Music legends Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, the legendary songwriting duo behind ABBA, made a spectacular reunion on Sunday night at the Broadway opening of their musical Chess at New York's Imperial Theatre.
A Triumphant Return After Four Decades
The two Swedish musicians created the Cold War-era musical forty years ago alongside celebrated lyricist Sir Tim Rice, who joined them on the red carpet for this momentous occasion. This marked a significant moment for the theatrical production, which has experienced a complex history since its inception.
Björn Ulvaeus, aged 80, looked exceptionally dapper in a fitted black suit complemented by a matching turtleneck. His former bandmate Benny Andersson, 78, also cut a sharp figure in a long black coat and leather boots, adding a nostalgic touch to his ensemble with a floral shirt reminiscent of ABBA's iconic 1970s style.
Completing the legendary trio was Sir Tim Rice, the 81-year-old wordsmith behind monumental works including Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, and The Lion King, who appeared sophisticated in a steel grey corduroy suit.
The Complex History of Chess
Chess originally premiered in London's West End in 1986, featuring Elaine Paige in a production that ran successfully for three years. However, when a significantly altered version reached Broadway in 1988, it struggled immensely, closing after just two months and remaining dormant until this current revival.
The new Broadway production boasts an impressive cast including Lea Michele, Aaron Tveit, and Nicholas Christopher. This revival benefits from a book written by Danny Strong, the acclaimed screenwriter behind The Hunger Games and Empire.
The musical tells a gripping story of love and political intrigue set against the backdrop of the Cold War, where global superpowers manipulate an international chess championship for their own political ends. The narrative follows two grandmasters - one American and one Soviet - and their complicated relationship with a woman who manages one player while falling in love with the other.
From ABBA to Theatrical Success
Björn and Benny collaborated with Tim Rice on Chess following ABBA's dissolution in 1982. The iconic Swedish group, which shot to international fame after winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo, consisted of two married couples: Björn with Agnetha Fältskog, and Benny with Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
During their active years between 1973 and 1981, ABBA released eight studio albums and became one of the best-selling music acts in history, with estimated global album sales ranging from 150 million to 385 million records. Their compilation album ABBA Gold became a worldwide phenomenon, while their music inspired the massively successful Mamma Mia musical in 1999, which later spawned two feature films.
In a remarkable development, the group reunited in 2016 to create ABBA Voyage, a groundbreaking virtual concert experience in London where digital avatars of the band perform their greatest hits alongside a live 10-piece band. Using motion-capture technology from George Lucas' Industrial Light and Magic, the show creates 'ABBA-tars' representing the group as they appeared in their 1979 prime.
The ABBA Voyage show, which opened in May 2022 at a custom-built venue in London's Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, has received widespread critical acclaim and has supported over 5,000 jobs in London. In another surprise for fans, ABBA began recording new music in 2018, resulting in their first studio album in 40 years, Voyage, which has sold more than 2.5 million copies worldwide and is reportedly their final album.
