About the work
Chess is a musical with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (ABBA) and lyrics by Tim Rice, premiered in London's West End in 1986 after a concept album. Against the backdrop of the Cold War, it combines a world chess championship with political intrigue and a love drama.
Plot
At a world chess championship on neutral ground, the arrogant American champion Freddie faces the Soviet challenger Anatoly—their duel exploited for propaganda by both superpowers. Caught between the fronts is Florence, Freddie's second, who falls in love with Anatoly. When Anatoly defects to the West, love, loyalty, and political manipulation enter an irresolvable conflict in which personal feelings are sacrificed to the interests of the secret services.
Cultural significance
Chess is famous for its sophisticated, pop-symphonic score and contains two international chart hits in I Know Him So Well and One Night in Bangkok. Despite a complicated, much-revised plot, the work is regarded as a musically outstanding example of the 1980s pop musical. Its concert version and numerous stagings worldwide, especially in the German-speaking world, secure it a devoted following.