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The Dancing Years (1979) - Part I

Written by Ivor Novello and first performed on stage in 1939, "The Dancing Years" was made for TV by ITV and aired in 1979. Anthony Valentine stars as compos...

If you like Anthony Valentine’s works, this is an absolute rec. This is a TV musical which adapted from Welsh composer Ivor Novello’s 1939 musical with the same title (with a strong WW2 theme). 

According to one of interviews, the reason he accepted the role partially (probably) was in memory of his mother (who was a Novello fan) but also the role is a bit unlike his usual roles --- which is a change (goodies or baddies, the usual roles he was playing, even with the very wide range they have, are normally shrewd or not-so-innocent characters, even the righteous and honorable ones) The character in The Dancing Years, is a romantic, even a bit innocent young composer. 

Unfornately, the only regrets are the condition of the surviving videos and the fact he couldn’t sing more in that role (it was a non-singing role, although he did sing one song, and his voice was very beautiful - it was such a surprise to me when I firstly heard it) 

Thank for @the-prince-of-professors who fixed and uploaded the video on YT! 

[unwillingadventurer]

The Dancing Years

[unwillingadventurer]

‘I love you and only you. You have been the colour and the magic in my life and nothing can ever take that away. We are going to see great changes, I know, I can feel it. There is so much unrest and unhappiness in the world, we shall almost forget to smile and make music. But we shan’t quite forget and one day we’ll wake as if from an evil dream and forget to hate. And the world will smile again and the sweetness of music and friendship will once more be important. Keep me in your heart as I will keep you in mine.’

- Rudi in The Dancing Years (1979)

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