There are three theatrical versions of Berubara:   musical, live-action film, and ballet.   As a musical, it has brought the Takarazuka Revue much fame and spawned the "Berubara Boom" when it first opened in 1974.  Since then, the musical has been staged almost yearly with a few gaps (1974-1980, 1989-1991).   And, for you lucky fans, it is now running again!   (see below)

The film version was released in 1978, with much less fanfare.   Much of why it didn't become as popular as Tarazuka can be attributed to its liberal re-interpretation of the story.   Many fans, in fact, didn't like it at all because the characters and plot were so different.   The movie used an European cast and was done in English with French subtitles.

Not much is known about the ballet.   As part of the Mise Hiroshi Festival, the "Berusaiyu no Bara" Grand Ballet was performed in 1986 and then every 3-4 years afterwards.   It is a two-act play.

 

  Takarazuka  

Over the years, there have been numerous revisions of this Takarazuka series.   The most well-known version is the "Berusaiyu no Bara" Grand Romance, which consists of two parts -- André and Oscar, Fersen and Marie Antoinette.   As I'm not familiar with Takarazuka, I will leave the reviews to more knowledgeable fans (see Links).   Takarazuka fans may also enjoy browsing through Stawberry's extensive collection.   Below is the Berubara 2001 performance schedule (according to the Official Takarazuka page):

 

宝塚グランドロマン 『 ベルサイユのばら 2001 』	Takarazuka Grand Romance Berusaiyu no Bara 2001
フェルゼンとマリー・アントウネット編	Fersen and Marie Antoinette Chapter
宙組 和央ようか 花總まり	Cosmos Troupe Wao Youka   (Fersen) Hanafusa Mari   (Antoinette)
オスカルとアンドレ編	Oscar and André Chapter
星組 稔幸 星奈優里	Star Troupe Minoru Kou   (Oscar) Hoshina Yuri   (Antoinette)

 

  Film  

STAFF
Producer	Yamamoto Mataichirou
Original Story	Ikeda Riyoko
Director	Jacques Remy
Screenplay	Patricia Louisiana Knop Jacques Remy
Cinemagraphy	Jean Penzer
Art Direction	Bernard Evein
Music	Michel Legrand
Costume Design	Jacqueline Moreau
Administration	Agues Varda

 

CAST
Oscar	Catriona MacColl
André	Barry Stokes
Marie Antoinette	Christina Böhm
Fersen	Jonas Bergström
General de Jarjayes	Mark Kingston
Louis XVI	Terence Budd
Gerodère	Martin Potter
Mme. de Polignac	Sue Lloyd
Rosalie	Shelagh McLeod
Jeanne	Anouska Hempel
Cardinal de Rohan	Gregory Floy
Bernard Chatelet	Michael Osborne
Nanny	Constance Chapman
Robespierre	Christopher Ellison