This beautiful musical is an adaptation of Wuthering Heights based on the classic novel by Emily Brontë. The concept recording stars Lesley Garrett, Dave Willetts, Clive Carter, Bonnie Langford and Sharon Campbell. It was the first stage adaptation of the story to be given the approval of the Brontë Society. The concept album was released by Silva Screen records in 1992, and opera star Lesley Garrett also used two of the songs for one of her best-selling solo albums.
It was recorded in 1992 with the then Phantom of the Opera star Dave Willetts (who took over from Michael Crawford) and Britain’s foremost operatic soprano Lesley Garrett, the star of the English National Opera. Soon after its release the Theatre Division, consisting of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s former management team – headed by Biddy Hayward and Prince Edward – got behind the musical, but the show became snared in a legal wrangle with the record company for a few years. Meanwhile the Theatre Division went into bankruptcy. Although it did not go onto the West End or Broadway, there have been big productions of the show in Eastern Europe and touring productions in Australia and Holland, as well as various productions by regional theatre companies around the world. A 1994 amateur performance in the Netherlands was very successful and generated discussions for possible other productions.
Taylor’s adaptation enjoyed the rare distinction of an endorsement from the Brontë Society and some of the music was recorded and released by Silva Screen Records at the beginning of 1992. It was recorded in 1992 with the then Phantom of the Opera star Dave Willetts (who took over from Michael Crawford) and Britain’s foremost operatic soprano Lesley Garrett, the star of the English National Opera. 
Dave Willetts (star of the West End production of “Phantom of the Opera”) sang Heathcliff, leading British soprano Lesley Garrett performed as Cathy, and Bonnie Langford sang the role of Isabella. The recording received wide acclaim, and the music was described on BBC Radio by Herbert Kretzmer (lyricist for “Les Miserables”) as “having the breadth and sweep of a great novel” and a “romantic intensity not heard since the heyday of Novello”. Two of the songs from the recording “He’s Gone” and “I Belong To The Earth” were featured on The Lesley Garrett Album which topped the classic charts in Britain at the beginning of 1994, and another four songs were featured on her “Soprano In Love”, which went to number three in the classics charts in Britain shortly after its release in 1998.
Soon after its release the Theatre Division, consisting of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s former management team – headed by Biddy Hayward and Prince Edward – got behind the musical, but the show became snared in a legal wrangle with the record company for a few years. Meanwhile the Theatre Division went into bankruptcy. Although it did not go onto the West End or Broadway, there have been big productions of the show in Eastern Europe and touring productions in Australia and Holland, as well as various productions by regional theatre companies around the world.
A try-out production of Wuthering Heights took place in Holland at the beginning of 1994, receiving nightly standing ovations and excellent reviews. There have been subsequent productions in numerous countries. It has been running in repertoire in Poland since 1996 and Romania since 1997. It debuted in Australia in 1998. It is Taylor’s most performed work after Pride and Prejudice.
The show requires a minimum cast of about 15, but can be expanded to include a chorus of 20 or more. Orchestrations are available for a pit orchestra of 12.
View the introductory video
Primary Characters
Cathy Earnshaw, young and attractive
Heathcliff, a gipsy
Nellie, the Earnshaw housekeeper
Hindley Earnshaw, Cathy’s brother
Edgar Linton, heir to the grand Linton estate
Isabella Linton, Edgar’s sister
Secondary Characters
Mr Earnshaw, Cathy’s father
Young Heathcliff
Young Cathy
Young Hindley
Chorus
(Minimum of 10 chorus members)
Liverpool crowd, Earnshaw employees, farm people, farmhands, local villagers, Linton’s servants and estate workers, doctors & nurses, etc.
Please see Production Information for licensing contacts. Libretto, orchestrations, midi files and backing tracks are available upon request.