Photo by Katie Byrne
A half-century ago on Saturday (April 6), the Swedish quartet triumphed at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the peppy love song My my, at Waterloo, Napoleon did surrender.
50 years since ‘Waterloo’ took the world by storm and the world. Many fell in love with Björn, Benny, Agnetha, and Anni-Frid. The group was formed in Stockholm in 1972.
Eurovision Song Contest in the English coastal town of Brighton, where on April, 1. 1974 competition was held. The Eurovision victory turned ABBA into a pop juggernaut, by far the most successful band to win the pan-continental music contest. This April 6th marks the 50th anniversary of ABBA’s legendary Eurovision victory with “Waterloo.” That’s right, folks, half a century has passed since those blue suede platform boots stomped their way into our hearts.
Mamma Mia!, composed by Ulvaeus and Andersson and based on their songs, originally opened in London’s West End on April 6, 1999. Written by Catherine Johnson and directed by Phyllida Lloyd.
producer Judy Craymer, who first met Andersson in the 80s and convinced said that a musical could be made from their songs. So Judy Craymer who originated the idea of MAMMA MIA! and, in 1996, formed Littlestar Services Limited with Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Richard East to produce the stage musical in London. The musical was adapted into a film in 2008, which starred Meryl Streep, Amanda Seyfried, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth and Julie Walters. Since then, she has produced 50 productions of MAMMA MIA! in 16 languages around the world. It centers around a mother and daughter with three possible fathers.
According to its creators, over 70 million people have seen productions of the show in more than 450 cities around the world, staged in 16 different languages. It has also led to two blockbuster movies.
With its 25-year run, Mamma Mia! becomes the third-longest running musical in West End history, after Les Miserables, which made its debut in 1985 and The Phantom Of The Opera, launched a year later, in 1986 (REUTERS) Many states around the world are celebrating its 25th anniversary along a spectacular ABBA Weekend all around the Globe.
This anniversary isn’t just a trip down memory lane; it’s a testament to the enduring power of ABBA’s music. From the infectious melody of “Waterloo” to the timeless balladry of “Knowing Me, Knowing You,” their songs continue to fill dance floors and karaoke nights across generations. Time to celebrate where ever you are … so crank up the volume.
Update Aggie Reiter
Rolling in Budapest 