Prologue
Original Broadway Company of Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 Lyrics


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There's a war going on
Out there somewhere
And Andrey isn't here
There's a war going on
Out there somewhere
And Andrey isn't here

There's a war going on
Out there somewhere
And Andrey isn't here
There's a war going on
Out there somewhere
And Andrey isn't here

And this is all in your program
You are at the opera
You're gonna have to study up a little bit
If you wanna keep with the plot
'Cause it's a complicated Russian novel
Everyone's got nine different names
So look it up in your program
We'd appreciate it, thanks a lot
Da da da
Da da da
Da da da

Natasha!

Natasha is young
She loves Andrey with all her heart

She loves Andrey with all her heart
Natasha's young
And Andrey isn't here

Sonya is good
Natasha's cousin and closest friend

Natasha's cousin and closest friend

Sonya's good
Natasha's young
And Andrey isn't here

Marya is old-school,
A grande dame of Moscow
Natasha's godmother, strict yet kind

Natasha's godmother, strict yet kind

Marya's old school
Sonya's good
Natasha's young
And Andrey isn't here

And this is all in your program
You are at the opera
You're gonna have to study up a little bit
If you wanna keep with the plot
'Cause it's a complicated Russian novel
Everyone's got nine different names
So look it up in your program
We'd appreciate it, thanks a lot
Da da da
Da da da
Da da da

Anatole!

Anatole is hot
He spends his money on women and wine

He spends his money on women and wine
Anatole is hot
Marya's old school
Sonya's good
Natasha's young
And Andrey isn't here

Hélène is a slut
Anatole's sister, married to Pierre

Anatole's sister, married to Pierre
Hélène is a slut
Anatole is hot
Marya's old school
Sonya's good
Natasha is young
And Andrey isn't here

Dolokhov is fierce, but not too important
Anatole's friend, a crazy good shot

Anatole's friend, a crazy good shot

Dolokhov is fierce
Hélène is a slut,
Anatole is hot
Marya's old school
Sonya's good
Natasha's young
And Andrey isn't here

Chandeliers and caviar, the war can't touch us here

Minor characters!

Old Prince Bolkonsky is crazy

And Mary is plain

Andrey's family
Totally messed up

And Balaga's just for fun!

Balaga's just for fun!

Balaga is fun
Bolkonsky is crazy
Mary is plain
Dolokhov is fierce
Hélène is a slut,
Anatole is hot
Marya's old school
Sonya's good
Natasha's young
And Andrey isn't here

What about Pierre?
Dear, bewildered and awkward Pierre?
What about Pierre?
Rich, unhappily married Pierre?
What about Pierre?




What about Pierre?
What about Pierre?

Overall Meaning

The song "Prologue" from the Original Broadway Company of Natasha Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 sets the stage for the complex characters of Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace." The repeated phrase "there's a war going on out there somewhere, and Andrey isn't here" highlights the constant presence of war, but focuses on the absence of Andrey, the fiancé of Natasha. This sets up the central conflict of the story: a young woman longing for her love who is away fighting in the war. As the song progresses, it introduces several other characters and their relationships to each other. Each character is given a brief description of their personality, leaving it to the audience to develop more in-depth interpretations of them. The final lines of the song question the role of Pierre in the story, making it clear that the audience will have to wait to find out more about him.


The repetition of the phrase "there's a war going on out there somewhere, and Andrey isn't here" reinforces that the war is always present, even when not being discussed. It also highlights the sense of longing felt by Natasha, who is missing her love. The choice to introduce multiple characters and their relationships in the song allows the audience to become familiar with everyone more quickly, while also showcasing the intricate web of personalities and connections. The final lines of the song suggest that the role of Pierre may not be immediately obvious, but that the audience should not underestimate his importance in the story.


Line by Line Meaning

There's a war going on
There's a war happening in some distant place


Out there somewhere
It's far away from here


And Andrey isn't here
And Andrey is not present with us


And this is all for your learning
All of this is to educate you


You are watching an opera
You are witnessing an opera performance


You have to read your program carefully
You need to carefully read the guide to be able to understand the plot


If you want to follow the story
If you want to keep up with the plot


'Cause it's a complicated Russian novel
Because it is complex like a Russian novel


Everyone has many names
Each character has multiple names


So, find it in your program
Therefore, check your guidebook


We'll be grateful for that
We'll appreciate that


Natasha!
Introduction to the main character


Natasha is young
Natasha is a young girl


She loves Andrey with all her heart
She loves Andrey deeply


Sonya is good
Sonya is a good character


Natasha's cousin and closest friend
She is also Natasha's closest friend and cousin


Marya is old-school
Marya has old school ways


Marya's old-school
Marya has old-fashioned values


A grand dame of Moscow
She is Moscow's grande dame


Natasha's godmother, strict yet kind
Natasha's godmother is strict and kind


And Anatole!
Introduction to another character


Anatole is hot
Anatole is attractive


He spends his money on women and wine
He uses his money to enjoy women and wine


Hélène is a slut
Hélène is promiscuous


Anatole's sister, married to Pierre
She's Anatole's sister and married to Pierre


Dolokhov is fierce
Dolokhov is formidable


Anatole's friend, a crazy good shot
He's Anatole's friend and a great marksman


The setting of chandeliers and caviar, war can't reach us
Despite the war, the elite and wealthy are still enjoying life


Minor characters!
Introducing less significant characters


Old Prince Bolkonsky is crazy
Old Prince Bolkonsky is mentally unstable


And Mary is plain
Mary is simple and unexceptional


Andrey's family, totally messed up
Andrey's family is extremely dysfunctional


Balaga's just for fun!
Balaga is only for entertainment value!


What about Pierre?
Asking about another significant character.


Dear, bewildered and awkward Pierre?
Portraying Pierre as a kind but confused and awkward man.


Rich, unhappily married Pierre?
Describing Pierre as wealthy and tormented by his unhappy marriage.


What about Pierre?
Asking again about Pierre, hinting at his further importance in the plot.




Contributed by Wyatt S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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