Song spotlight : In My Dreams

In this post, Lily shines a spotlight on her featured song from Anastasia - In my Dreams!

LISTEN TO MY COVER

Singer Lily Casson

Piano Sid Sonac

Arranger Sue Casson

Recorded & Mixed Lana Banana Studios

Keeping up my courage, As foolish as it seems, At night all alone in my dreams...

SONG IN CONTEXT

In My Dreams is sung by Anya, a street sweeper looking for a way to escape the poverty of Russia. During her search, she stumbles into auditions for the role of the Grand Duchess Anastasia, a member of the Royal family thought murdered during the Russian revolution. In this song, she confronts the shadows in her memory, the fear that haunts her, and the hopes that fire her determination to find out who she really is.

Then my dreams fade away, but I know it all will come back one day...

COMPOSER PROFILE

STEPHEN FLAHERTY & LYNN AHRENS

In the UK, the names of Ahrens and Flaherty as a songwriting duo are not as well known as they are in America although many more would recognise their songs and the names of their shows.

Lynn Ahrens, lyricist, and Stephen Flaherty, composer, met at a musical writing workshop in New York very early on in their career and have been writing together ever since, so for once, this is a composer/lyricist profile as they have worked primarily as a collaboration.

Together their work has spanned film and TV but they are most well known for their musical stage work which includes Ragtime, Once on this Island and Seussical. This has won them widespread acclaim including Tony, Drama Desk and Olivier Awards.

The score they wrote for the film, Anastasia, released in 1997, won them nominations for Golden Globes and Academy Awards and cemented them in people's memories for their marvellous storytelling through song. The reason I love their music is the emotion they capture in words and music, creating an immediate connection between their characters and the audience.

Find out more about Ahrens and Flaherty here.

And my dreams seem to say, "Don't be afraid to go on, don't give up hope, Come what may."

Join me in “my own little corner” of the internet next time as I explore another featured musical from the 1990s. This time shining a spotlight on Sue Casson's The Happy Prince based on Oscar Wilde’s classic fable. See you next matinee day!