His passionate love for Josephine and his blinding pursuit of power led Napoleon to create one of the largest empires the world has ever seen. This will create a new aisle between seats 18 and 19. Its budget is estimated to be some 5m, and you can see and hear every penny. The fabulous set rises and falls and opens and closes in oil-painting colours with projected contextual washes. The surprise is how well the show works dramatically.
Musicals are most often a one night stand for their audiences.
But I'd see this one again. Forget the sneering critics. Zambello and her set, lighting and costume designers have created a visually stunning Napoleonic pageant. But Zambello's crowning glory is Napoleon's coronation in Notre-Dame, which looks just as vibrant as the ingres painting of the flawed leader at the height of his megalomania. The score boasts more climaxes than a multi-orgasm.