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Revision as of 20:40, 5 March 2003 by Deb (talk | contribs) (expanding)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)Jesus Christ, Superstar is a rock opera by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber. First heard in 1969, it highlights the political and interpersonal struggles of Judas and Jesus. The action takes place within the last week of Jesus's life, beginning with the entry into Jerusalem and ending with the Crucifixion.
The opera was first heard as an album before being staged -- in London's West End and later on Broadway. The same pattern would be followed by Rice and Lloyd Webber's second great musical hit, Evita.
The movie (filmed entirely on location in Israel, directed by Norman Jewison) failed to emulate the success of the stage show. The title song, sung by Judas Iscariot, and the song I Don't Know How to Love Him, sung by the Mary Magdalene character about her relationship with Jesus, were both big hits.
On the original album, the part of Jesus was sung by Ian Gillan and that of Judas by Murray Head. The future Gary Glitter had a one-liner as a priest. None of the album's cast appeared in the West End show. Only two of the album cast, Yvonne Elliman and Barry Dennen (Pontius Pilate) made it into the film version, which starred Broadway's Jesus, Ted Neeley, in the title role.
The play sparked a great deal of controversy for its rather unorthodox take on the Passion which Christian protesters called sacriligeous. By the turn of the century, the furor over the play had died down so completely that it is now often performed by church groups.