Not just one, but two premieres are coming soon for Björn Ulvaeus: a musical and an avatar show. He says it’s a “great time” for him.
Pippi Longstocking meets Abba: A new musical production brings the two Swedish export hits together. Abba star Björn Ulvaeus produced “Pippi på cirkus” (Pippi in the Circus), which is loosely based on a story by Astrid Lindgren.
The 77-year-old wrote the lyrics and is one of the authors for the colorful show, which is scheduled to premiere on July 1 in Stockholm after a two-year delay due to the pandemic.
“I guess Pippi and Abba are probably two of the most famous Swedish brands,” says Ulvaeus in an interview with the German Press Agency in London, “if you’re not talking about corporations like Volvo, Ikea or something like that, but about cultural phenomena.”
His Abba colleague and congenial musical partner Benny Andersson is also involved. As one of several musicians, the 75-year-old composed some songs for the circus musical. The result was a colorful mix of songs, says Ulvaeus. “But they all go together, they all have a circus element.”
The idea for “Pippi på cirkus” comes from a short chapter in one of Lindgren’s popular children’s books, in which Pippi goes to the circus with her friends Tommy and Annika. “Our story is about the characters that Astrid describes in the circus, but the story is new,” emphasizes the Abba musician, who penned hits like “Dancing Queen”, “Chiquitita” and “Mamma Mia”.
For the passionate songwriter, Pippi Longstocking is an affair of the heart. Ulvaeus was born on April 25, 1945. A few months later, the first “Pippi Longstocking” volume (original: “Pippi Långstrump”) by Astrid Lindgren was published in Sweden. “I grew up with it,” he says. “And in fact I grew up just 70 kilometers away from Vimmerby, where Astrid is from.”
Before “Pippi på cirkus” finally starts, another project by Björn Ulvaeus begins. The world premiere of the new concert show “Abba Voyage” will take place in London on Thursday, in which the band members appear as digital avatars. Ulvaeus the anticipation of both is noticeable. “There’s never been a circus musical like this, to my knowledge – and there’s definitely never been anything quite like Abba Voyage. So it’s a blast for me.” (dpa)