With a full orchestra, choir and cast, it will be a chance for America to witness the music of Kristina without the huge risks involved in a theatrical run.

I imagine that gauging reaction to the concert will give Benny and Björn an opportunity to decide whether the theatrical or concert route is the right one to take for America.

It seems that doing the Broadway workshop in March of last year, with the very barest of accompaniment, allowed the creative team an opportunity to get across the story at the heart of Kristina från Duvemåla. Now, with the planned orchestral concert version, America will finally get to hear the music in all its splendour.

The appeal lodged by Carl-Johan Seth is not seen by Benny as an influencing factor on the future of the show. Instead, there is work to do to re-shape the musical for its non-Swedish audiences. That will take time and right now (and until well into 2008), Benny is committed to work on the soundtrack of the Mamma Mia! movie.