennis,” Wildhorn explained their work process, music and lyrics going back and forth.

Murphy said the music has to come first because Wildhorn’s music informs the emotion. “It is easier to write lyrics supported with music,” he said. “A lyric is different from a line of poetry. It can soar only with music.”

Wildhorn was happy with Murphy’s lyrics as well. “Jack has this wonderful way of taking music in a poetic and emotional way. He also writes in a way that singers love to sing,” the composer said. “When he sends me great lyrics, I play it on the piano and this moment of creation is so special always.”

Wildhorn also showed tremendous affection for Korean musical actors who performed in his shows including Ock Joo-hyun, also known as Julia Oak, who performs Mary in “Rudolf.” She previously worked with the composer in “The Count of Monte Cristo.”

“Julia is a great singer and I asked her to come to the States for a recording. She deserves a bigger stage,” Wildhorn said.

He also hoped to have concerts in Korea with his songs with Korean musical actors as well as his friends from the States. When asked about the best part of holding a concert, he had a big smile like a child. “I play the piano at the concert and it brings me to the moment I began. That is the fun part of it,” he said.

The composer hopes “Rudolf” will have a long life in Korea like “Jekyll and Hyde” and foster further collaboration with Korean producers.

“Long ago, musicals were created in Broadway and exported, but it has changed. ‘Rudolf’ began in Europe and was exported to Japan and Korea. I think soon musicals born in Korea will be exported,” Wildhorn said. “I work with many Korean producers and I’m always asking them to give me a good Korean story to write a musical about, but I haven’t found it yet.”

Wildhorn also hinted that next year is going to be a good year for his fans here as three of his shows will premiere in Korea. “Music, like love, has no borders,” the composer said.

“Rudolf” is being staged at Chungmu Art Hall in central Seoul through Jan. 27, 2013. Tickets cost from 50,000 to 130,000 won. For more information, visit www.musicalrudolf.co.kr or call (02) 6391-6333.