Ljusa kvällar om våren

Smallest sibling syndrome (tm)

That time he was tasked with killing a cat and failed miserably is honestly heartbreaking

Him befriending Arvid who literally had no one who cared for him warms my soul

(That Robert feels like he led his friend to death is so saddening)

Robert needed to have a cowbell around his neck as a child so that his family could find him when he'd wandered off

Bought a book on learning English before leaving Sweden only to completely misunderstand everything about pronunciation so that people laughed at him

I know Vilhelm Moberg didn't intend for Robert to be gay - but having Robert run out of the house the first time he sees a couple of boobs because he found them so disgusting?? That was a choice

Yes I know he had a crush on Elin (Ulrika's daughter) it doesn't count since nothing happened

Went to his brother when his boss hit him and refused to return which was the Right choice

Him and Karl Oskar trying to convince Kristina to move to America is a comedic highlight of the musical

His dreams were so high, and yet he never got to do any of the things he wanted. He just wanted freedom.

Honestly Karl Oskar being furious with Robert when he returned home with fake money is very in character, but it is the moment I most resent him for.

I cried when I read about how he died by the side of that little stream dreaming about being as free as the flowing water

My only salvation is that I think he found peace in death, like he sings in Jag har förlikat mig tillslut. "Och vad ska sedan kunna hända? Vad finns det kvar som hotar mig?" (And what could possibly happen? What is left to threaten me?) "Och då kan döden inte nå mig. Då kan jag äntligen få frid. För när jag godtar döden, ja då angår den mig inte mer" (and then death can no longer reach me. Then I can find peace at last. Because when I accept death, then it is no longer of my concern)

Guldet blev till sand was the first kfd song I heard and it honestly changed my life

"Du var bara fjorton den dan du lämna gården där hemma/du var bara fjorton och då fick du bestämma" (You were only fourteen the day you left the farm back home/you were only fourteen and you got to decide (over yourself)) from Drömmen om guld breaks my heart. Every. Time.

I just want a better life for him

She. Loves. The. Swing. So. Much

She even had a swing set up in her barn so she could swing in secret and not be judged by her mother in law (Märta still found out and judged her:( )

While the books clearly are of its time when they were written and uses what we'd now see as clearly problematic language, Kristina is very openly against racism - despite never having met a non-white person until she moved to America

She sucks at English. One time she went to the shop to buy flower seeds to have a nice flower bed in front of the house. But because of inability for her and the clerk to understand eachother instead of flower seeds she bought plain grass seeds, which she carefully cultivated until she realized and then she was too embarrased to tell anyone (me too girl)

Through the entire story there's a struggle inside of Kristina between her home sickness and longing for the place where she grew up contrasting to her knowing her children will have a better chance at life in America

She didn't even want to move until her daughter died basically of starvation 😭😭

Speaking of starvation. Because money and food was so tight she made sure she ate last and the smallest portion of the family -which was one of the causes for her many miscarriages

She's childish in all the best and worst ways simultaneously and I love that for her

She's so jealous and insecure about Ulrika but then after many years they become besties? Iconic

(Musical only) Du måste finnas is my all time favourite song. As a Christian too I feel like it hits me in the chest. Every. Single. Time

As I said on my post about Karl Oskar- Min lust till dig has so much ... well ... lust in it I blush every time

I gott bevar is a tearjerker every time "där vid grinden skall jag stå och vänta tills du åter är hos mig" (there by the gateway I'll wait until you are with me once again)

On October 7th 1995 Kristina från Duvemåla had it's world premiere at Malmö Musikteater (now Malmö Opera) 25 years later they brought together composer Benny Andersson, director Lars Rudolfsson and cast members Marianne Mörck, Helen Sjöholm, Peter Jöback, Anders Ekborg and Åsa Bergh to talk about the process of creating the musical, share anecdotes and memories.

Video number 1 is a montage of interviews, production pictures and a bit of singing.

Video number 2 is the full unedited interview.

—

Vilhelm Moberg, The Settlers

Och tiden ska stå still

(Music begins around 3:15)