The Operatic Showstopper: ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ - Dominic Broomfield-McHugh
Jul 11, 2025
Dive into the operatic wonder of ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone,’ tracing its journey from the stage of Carousel to anthemic status in football culture. Discover the nuanced differences between opera and musicals, enriched by personal insights from a guest singer. Explore Oscar Hammerstein's innovative legacy, blending entertainment with serious themes. Delve into the song's deeper meanings of hope and redemption, while examining art's emotional power amid historical turmoil. Ultimately, witness the profound impact of this timeless anthem during challenging times.
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Operatic Roots of "You'll Never Walk Alone"
"You'll Never Walk Alone" was originally written for an opera singer, Christine Johnson, highlighting its operatic roots.
The song bridges opera and Broadway, showing how musical theatre can incorporate operatic elements.
insights INSIGHT
Operatic Themes in Carousel
The operatic nature of Carousel stems from its serious themes like violence, redemption, and suicide.
These themes demand a musical expression traditionally found in opera rather than lighter musicals.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Rebecca Evans' Musical Upbringing
Rebecca Evans grew up surrounded by musical theatre inspired by her mother who performed in original novello companies.
Early exposure to opera recordings ignited her passion and set her on the path to becoming an opera singer.
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This lecture considers ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ from Carousel (1945). Perhaps Rodgers and Hammerstein’s most operatic song, it was originally written for Metropolitan Opera star Christine Johnson but has gone on to be recorded by artists as diverse as Elvis Presley and Marcus Mumford and sung at both the Last Night of the Proms and Liverpool Football Club.
This lecture will include live performances by international soprano and Grammy Award winner Rebecca Evans CBE.
This lecture was recorded by Dominic Broomfield-McHugh on 2nd of May 2025 at Conway Hall, London.
Dominic Broomfield-McHugh is Gresham Visiting Professor of Film and Theatre Music. He is also Professor of Music at the University of Sheffield and is a graduate of King's College London.
His scholarship focuses on the American musical on stage and screen, and he has published eight books including Loverly: The Life and Times of 'My Fair Lady' (OUP, 2012), The Letters of Cole Porter (Yale, 2019) and The Oxford Handbook of the Hollywood Musical (2022).
He is Associate Producer of the PBS documentary Meredith Willson: America's Music Man and has appeared on all the main BBC television and radio stations as well as NPR in America.
He has given talks and lectures at the Sydney Opera House, New York City Center, the Library of Congress, New York Public Library, Sadler's Wells, and Lincoln Center, among many others.
The transcript of the lecture is available from the Gresham College website: https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/operatic-showstopper
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