MAMMA MIA! - May 12 - May 21, 2022

Garfield High School

 About the Show 

Benny Andersson

 

Born 16 December 1946 in Stockholm. 

 

1952: Received accordion lessons from his father and grandfather.

 

1964-68: Member of the Hep Stars, Sweden's most popular rock band in the 1960's. During this time, he began composing music. "Sunny Girl" and "Wedding" were huge hits for the Hep Stars.

 

1972-82: ABBA.

 

1982-84: Composed the music (together with Björn Ulvaeus and Tim Rice) for the musical, Chess.

 

1987: Began collaborating with Orsa Spelmän. Recorded three albums deeply rooted in Swedish folk music: Klinga Mina Klockor, November 1989 and Fiolen Min. In 2001, this collaboration led to the formation of Benny Andersson's Orchestra, a 16-man constellation with vocalists, Helen Sjöholm and Tommy Körberg. Thus far, this has resulted in five CD albums and several summer tours.

 

1990-95: Composed the music to Kristina from Duvemåla. Premiered in October 1995.

 

1995: Received the title of professor from the Swedish government. Inducted to in the Royal Swedish Academy of Music in 2007. Appointed Honorary Doctor of the College of Humanities at Stockholm University in 2008, and at Luleå University of Technology in 2012. 

 

Benny Andersson is married to former TV producer, Mona Nörklit. They have one child, Ludvig Andersson. Benny Andersson also has two children from a previous marriage, Peter Grönvall and Helene Odedal. He has five grandchildren: Charlie, Felix, Fabian, Malin and Viola.

 

 

Björn Ulvaeus

 

Björn was born in 1945 in Gothenberg on the west coast of Sweden. After a successful local career in Sweden with a folk group in the mid 1960s, he started his collaboration with Benny Andersson. They then went on to form ABBA with Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Even during the ABBA years, the idea of writing a musical seemed appealing and, in 1981, Björn and Benny met Tim Rice and co-wrote Chess with him, which opened in the West End in 1986. In 1995 Björn and Benny opened a new musical called Kristina Från Duvemåla, which played for three years in Sweden. Their most recent musical is the Stockholm production Hjälp sökes, which opened in 2013. Bjorn is one of the producers for MAMMA MIA! The Party, which opened in Stockholm in January 2016.

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