Where does the song sit in the story?

It opens Act II, aligning Lestat with New Orleans and teeing up his bond with Louis.

Who sings it on stage?

Lestat leads, with ensemble; programs often list it as an Ensemble number for New Orleans residents.

Is there an official recording?

A Broadway cast album was recorded in May 2006 but never released; composer demos and private audios circulate.

What musical elements define it?

Parade beat, chant-like refrains, and patter sections for the lead over crowd vocals.

What does the lyric add to Lestat’s characterization?

It frames curiosity as cosmopolitan swagger, masking a predator’s ethics.

Any key changes from tryout to Broadway?

Tempos and voicings shifted between San Francisco and Broadway; the song’s function remained the same.

Does the number quote period culture?

Yes, with Cajun and Creole references and an immigrant roll call to fix the setting.

Is it a love song to New Orleans?

Not quite. It is a seduction and a sales pitch, equal parts welcome and warning.

Welcome to the New World Lyrics — Lestat

Welcome to the New World Lyrics

ENSEMBLE
And there's cheer in the streets
As they shout out the windows.
Welcome to the new world of the cajun and the creole.
Welcome to the new world,
You preening, pufffed up Europeans.
Shake loose your pious shackles
For some good old superstition.
And a wealth of new beginnings!
LESTAT
What more could one expect of something new?
A feast of saints and sinners.
A homespun web of bold beginnings.
This new world boasts a most collective stew.
And so indeed I'll plunge into the stream.
Here regret no longer lingers.
New passions here I'll cling to.
In America, I'll reconstruct my dreams.
ENSEMBLE
And there's cheer in the streets
As we shout out the windows.
Welcome to the new world of the cajun and the creole.
Welcome to the new world,
You preening, pufffed up Europeans.
Shake loose your pious shackles
For some good old superstition.
And a wealth of new beginnings!

ENSEMBLE
And now it's time to rejoice
Won't you come and join the faithful.

Welcome to the new world
And the music of the people.
Welcome to the new world,
You preening, puffed up Europeans.
Shake loose your pious shackles
For some good old superstitions!
LESTAT
It's time to rejoice!
Come join the faithful!
Music of the people!
Welcome to the new world!

ENSEMBLE
Welcome to the new world
All you would-be saints and sinners
Trade in your righteous thinking
For some good old superstition
And a wealth of new beginnings

Last Update: October, 20th 2025

Song Overview

Welcome to the New World lyrics by Elton John, Hugh Panaro — Composer demo meets stage intent: Elton John sketches "Welcome to the New World," later voiced on stage by Hugh Panaro as Lestat.

Review and Highlights

Scene from Welcome to the New World by Elton John, Hugh Panaro — Act II ignition: New Orleans as temptation and promise.

Quick summary

Act II opener in Lestat, set in New Orleans; the number ushers in the Louis chapter and the American pivot of the plot.
Music by Elton John, lyrics by Bernie Taupin; performed on Broadway by Hugh Panaro with ensemble.
Official Broadway cast album was recorded in May 2006 but never released; composer demos circulate among fans.
Style blend: parade pulse, patter turns, and choral shouts - a street pageant that doubles as recruitment anthem.
Text paints a melting pot - Creole, Cajun, French, Spanish, free people of color - and undercuts it with Lestat’s predatory curiosity.

Creation History

After the San Francisco tryout, the show moved to Broadway in spring 2006 with Hugh Panaro in the title role. The Act II opening was shaped as a kinetic tableau of New Orleans life that could swing from celebration to seduction. A full Broadway cast album was tracked by Mercury Records on May 22, 2006, produced by Guy Babylon and Matt Still, but plans were halted shortly after closing; select demos by Elton John, including this song, have surfaced online. Reviews of the production were rough, yet the number’s function - resetting stakes in America - remained a sturdy hinge between the European backstory and the Louis-anchored conflict.

Song Meaning and Annotations

Elton John demo framing Welcome to the New World — Studio demo angles the groove toward a street march.

Plot

Lestat arrives in New Orleans and - between marveling and judging - dives into the city’s swirl. In staging, the ensemble floods the space: vendors, dancers, sailors, gentry. The lyric points at languages and lineages, then funnels to Lestat’s vow to build a new life here. Moments later he meets Louis, and the American arc kicks in.

Song Meaning

The piece is a threshold. Lestat’s voice frames the city as both feast and hunting ground, a moral jambalaya where faith, superstition, and commerce mix. The rhythm suggests parade and recruitment - a vampiric evangel. The subtext is choice: will the New World be a place to change, or simply a wider stage for the old appetites?

Annotations

"A feast of saints and sinners... this melting pot"

Classic American boosterism refracted through a predator’s gaze. The cataloging of peoples sets color and scale while hinting at Lestat’s selective empathy.

"Free people of color... when others are enslaved"

The line pricks the conscience of the tableau: liberty is unevenly distributed. It lands as a period reality check inside the carnival.

"Shake loose your pious shackles"

A call to drop Old World restraint - theatrical language that also sells Lestat’s creed: impulse over inhibition.

Shot of Welcome to the New World — From postcard to prowler: the cheer curdles into pursuit.

Sound and staging

Groove: march-like backbeat that can tip into second-line swing. Orchestration: reeds and brass add regional tint; choral echoes widen the street. Vocal writing: front-loaded consonants keep patter crisp while sustained ensemble vowels paint the crowd. Dramaturgy: it is the show’s big "open the door" cue - lights snap up, rules soften, danger heightens.

Key Facts

Artist: Elton John; Hugh Panaro with Ensemble (stage)
Featured: Hugh Panaro as Lestat; company voices
Composer/Lyricist: Elton John / Bernie Taupin
Producer (unreleased cast album session): Guy Babylon, Matt Still
Release Date: Stage premiere context 2005–2006; Broadway opening April 25, 2006
Genre: Musical theatre - parade anthem with patter
Instruments: Voice with pit orchestra
Label (planned): Mercury Records for the unreleased OBC session
Mood: Exultant, beckoning, faintly menacing
Length: ~3:30–4:30 depending on production
Track #: Often listed as Act II opener; some fan tracklists place it around slot 15
Language: English
Album: No official OBC release; circulating demos and bootlegs exist
Music style: March pulse with festival color; chorus call-and-response
Poetic meter: Mixed prose-lyric with anapestic surges

Canonical Entities & Relations

People: Hugh Panaro - sings Lestat on Broadway; Carolee Carmello - Gabrielle, principal; Drew Sarich - Armand; Jim Stanek - Louis; Elton John - composer and demo vocalist; Bernie Taupin - lyricist; Linda Woolverton - book.

Organizations: Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures - producer; Mercury Records - recorded the unreleased cast album; Palace Theatre - Broadway venue.

Works: Lestat (musical) - parent work; The Vampire Chronicles - source novels.

Venues/Locations: Curran Theatre, San Francisco - pre-Broadway; Palace Theatre, New York - Broadway home; New Orleans - onstage setting for the number.

Questions and Answers

Where does the song sit in the story?: It opens Act II, aligning Lestat with New Orleans and teeing up his bond with Louis.
Who sings it on stage?: Lestat leads, with heavy ensemble support; the credit often appears simply as "Ensemble (New Orleans residents)".
Is there an official recording?: A Broadway cast album was recorded in May 2006 but was never released; fan-circulated audio and Elton John’s demos are widely referenced.
What musical elements define it?: Parade beat, chant-like refrains, and patter blocks that let the lead surf the crowd.
What does the lyric add to Lestat’s characterization?: It shows a hedonist rationalizing curiosity as cosmopolitanism - both dazzled and predatory.
Any key changes from tryout to Broadway?: Arrangements and pacing shifted during the transfer, but the function as a street-pageant welcome stayed intact.
Does the number quote period culture?: Yes - Cajun and Creole nods, plus a roll call of immigrant identities to anchor place and time.
Is it a love song to New Orleans?: More a dare. The city is chorus and quarry, invitation and trap.

Awards and Chart Positions

Milestone	Detail	Notes
Tony Awards (show context)	2 nominations (Carolee Carmello - Featured Actress; Susan Hilferty - Costume Design)	No wins; nominations reflect the 2005–2006 Broadway season.
Cast album status	Recorded May 22, 2006; unreleased	Produced by Guy Babylon and Matt Still for Mercury Records.

Additional Info

Song list placement: Authoritative lists place "Welcome to the New World" at the top of Act II, before "Embrace It" and "I Want More."

Critical temperature: New York press panned the production, with notable barbs about pacing and songwriting; still, the New Orleans opener served reliably as an energy jolt between acts.

On demos and leaks: Multiple YouTube uploads preserve Elton John’s studio demos and fan captures from tryouts and Broadway, which is how most listeners know the song today.

Sources: Playbill; BroadwayWorld; Internet Broadway Database; Wikipedia; Variety; OVRTUR; Anne Rice official; Eltonography; YouTube playlists and demo uploads.

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