|
"House of Flowers"
opened on December 30, 1954 at Broadway's Alvin Theatre and ran for
165 performances. The show was panned by the New York critics, but
an impressive score by Harold Arlen (music) and Truman
Capote (lyrics) offered up a musical legacy that has lasted more
than half a century. The
original production starred Pearl Bailey and Diahann Carroll. The
musical has since been revived twice in New York. House of Flowers
is a love story about a prostitute
in the West Indies who spurns the advances of a rich nobleman in
favor of a poor local boy. The prostitute's madam attempts to
subvert true love from blossoming but ultimately fails. The boy and
the girl live happily ever after.
|
The
Barbra Connection |
|
|
The score from House of Flowers is a rich musical pool
which first introduced Barbra to the joys of performing the music
of Harold Arlen. Even before she had a recording contract, Barbra
was singing one of the show's most poignant numbers, "A Sleepin'
Bee" in her early nightclub performances. Barbra also performed "A
Sleepin' Bee" during her first national television appearance on
The Jack Paar Show in 1961. As she has done many times,
Barbra took a lesser known show tune and made it famous. "A
Sleepin' Bee" became Barbra's first signature song and remains one
of her her all-time favorite numbers to perform. |
|
"A Sleepin' Bee"
The Jack Paar Show -
1961 |
|
|
Barbra eventually got
around to recording "A Sleepin' Bee" on her first studio album. In
2000, Barbra resurrected the ballad and showcased it in her
critically acclaimed concert, Timeless.
|
|
Barbra recorded
four numbers from House of Flowers:
"A Sleepin' Bee"
"House of Flowers"
"I Never Has Seen Snow"
"Don't Like Goodbyes"
On her own TV shows, Barbra performed two ballads from
House of Flowers. In 1973's Barbra Streisand...and Other
Musical Instruments, she performed "I Never Has Seen Snow."
More recently, Barbra sang of "A Sleepin' Bee" during the 2001
television broadcast of Timeless. |
|
"I Never Has Seen Snow"
...Other
Musical Instruments - 1973 |
|
Harold Arlen
 Barbra
has stated on more than one occasion that Harold Arlen is one of her
favorite composers. Arlen apparently placed Barbra on his own pedestal
when he invited her to sing two of his compositions on his own album
entitled Harold Sings Arlen...with friend back in 1966. For
that album, Barbra sang "House of Flowers" along with "Ding Dong! The
Witch Is Dead" from Arlen's The Wizard of Oz. At Barbra's
Friar's Club roast in 1969, Arlen was on hand to honor his friend and
for the occasion performed a rewritten version of his standard, "Come
Rain or Come Shine."
Harold Arlen was invited to write the liner notes for Barbra's first
album, a significant honor for a new singer:
Did you ever hear
Helen Morgan sing?..
Were you ever at the theatre when Fanny Brice clowned in her classic
way - or when Beatrice Lillie deliciously poked fun at all sham and
pomp?
Have you heard our top vocalists "belt," "whisper" or sing with that
steady and urgent beat behind them?...
Have you ever seen a painting by Modigliani?...
If you have, do not think the above has been ballooned out of
proportion. I advise you to watch Barbra Streisand's career. This
young lady (a mere twenty) has a stunning future.
Keep listening, keep watching. And please remember, I told you so.
- Harold Arlen
It's also worth noting
that Harold Arlen and Ira Gershwin composed the music for Judy
Garland's 1954 version of "A Star Is Born." If it weren't for the
enormous success of that film (with by a wonderful Arlen and Gershwin
score that included classics like "The Man That Got Away" and "It's A
New World"), Barbra might never have done her 1976 remake.
| Barbra recorded a
number of additional Harold Arlen songs: |
|
|
"Any
Place I Hang My Hat Is Home"
"Down With Love"
"When The Sun Comes Out"
"Like A Straw In The Wind"
"Right As The Rain"
"I Had Myself A True Love"
"That's A Fine Kind O' Freedom"
"It's Only A Paper Moon"
"Come Rain or Come Shine"
"Over The Rainbow"
"My Shining Hour" |
"Any Place I Hang My Hat Is
Home"
Color Me Barbra - 1966 |
Peter Matz and Herb Ross
House of Flowers was choreographed by Herb Ross, who would later
go on to stage the musical numbers for both of Barbra's Broadway shows
(I Can Get It For You Wholesale and Funny Girl).
On film, Ross directed Barbra twice (The Owl and the Pussycat
and Funny Lady). He also choreographed Barbra's numbers for the
film version of Funny Girl.
Peter Matz provided vocal and dance arrangements for the original
production of House of Flowers. Matz would later form a solid
musical partnership with Barbra. He arranged several of her most
successful albums, including The Barbra Streisand Album,
People and The Broadway Album. He also worked with Barbra
in television on My Name Is Barbra and Color Me Barbra.
Peter Matz conducted Barbra's concert in Central Park and several of
her early Las Vegas appearances.
More Information About "House of Flowers"
House of Flowers
- (Internet Broadway Database)
Official Harold Arlen Website
Harold Arlen Song Roster
YouTube - An Interview with Harold Arlen
YouTube - Barbra Streisand performs "A Sleepin'
Bee" from House of Flowers
YouTube - Diahann Carroll sings "I Never Has
Seen Snow" from House of Flowers (audio)
YouTube - Pearl Bailey sings "Don't Like
Goodbyes" from House of Flowers (audio) |