Sparks - The Seduction Of Ingmar Bergman (2009/2022) [Complete CD] Worldwide

The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman is the 22nd album by American rock group Sparks, released in August 2009. The duo's first work in the radio musical genre, the album is built around an imaginary visit to Hollywood by Swedish film director Ingmar Bergman in the mid-1950s. Its storyline focuses on the divides between European and American culture, between art and commerce. Unlike other Sparks albums, the work is conceived as a single piece, to be listened to as a whole, rather than a collection of stand-alone songs.

The work was commissioned by Sveriges Radio Radioteatern, the radio drama department of Sweden's national radio broadcaster. First released in the Swedish broadcast version in August 2009, with an English-language version following in November 2009, it features a cast of Swedish and American actors and a variety of musical styles ranging from opera to vaudeville and pop. The album's recording was a collaborative effort – while the music and English vocals were recorded by Sparks in the United States, the album's Swedish vocals were recorded by Sveriges Radio in Stockholm, and then sent to the Maels via an FTP server. The album and its ambitious dramatic concept received favourable reviews and spawned both a live show and plans to turn it into a film.

Tracklist:
01 - 1956 Cannes Film Festival
02 - "I Am Ingmar Bergman"
03 - Limo Driver (Welcome To Hollywood)
04 - "Here He Is Now"
05 - "Mr. Bergman, How Are You?"
06 - "He'll Come Round"
07 - En Route To The Beverly Hills Hotel
08 - Hollywood Welcoming Committee
09 - "I've Got To Contact Sweden"
10 - The Studio Commissary
11 - "I Must Not Be Hasty"
12 - "Quiet On The Set"
13 - "Why Do You Take That Tone With Me?"
14 - Pleasant Hotel Staff
15 - Hollywood Tour Bus
16 - Autograph Hounds
17 - Bergman Ponders Escape
18 - "We've Got To Turn Him 'Round"
19 - Escape (Part 1)
20 - Escape (Part 2)
21 - "Oh My God"
22 - Garbo Sings
23 - Almost A Hollywood Ending
24 - "He's Home"

Personnel
Composed, written, and produced by Ron Mael and Russell Mael.
Cast
Russell Mael – studio chief; policeman 1 and 2
Ron Mael – limo driver; Hollywood tour guide
Marcus Blake – autograph hound; Woody
Tammy Glover – Hollywood Welcoming Committee; Gerry
Saskia Husberg – interpreter
Elin Klinga – Greta Garbo
Marie-Chantal Long – Cannes Film Festival announcer
Jonas Malmsjö – Ingmar Bergman
Steve McDonald – hotel concierge
Steven Nistor – hotel doorman
Katie Puckrik – hotel operator
Rebecca Sjöwall – Hollywood starlet
Jim Wilson – first A.D.; autograph hound

Musicians
Ron Mael – keyboard
Russell Mael – vocals
Jim Wilson – guitar
Dean Menta – guitar
Marcus Blake – bass
Tammy Glover – drums
Steven Nistor – drums

SR production staff
Marie Wennersten – producer and director for Swedish recording
Magnus Lindman – translations
Sabina von Greyerz – SR Records project manager