Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812
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Musicals for Middle School Readers
Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 is a sung-through musical adaptation of a 70-page segment from Leo Tolstoy's 1869 novel War and Peace. It is based on Part 8 of Tolstoy's novel, focusing on Natasha's affair with Anatole and Pierre's search for meaning in his life.
The story is set in Moscow, 1812, just before Napoleon's invasion of Russia and the burning of the city. The story begins by introducing the characters ("Prologue"), and then sets up the character Pierre, an old, sad, wealthy aristocrat, who is having an existential crisis, living a slothful life of wine, philosophy, and inaction ("Pierre"). He is best friends with Prince Andrey Bolkonsky, who has left to go to war. Andrey has recently become engaged to the young, beautiful countess Natasha Rostova. Natasha and her cousin Sonya arrive in Moscow to stay the winter with Natasha's godmother, Marya, while Natasha waits for Andrey to return from the war. Marya is an old friend of Pierre's ("Moscow"). Marya advises Natasha that she must visit her future in-laws, the demented old Prince Bolkonsky and his pitiable spinster daughter Mary ("The Private and Intimate Life of the House"), to win their affection in advance of the marriage, which is critical to the status and fortune of the Rostov family. However, Natasha's visit with Mary and Bolkonsky ends in disaster ("Natasha & Bolkonskys"), as Mary finds Natasha vain, Natasha finds Mary cold, and Bolkonsky behaves bizarrely. Natasha leaves their home missing Andrey more than ever ("No One Else").
The next night Natasha is introduced to decadent Moscow society and watches an amazing performance with Marya and Sonya ("The Opera"). There she meets Prince Anatole Kuragin, a young and handsome man and Pierre's brother-in-law, who turns out to be a notorious rogue. He comes to visit Natasha's box and leaves her with feelings she has never experienced before ("Natasha & Anatole").
Anatole comes home after The Opera and he, his friend Dolokhov, and Pierre go out drinking; they are met by Pierre's unpleasant wife and Anatole's sister, Hélène, who taunts Pierre and flirts with Dolokhov. Anatole plots with Dolokhov and Hélène to have the young woman he just met, although he is already married. Dolokhov taunts Pierre, toasting to the wives of society and their lovers. Pierre finds his wife's familiarity with Dolokhov offensive and drunkenly challenges him to a duel, accidentally wounding Dolokhov. When it is Dolokhov's turn to shoot, Pierre stands openly in front of the bullet, but Dolokhov miraculously misses him ("The Duel"). Before they all leave, Anatole asks Hélène to convince Natasha to come to the costume ball that she is hosting that evening. She agrees and they leave Pierre. Alone, Pierre reflects on his near-death experience and realizes that despite wasting his life, he wishes to live ("Dust and Ashes").
Natasha and her family go to church the next morning. She is confused about her interaction with Anatole the night before, and questions if she is spoiled of Andrey's love ("Sunday Morning"). Hélène does as her brother asks and visits Natasha. She invites her to the ball that she is hosting that night, and eventually Natasha agrees to come ("Charming"). That night, Natasha meets Anatole, and they dance. Anatole tells Natasha that he loves her, but she protests, reminding Anatole that she is betrothed to Andrey. Ignoring this, Anatole kisses her, leading her to fall in love with him in return ("The Ball").
Anatole and Natasha make plans to elope – she still does not know that he is married – and Natasha tearfully breaks off her engagement with Andrey, while Pierre writes to him of his belief that Napoleon is the biblical Beast of Revelation, and that he is destined to be Napoleon's assassin ("Letters"). Sonya finds out about Natasha's plan to elope and realizes it will mean Natasha's ruin ("Sonya & Natasha"); Sonya determines to save Natasha from herself even if it means she will lose her closest friend ("Sonya Alone"). That evening Anatole and Dolokhov plan for the elopement ("Preparations"), and Dolokhov tries to change Anatole's mind with no success. Balaga, their trusted troika driver ("Balaga"), soon arrives to take them to Natasha's house and a wild party ensues as Anatole bids farewell to his friends. However, they are thwarted at the last moment by Marya ("The Abduction"). Marya scolds Natasha but then tries to comfort her with Sonya's help. Natasha screams at them, breaks down and waits all night for Anatole to come back for her ("Waiting").
Marya calls on Pierre in the middle of the night ("A Call to Pierre"), begging him to handle the crisis, and Pierre finally learns that the object of Anatole's conquest is Natasha. Marya finds out that Anatole is married and tells a grief-stricken Natasha. Pierre, outraged, searches for Anatole ("Find Anatole"). When Pierre finds Anatole, he comes close to attacking him in rage, but instead gives him money and orders him to leave Moscow ("Pierre & Anatole"). Natasha poisons herself with arsenic ("Natasha Very Ill") but lives. The next day Andrey returns. Pierre explains the scandal to him and asks him to be compassionate, but Andrey is unable to forgive Natasha and will not ask for her hand in marriage again ("Pierre & Andrey"). Finally, Pierre visits Natasha ("Pierre & Natasha") and he comforts the distraught girl, giving her hope. After their meeting, Pierre experiences a moment of enlightenment himself while seeing the Great Comet of 1812 in the night sky ("the Great Comet of 1812").
The story is set in Moscow, 1812, just before Napoleon's invasion of Russia and the burning of the city. The story begins by introducing the characters ("Prologue"), and then sets up the character Pierre, an old, sad, wealthy aristocrat, who is having an existential crisis, living a slothful life of wine, philosophy, and inaction ("Pierre"). He is best friends with Prince Andrey Bolkonsky, who has left to go to war. Andrey has recently become engaged to the young, beautiful countess Natasha Rostova. Natasha and her cousin Sonya arrive in Moscow to stay the winter with Natasha's godmother, Marya, while Natasha waits for Andrey to return from the war. Marya is an old friend of Pierre's ("Moscow"). Marya advises Natasha that she must visit her future in-laws, the demented old Prince Bolkonsky and his pitiable spinster daughter Mary ("The Private and Intimate Life of the House"), to win their affection in advance of the marriage, which is critical to the status and fortune of the Rostov family. However, Natasha's visit with Mary and Bolkonsky ends in disaster ("Natasha & Bolkonskys"), as Mary finds Natasha vain, Natasha finds Mary cold, and Bolkonsky behaves bizarrely. Natasha leaves their home missing Andrey more than ever ("No One Else").
The next night Natasha is introduced to decadent Moscow society and watches an amazing performance with Marya and Sonya ("The Opera"). There she meets Prince Anatole Kuragin, a young and handsome man and Pierre's brother-in-law, who turns out to be a notorious rogue. He comes to visit Natasha's box and leaves her with feelings she has never experienced before ("Natasha & Anatole").
Anatole comes home after The Opera and he, his friend Dolokhov, and Pierre go out drinking; they are met by Pierre's unpleasant wife and Anatole's sister, Hélène, who taunts Pierre and flirts with Dolokhov. Anatole plots with Dolokhov and Hélène to have the young woman he just met, although he is already married. Dolokhov taunts Pierre, toasting to the wives of society and their lovers. Pierre finds his wife's familiarity with Dolokhov offensive and drunkenly challenges him to a duel, accidentally wounding Dolokhov. When it is Dolokhov's turn to shoot, Pierre stands openly in front of the bullet, but Dolokhov miraculously misses him ("The Duel"). Before they all leave, Anatole asks Hélène to convince Natasha to come to the costume ball that she is hosting that evening. She agrees and they leave Pierre. Alone, Pierre reflects on his near-death experience and realizes that despite wasting his life, he wishes to live ("Dust and Ashes").
Natasha and her family go to church the next morning. She is confused about her interaction with Anatole the night before, and questions if she is spoiled of Andrey's love ("Sunday Morning"). Hélène does as her brother asks and visits Natasha. She invites her to the ball that she is hosting that night, and eventually Natasha agrees to come ("Charming"). That night, Natasha meets Anatole, and they dance. Anatole tells Natasha that he loves her, but she protests, reminding Anatole that she is betrothed to Andrey. Ignoring this, Anatole kisses her, leading her to fall in love with him in return ("The Ball").
Anatole and Natasha make plans to elope – she still does not know that he is married – and Natasha tearfully breaks off her engagement with Andrey, while Pierre writes to him of his belief that Napoleon is the biblical Beast of Revelation, and that he is destined to be Napoleon's assassin ("Letters"). Sonya finds out about Natasha's plan to elope and realizes it will mean Natasha's ruin ("Sonya & Natasha"); Sonya determines to save Natasha from herself even if it means she will lose her closest friend ("Sonya Alone"). That evening Anatole and Dolokhov plan for the elopement ("Preparations"), and Dolokhov tries to change Anatole's mind with no success. Balaga, their trusted troika driver ("Balaga"), soon arrives to take them to Natasha's house and a wild party ensues as Anatole bids farewell to his friends. However, they are thwarted at the last moment by Marya ("The Abduction"). Marya scolds Natasha but then tries to comfort her with Sonya's help. Natasha screams at them, breaks down and waits all night for Anatole to come back for her ("Waiting").
Marya calls on Pierre in the middle of the night ("A Call to Pierre"), begging him to handle the crisis, and Pierre finally learns that the object of Anatole's conquest is Natasha. Marya finds out that Anatole is married and tells a grief-stricken Natasha. Pierre, outraged, searches for Anatole ("Find Anatole"). When Pierre finds Anatole, he comes close to attacking him in rage, but instead gives him money and orders him to leave Moscow ("Pierre & Anatole"). Natasha poisons herself with arsenic ("Natasha Very Ill") but lives. The next day Andrey returns. Pierre explains the scandal to him and asks him to be compassionate, but Andrey is unable to forgive Natasha and will not ask for her hand in marriage again ("Pierre & Andrey"). Finally, Pierre visits Natasha ("Pierre & Natasha") and he comforts the distraught girl, giving her hope. After their meeting, Pierre experiences a moment of enlightenment himself while seeing the Great Comet of 1812 in the night sky ("the Great Comet of 1812").