About the work
The Bridges of Madison County is a musical by Jason Robert Brown (music and lyrics) with a book by Marsha Norman, premiered on Broadway in 2014. Based on the bestselling novel by Robert James Waller, it won the Tony Award for Best Score.
Plot
In rural 1960s Iowa, Francesca, an Italian-born war bride, leads a quiet family life governed by routine. While her husband and children are away for four days at a competition, she meets the travelling photographer Robert Kincaid. From the chance encounter grows a brief, intense love affair that profoundly changes both. Francesca faces the choice of giving up her familiar life for great passion—or letting love go for the sake of her family.
Cultural significance
The Bridges of Madison County is regarded as one of Jason Robert Brown's finest scores, combining the wide soundscapes of the American Midwest with Italian lyricism and folk influences. Although the Broadway run was short, the work is highly esteemed for its musical maturity and emotional depth. It is a moving meditation on longing, duty, and the fleeting possibility of another life.