Helen Sjöholm and Russell Watson to Headline Concert Version of Kristina

Helen Sjöholm and Russell Watson will headline the concert version of Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus’ musical Kristina at Carnegie Hall. The show, directed by Lars Rudolfsson, will feature 32 actors and a 50-piece orchestra conducted by Paul Gemignani. It plays at Carnegie Hall on September 23 and 24.

Kristina features music and lyrics by ABBA songwriting partners Andersson and Ulvaeus, who also created the musical Chess and the worldwide sensation Mamma Mia!, and English lyrics by Ulvaeus and Herbert Kretzmer. Originally titled Kristina från Duvemåla, the musical premiered in the creators’ native Sweden in 1995 and ran for almost four years, winning four Guldmasken Theatre Awards Sweden’s Tony. Based on The Emigrants series of novels by Vilhelm Moberg, Kristina tells the epic story of a family’s migration from Sweden to America in the mid-19th century. A concert version was performed in Swedish in 1996 in Minneapolis, where many events in the novels take place.

In addition to her breakthrough role as the title character in Kristina från Duvemåla which was seen by over one million Swedes, Sjöholm’s credits include playing Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof, Fantine in Les Miserables, Polly Peachum in The Threepenny Opera and starring in the Swedish production of Chess. She made her professional debut in 1988 touring with the entertainment troupe “Just for Fun” and is currently playing Eliza in My Fair Lady at the Oscars Theatre in Stockholm. She is a lead vocalist in the Benny Andersson Band, whose song “You Are My Man” has topped the Swedish charts for five years.

Watson was the first-ever British male to simultaneously occupy a number one spot in the U.K. and American classical charts, as well as being the first artist to have a classical album at the number one spot on the U.K. classical charts for an entire year. Having released nine albums to date and sold over six million records worldwide, he has won four classical BRIT Awards. Watson played Parson Nathaniel in the stage adaptation of Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds. He has collaborated with varying artists such as Cliff Richard, Lulu, Lionel Richie, Mel C of Spice Girls fame and Meat Loaf.

A cast recording of the Carnegie Hall concert version of Kristina is being planned, to be released through Universal Music’s Decca Records. Further casting for the performances will be announced shortly.