Come Back Lover

1. Come Back My Love

2. What Makes You Do (The Things That You Do)

3. Eleven Roses

4. Hey Girl

5. Beggin' for Love

6. Serenade of the Bells

7. Betty Jean

8. C'est la Vie

9. Wreckless

10. Love Is Something That's Made for Two

Come Back Lover,The Wrens,Collectables,Doo Wop,Oldies,Pop,R&B

San Francisco and Other Jeanette MacDonald Favorites

Average customer rating:

Queen of Songs
Jeanette MacDonald Favorites
A MUST for any Jeanette fan!
Jeanette MacDonald Was Unique
An excellent demonstration of Jeanette MacDonald's artistry

San Francisco and Other Jeanette MacDonald Favorites

Manufacturer: RCA
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

Romantic (c.1820-1910) | Historical Periods | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

French | Languages | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

General | Vocal Pop | Pop | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music

$7.99 and Under | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

All Classical Music Blowout | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music

Opera & Vocal | Classical Music Blowout | Stores | Music
Similar Items:

When I'm Calling You
Love's Old Songs
Ah Sweet Mystery of Life: Anthology (1931-1938)
San Francisco
Through the Years

ASIN: B000003F6P
Release Date: 1991-11-09

Tracks:

Ciribiribin
The Firefly: Giannina mia
The Firefly: The Donkey Serenade
Naughty Marietta: Ah! Sweet Mystery Of Life
Naughty Marietta: Italian Street Song
New Moon: Lover Come Back To Me
New Moon: One Kiss
Smilin' Through: Land Of Hope And Glory
Rose Marie: Indian Love Call
San Francisco
The Holy City
Love Parade: March Of The Grenadiers
Monte Carlo: Beyond The Blue Horizon
The Fortune Teller: Romany Life
The Vagabond King: Only A Rose
Les filles de Cadiz
Ave Maria
Songs My Mother Taught Me
Romeo et Juliette: Je veux vivre dans ce reve
Faust: Il etait un roi de Thule
Faust: Air des bijoux
Louise: Depuis le jour

Customer Reviews:

Queen of Songs.......2007-07-29

I received this CD 'San Fracisco and other Jeanette MacDonald Favorites' a few days ago and have listened to it carefully several times. She is about a generation before my time; so far I have seen only two pictures of her: 'San Francisco' and 'The Merry Widow'. In San Francisco, I discovered she can also sing opera successfully to some degree As for The Merry Widow, I much prefer the later version performed by Lana Turner and Fernando Lamas although Turner didn't sing by herself in the film and Lamas is a lot more convincing than Maurice Chevalier as a Casanova type beau; to be truthful, I can't stand grandpa Chevalier. I beleive I also saw another of her movie which she played quite late in her career because she played mother to Jane Powell, this one I saw in the theater in my teenage days, for your information, I saw almost every MGM musicals in those heyday years. Unfortunately though, I don't quite remember the story of it, but I do remember vaguely that MacDonald sang Un bel di from Puccini's Madama Butterfly and when she sang she formed her mouth so beautifully that one could forget it if she didn't sing well.

One thing I can assert with confidence is that MacDonald is a very beautiful lady oozes with glamour, and is very classy. Classiness was a very prominent and widespread quality of female stars in that era, Lana Turner who played the wealthy merry widow was just one case. If I were to make a list it would occupy a full page, nowadays, it would be impossible to name just three or four female stars with class, no offense, please. Now let me come back to the main subject that is MacDonald's art of singing. Well, she certainly has good vocal technigue, her high note is firm to the very top and she is able to sustain it for a considerable duration as she has displayed quite often in this disc. The voice itself is delicate and sweet, just like her person. However, she tends to sing with monotone which make her singing sounds bland, like no. 4, Ah! Sweet Mystery of Life, may be if she move a notch down the scale it would sound more pleasant. Songs My Mother Taught Me is just about the only song she successfully sings with feelings. Here, I would like to point out that a few songs are worth repeated listenings: Ciribiribin, The Donkey Serenade, Italian Street Song, and of course, Songs My Mother Taught Me.
Songs no. 16 to 22, I'm sorry to say that they are not up to my standard, I have been listening to opera singing for over thirty years you know. I must mention here that MacDonald's French seems very good, I don't know French though, nevertheless, I can tell just by listening

Queen of Songs is a title crowned her by the Chinese people in that time, she was indeed highly esteemed.

Jeanette MacDonald Favorites.......2007-05-13

This CD is an incredible testimony and celebration of an American Master Singer.
A must have for all. An introduction to quality and good taste for a new generation of music lovers.

A MUST for any Jeanette fan!.......2006-04-25

This CD is a gem! The songs included on it are beautiful and show off MacDonald's incredible voice. The best part of this CD, however, is the sound quality. Unlike many of her other recordings, and those featuring her with frequent costar Nelson Eddy, the sound on this CD is pristine, and you can barely tell the recordings are 50+ years old!

Jeanette MacDonald Was Unique.......2001-03-12

It really doesn't matter whether or not she could sing; Jeanette MacDonald was unique. On these old recordings, her voice sounds thin and watery, and contemporary tastes do not respond so readily to the sentimentality and predictability of her movies. But she was a gracious lady and glittering presence on the silver screen. These film songs do suggest the excitement she generated when her movies first appeared. And how many truly major singers she inspired! Joan Sutherland recalled meeting MacDonald a few years before her death. Said Sutherland: "I still had stars in my eyes."

An excellent demonstration of Jeanette MacDonald's artistry.......1998-12-18

The highlights of this Jeanette MacDonald CD include her excellent singing of Delibes' "Les Filles de Cadiz," the Bach-Gounod "Ave Maria," and the "Jewel Song" from "Faust." A much-underrated artist, MacDonald proves here that she can handle a wide range of music, from concert songs and opera arias to familiar tunes from her operetta films. Particularly fine are her renditions of "Only a Rose," and Herbert's "Romany Life" (in spite of an amateurish male chorus). Highly recommended not only as a tribute to filmdom's first lady of song, but also to listeners who enjoy both opera and musical comedy.

Average customer rating:

Beautiful voices, beautiful songs
Beautiful Music - Good Perfomances
Superb singing
A KISS
Romberg never sounded better!

Music of Sigmund Romberg

Manufacturer: EMI Classics
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Classical | Styles | Music

General | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Operettas | Opera & Vocal | Styles | Music

Traditional Vocal Pop | Broadway & Vocalists | Styles | Music

Traditional Pop | Oldies | Pop | Styles | Music
Similar Items:

Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Songs of Victor Herbert
The Desert Song / The New Moon
The Student Prince (1952 Studio Cast)
Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg
The New Moon (2003 Encores! Revival Concert Cast)

ASIN: B000002SDG
Release Date: 1990-10-25

Tracks:

The Student Prince: Students' Marching Song - Drinking Song - Come Boys (Kirsten)
The Student Prince: Arrival At Heidelberg - In Heidelberg Fair - Gaudeamus igitur (MacRae, Kirsten)
The Student Prince: Deep In My Heart, Dear (Kirsten, MacRae)
The Student Prince: Serenade (MacRae)
The Student Prince: Just We Two (MacRae, Kirsten)
The Desert Song: The Riff Song (MacRae)
The Desert Song: Why Did We Marry Soldiers - French Military Marching Song (Kirsten)
The Desert Song: Romance (Kirsten)
The Desert Song: The Desert Song (MacRae, Kirsten)
The Desert Song: Let Love Go - One Flower - One Alone (MacRae)
The Desert Song: The Sabre Song (Kirsten, MacRae)
The New Moon: Marianne (MacRae)
The New Moon: The Girl On The Prow (Kirsten)
The New Moon: Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise (MacRae)
The New Moon: One Kiss (Kirsten)
The New Moon: Stouthearted Men (MacRae)
The New Moon: Wanting You (MacRae, Kirsten)
The New Moon: Lover, Come Back To Me (Kirsten)
The New Moon: Try Her Out At Dances

Customer Reviews:

Beautiful voices, beautiful songs.......2006-10-06

Sigmund Romberg isn't in fashion today, but he was one of the founders of what became modern musical comedy, and in listening to this compilation of songs from three of his best-known operettas, you can understand why. Kirsten's soaring soprano and MacRae's rich baritone combine flawlessly to give the very feel that contemporary audiences must have gotten when they attended a performance of a Romberg work (MacRae also starred in the film version of "Desert Song"). The best pieces on the disc are the duets, some of which can give you authentic chills ("Deep in My Heart, Dear," "Wanting You"), and MacRae's thrilling solos ("Serenade," "The Riff Song," "Marianne," "Stouthearted Men," and the tango-esque "Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise"), but Kirsten's renditions of "Romance," "The Saber Song," "The Girl on the Prow," "One Kiss," and the classic "Lover, Come Back to Me" are almost equally good. I've replayed this collection at least 20 times in the last month and I'll do it again. If hearing it doesn't it make you want more Romberg, your tastes are obviously not for classic operetta. Highly recommended.

Beautiful Music - Good Perfomances.......2006-03-25

Kirsten was a first class opera singer who sings this music with technique, voice and style. MacRae has a pretty voice- but I miss the true operatic baritone depth, volume of sound and range of Merrill, Tibbett or Nelson Eddy in this music.

Superb singing.......2005-05-11

This album is not a "performance" but a studio recording of music from three operettas by the great Sigmund Romberg. The singing is superb. Gordon MacRae is a known quantity from his role in the movie version of "Oklahoma" and his voice is never disappointing. Dorothy Kirsten is less well known these days but her voice is well suited for operetta. This album is a deal as it contains most or all of the music of Sigmund Romberg and his lyricists for three operettas, "Desert Song", "New Moon" and " Student Prince". The only quibble with the album is that it begins with the weakest selection ("Student Prince") and if one plays it all the way through it's a long wait for "Desert Song" and the extraordinarily tuneful "New Moon". Most of the tunes are known these days (if at all) from instrumental "mood music" recordings. The singing of MacRae and Kirsten is enunciated well enough so one may enjoy lyrics as well, by the likes of Oscar Hammerstein III. The inclusion of all three operettas gives this album an advantage of the often mix-and-match approach to many available Macdonald & Eddy recordings.

A KISS.......2004-02-21

SUNG BY MARIO LANZA, HE IS AND WILL BE THE GREATEST TENOR OF THIS GENERATION AND THE NEXT GENERATION TO COME.THIS MANS VOICE WAS ONLY PARTIALLY DEVELOPED,IF ONLY AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL IN 1947,IF ONLY HE WOULD HAVE TURNED HIS BACK ON MGM AND CONCENTRATED MORE ON ORERA HE WOULD HAVE REACH THE HIS GOAL,OPERA.I HEARD HIS VOICE WHEN I WAS 6 YEARS OLD.I DOH"T THINK HE DIED OF A HEART ATTACK,HE WAS HELPED.I AM 62 YEARS OLD, AND HAVE WAITED FOR ANOTHER VOICE LIKED MARIO LANZA BUT SO FAR NONE HAS MATERALIZED.

Romberg never sounded better!.......2003-09-24

I am one of those who, as a great fan and collector of operetta songs, find this album (actually a compilation of 3 LPs from 1963) the single most brilliant one ever recorded.

There are very few singers who could get so completely into the spirit of the songs and characters of operettas as Gordon MacRae. A technically magnificent voice with a phenomenal range, vibrant intensity and great warmth and sincerity - the rare singer whose performances all felt spontaneous and who could go from caressing the ear one moment to singing in the most powerful tones the next - all in a glorious legit voice of course. His rousing numbers like "The Riff Song" from The Desert Song and "Stout-Hearted Men" from New Moon are so exilarating that they actually conjure up a larger-than-life vision. His haunting "Softly as in the Morning Sunrise" obliterates all other versions and in terms of passion expressed in song, it would be difficult to surpass his rendition of the Desert Song.

Kudos also of course to the everlasting charm, grace and talent of the great Dorothy Kirsten who sounds perfectly convincing and fetching as the youthful heroines she portrays even though she was already fiftyish at the time this was recorded. Her solos of "One Kiss", "Romance" and "Lover Come Back to Me" are nothing short of superb and convey the longing of her characters beautifully. Truly enchanting.

As someone who loves to compare as many versions as possible of the great musicals and operettas, I can truthfully say that I have never heard more exquisite versions of those songs anywhere. While many versions I have heard elsewhere seemed either over the top or emotionally detached, these ring with true romantic ardor and the arrangements are beautiful. If the beautiful duets like "Wanting You" from New Moon and "Deep in My Heart, Dear" from The Student Prince don't send shivers up your spine, nothing ever will. They litterally take your breath away.

I do feel, however, that a couple of the songs from the earlier MacRae version (from the early 50s) of The Student Prince rank a bit higher than the songs from this version if only for the fact that the arrangements of the "Student Marching Song and The Drinking Song" were livelier and performed not just by the chorus as they are here, but led by Gordon MacRae at his very best. I miss hearing him on those when I play this CD. (Most of the songs from his earlier versions of The Desert Song and The Student Prince are available on various CD compilations. His earlier version of New Moon has not been released on CD yet, but can be found on vinyl).

The Robert Wagner chorale is absolutely outstanding and does a splendid job throughout.

(Please note that the original vinyl albums of each show featured additional songs not included in this compilation and a finale medley).

Tracks:

Opening Chorus and Riff Song - From The Desert Song (Romberg / Harbach / Hammerstein II) with Kitty Carlisle, Wilbur Evans, and Felix Knight
French Military Marching Song
Romance
Then You Will Know
The Desert Song
Finale of Act I
One Flower Grows Alone in Your Garden
One Alone
The Sabre Song
Finale: French Military Marching Song & One Alone
Overture - From The New Moon (Hammerstein & Romberg) with Thomas Tibbett Hayward, Lee Sweetland, and Jane Wilson
Marianne
The Girl on the Prow
Softly, As in a Morning Sunrise
Stouthearted Men
One Kiss
Wanting You
Lover, Come Back to Me

Customer Reviews:

The Desert Song/The New Moon.......2005-10-06

I have loved the music of The Desert Song since I first saw it, starring Dennis Morgan, in the cinema many, many years ago, and then the Gordeon McCrae version on TV. I think the Dennis Morgan one was better, or perhaps I may be prejudiced as I have an unfortunate tendency to prefer original versions (how many subsequent productions have proved superior? Not too many).
However, back to the CD. To listen to this super CD is pure pleasure, a real nostalgia trip. Although I had never heard of the musical The New Moon, I was very surprised to realise that the music was almost a familiar to me as from The Desert Song. Aha, the joys of listening to the old fashioned wireless when I was a little girl!
Gloria Little,
Queensland, Australia

Two classic operettas on one CD.......2004-02-03

Decca Broadway's operetta series providing remastered reissues of eight classic recordings from the 1940s/50s is most welcome. Many of these operettas have no other available recordings on Cd, and these Decca albums have been out-of-print since the late 1960s.

This set offers a classic DESERT SONG recording with Felix Knight, Wilbur Evans and Kitty Carlisle. Some of the dialogue is hysterical: "I Can't kill you" says Kitty before she sails into "I Love You" in the first act finale. It's silly but it's fun.

THE NEW MOON is a more or less straight reading of seven numbers from the score (plus a nicely arranged Overture conducted by Victor Young) performed by a solid cast.

Sound quality on both operettas is quite good considering the age of the original masters: DESERT SONG is 60 years old now.

Stupendous Operettas Finally Available.......2002-10-18

THE DESERT SONG/THE NEW MOON reissue on Decca Broadway Operettas series is as welcome as a spring day. Despite the limited range of the mono sound of both releases, the CD double play should make a welcome addition to any theater lover's music library.

Of the two, THE NEW MOON comes off best with absolutely stunning baritone singing by Lee Sweetland on "Marianne" and "Stouthearted Men" and finer but less impressive work by Jane Wilson and Thomas Hayward on the other familiar numbers. And they are very familiar. Even if you've never seen this show (or the altered film version with Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy), you'll have heard many of these songs as background music or featured in the film DEEP IN MY HEART, the story of composer Sigmund Romberg.

THE DESERT SONG gives a nice representation of its score hampered only by Kitty Carlisle's tremulous soprano waverings. Wilbur Evans and Felix Knight carry off the male roles with great artistry.

Tracks:

Jesus Christ Superstar: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Jesus Christ Superstar: Everything's Alright - Yvonne Elliman/Murray Head/Ian Gilllan
Jesus Christ Superstar: I Don't Know How To Love Him - Yvonne Elliman
Jesus Christ Superstar: Gethsemane (I Only Want To Say) - Steve Balsamo
Jesus Christ Superstar: Superstar - Murray Head
Evita: Oh What A Circus/Sing You Fools - Antonio Banderas
Evita: I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You - Elaine Paige/Joss Ackland
Evita: Another Suitcase In Another Hall - Barbara Dickson
Evita: Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
Evita: High Flying, Adored - Mandy Patinkin/Patti LuPone
Cats: The Jellicle Ball - Andrew Lloyd Weber
Cats: Memory - Elaine Paige
Cats: Gus: The Theatre Cat - Susan Jane Tanner/John Mills
Cats: Mr Mistoffelees - Paul Nicholas
Song And Dance: Take That Look Off Your Face - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Tell Me On A Sunday - Marti Webb
Song And Dance: Unexpected Song - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Nothing Like You've Ever Known - Sarah Brightman
Song And Dance: Introduction - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Song And Dance: Variations 1 -4 - Andrew Lloyd Webber

Tracks:

Starlight Express: Starlight Express - El Debarge
Starlight Express: Crazy - Greg Ellis/Reva Rice/Caron Cardelle/Samantha Lane/Voyd
Starlight Express: Next Time You Fall In Love - Reva Rice/Greg Ellis
Starlight Express: I Am The Starlight - Lon Satton/Ray Shell
Starlight Express: Light At The End Of The Tunnel - The Company
Requiem: Hosanna - Placido Domingo
Requiem: Pie jesu - Sarah Brightman/Paul Miles-Kingston
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Phantom Of The Opera - Michael Crawford/Sarah Brightman
The Phantom Of The Opera: The Music Of The Night - Michael Crawford
The Phantom Of The Opera: All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Steve Barton
The Phantom Of The Opera: Entr'acte - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Phantom Of The Opera: Masquerade - The Company
The Phantom Of The Opera: Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Aspects Of Aspects - Orchester Der Vereinigten Buehnen Wien
Aspects Of Love: Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Aspects Of Love: Seeing Is Believing - Michael Ball/Ann Crumb
Aspects Of Love: The First Man You Remember - Kevin Colson/Diana Morrison
Aspects Of Love: Anything But Lonely - Sarah Brightman
Aspects Of Love: Chanson D'Enfance - Sarah Brightman

Tracks:

Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Any Dream Will Do - Jason Donovan
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Joseph's Coat - Maria Friedman/Richard Attenborough/Donny Osmond
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: Close Every Door - Donny Osmond
By Jeeves: Travel Hopefully - John Scherer/Martin Jarvis/Don Stephenson
By Jeeves: When Love Arrives - Steven Pacey/Diana Morrison
By Jeeves: Half A Moment - Sarah Brightman
Sunset Boulevard: With One Look - Glenn Close
Sunset Boulevard: New Ways To Dream - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: The Perfect Year - Glenn Close/Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: Sunser Boulevard - Alan Campbell
Sunset Boulevard: As If We Never Said Goodbye - Glenn Close
Whistle Down The Wind: Whistle Down The Wind - James Graeme/Lottie Mayor
Whistle Down The Wind: Cold - Everly Brothers
Whistle Down The Wind: No Matter What - Children/Adult Chorus
Whistle Down The Wind: The Nature Of The Beast - Marcus Lovett/Lottie Mayor
The Beautiful Game: Overture - Andrew Lloyd Webber
The Beautiful Game: The Beautiful Game - The Company
The Beautiful Game: Our Kind Of Love - Hannah Waddingham
The Beautiful Game: Dont Like You - Josie Walker/David Shannon
The Beautiful Game: Let Us Love In Peace - Josie Walker/Omagh Youth Community Choir

Tracks:

Oh What A Circus - David Essex
Memory - Betty Buckley
The Phantom Of The Opera - Sarah Brightman/Steve Harley
All I Ask Of You - Sarah Brightman/Cliff Richard
Love Changes Everything - Michael Ball
Any Dream Will Do - Donny Osmond
Amigos Para Siempre (Friends For Life) - Sarah Brightman/Jose Carreras
As If We Never Said Goodbye - Barbra Streisand
The Perfect Year - Dina Carroll
With One Look - Petula Clark
You Must Love Me - Madonna
The Heart Is Slow To Learn - Kiri Te Kanawa
A Kiss Is A Terrible Thing To Waste - The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra
Whistle Down The Wind - Tina Arena
No Matter What - Boyzone
The Vaults Of Heaven - Tom Jones
Try Not To Be Afraid - Boy George
Pie Jesu - Charlotte Church

Tracks:

Make Believe Love - Wes Sands
Down Thru' Summer - Ross Hannaman
I'll Give All My Love To Southend - Ross Hannaman
Believe Me I Will - Sacha Distel
Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (1969 Radio Luxembourg Commercial) - Joseph Consortium/Pete Murray
Try It And See - Rita Pavone
Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You - Time Rice And The Webber Group
Goodbye Seattle - Paul Raven
John 19:41 - The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra
What A Line To Go Out On - Yvonne Elliman
Disillusion Me - Gary Band
The Ballad Of Robert And Peter - Tim Rice
Christmas Dream - Maynard Williams
It's Only Your Lover Returning/All Through My Crazy And Wild Days/Don't Cry For Me Argentina - Julie Covington
It's Easy For You (1977 Jungle Room Session Version) - Elvis Presley
Magdalena - Tony Christie
Buenos Aires - The Roja Rockers
Pollicle Dogs And Jellicle Cats - Andrew Lloyd Webber
Mungojerrie And Rumpleteazer (Live At The Sydmonton Festival 1980) - Gemma Craven
I Could Have Given You More - Petula Clark
I've Been In Love Too Long - Marti Webb
Benedicite - The Stephen Hill Singers

Album Description

Disc 1: Selections from Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, and Song and Dance

Disc 2: Selections from Starlight Express, Requiem, Phantom of the Opera, and Aspects of Love

Disc 3: Selections from Joseph nad the Amaziong Technicolor Dreamcoat, By Jeeves, Sunset Boulevard, Whistle Down the Wind, and The Beautiful Game

CD 4: 1. "Oh What a Circus" --David Essex 2. "Memory" - Betty Buckleey 3. "The Phantom of the Opera" -Sarah Brightman, Steve Harley 4. "All I Ask of You" --Sarah Brightman, Cliff Richard 5. "Love Changes Everything"--Michael Ball 6. "Any Dream Will Do"--Donny Osmond 7. "Amigos Para Siempre (Friends for Life)"--Sarah Brightman, Jose Caerras 8. "As if We Never Said Goodbye"--Barbra Streisand 9. "The Perfect Year"--Dina Carroll 10. "With One Look" --Petula Clark 11. "You Must Love Me" 12. "The Heart Is Slow To Learn" --Kiri Te Kanawa 13. "Whistle Down the Wind"--Tina Arena 14. "A Kiss Is a Terrible Thing To Waste"--The Metal Philharmonic 15. "No Matter What"--Boyzone 16. "The Vaults of Heaven"--Tom Jones and Sounds of Blackness 17. "Try Not To Be Afraid"--Boy George 18. "Pie Jesu"--Charlotte Church

Disc 5: (All tracks available for the first time) 1. "Make Believe Love"--Wes Sands 2. "Down Thru' Summer"--Ross Hannaman 3. "I'll Give All My Love to Southend"--Ross Hannaman 4. "Believe Me I Will"--Sacha Distel 5. "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat: 1969 Luxembourg Radio Commercial--The Jospeh Consortium, Pete Murray 6. "Try It and See"--Rita Pavone 7. "Come Back Richard Your Country Needs You"--Tim Rice and the Webber Group 8. "Goodbye Seattle"-- Paul Raven 9. "John 19:41"--The Andrew Lloyd Webber Orchestra 10. "What a Line To Go Out On"--Yvonne Elliman 11. "Disillusion Me" --Gary Bond 12. "The Ballad of Robert and Peter"--Tim Rice 13. "Christmas Dream" --Maynard Williams 14. "It's Only Your Lover Returning/All through My Wild and Crazy Days/Don't Cry for Me Argentina--Julie Covington 15. "It's Easy for You" (1977 Jungle Room Session version)--Elvis Presley 16. "Magdalena"--Tony Christie 17. "Buenos Aires"--The Rioja Rockers 18. "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats"--Andrew Lloyd Webber original demo 19. "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" (Live at Sydmonton Festival 1980)-Gemma Craven 20. "I Could Have Given You More"--Petula Clark 21. "I've Been in Love Too Long"--Marti Webb 22. "Benedicte"-- Stephen Hill Singers

Customer Reviews:

I waited for this for five years.......2006-06-30

Between Amazone, Ebay and Napster, I don't usually buy CDs anymore, and I usually wait till I can buy them cheaper "new and used". When this set came out, I was excited, mainly by Disc 5, but wasn't going to spend $70 on it. I waited till it was cheap enough, and got it for Father's day this year.
It was worth the wait.

The concept is great. The packaging is great. The recording is great. Disc five is really cool for an ALW aficionado. There are a few real gems on it; my favorites are Petula Clark's "I Could Have Given You More" and "Benedicite."
I've always thought "Gus the Theatre Cat" made a great medley on the piano with "Unexpected Song" and "I DOn't Know How to Love Him," but wished there was an alternate lyric to match the other two songs. Now that I know there *is*, and it's a good lyric, it's a dream come true.
The melody of "Benedicite" is one of my favorites from _Sunset_ (the book mis-identifies it as "SUrrender"; it's actually "The Lady's Paying" and "Eternal Youth is Worth a Little Suffering"). The lyrics are the canticle from Daniel 3, which comes up every odd Sunday in the Divine Office, so it's nice to have cool music to sing it with.

I haven't bought _By Jeeves_ or _THe Beautiful Game_ yet, to it was great to sample them.

There are other parts of the CD taht aren't found in my collection. I like CD 4 "The Hits."

But the selections on CDs 1-3 don't make sense.

First, any self-respecting ALW fan has the Original London Cast of _Phantom_, so six tracks are totally useless. Why not draw from the Canadian cast with Colm Wilkinson? Or pull out some obscure recordings never published.

Why two different tracks with Michael Ball singing "Love Changes Everything", yet they're hardly any different?

On Disc 5 is "It's Only Your Lover Returning," sung by Julie Covington. It's an early draft of the song (Lloyd Webber and Rice went through several suggested titles) and quite nice. The very thing one expects on a Boxed Set.
So why have the Julie Covington "Don't Cry for Me" on disc 1?? The only difference is a few words, but it's otherwise identical. Why not Elaine Paige or Patti Lupone or Madonna?

The _Evita_ section is otherwise the best, choosing a sample from each major recording, though I'd have chosen slightly differently (as above).

There is a great selection of "Mungojerrie and Rumpleteazer" from the Sydmonton festival, using the original music that was changed when _Cats_ went to Broadway_. It would have been nice if they'd included more recordings from Sydmonton, like the original lyric of "All I Ask of You" shown on the second DVD to the _Phantom_ movie.

With so many great actress-singers who've played Norma Desmond, why does the collection beat us over the head with Glenn Close?

Paul Miles Kingston must be set for life in royalties, for the number of albums the original recording of "Pie Jesu" has appeared on. "Amigos Para Siempre" is nice, but it reminds me of Shari Lewis's "The Song that Doesn't End," especially when it's been used on so many compilations.

In short, this is a great collection for the obscure material, if you can get it cheap. But for a boxed set, it's a poor sampling, drawn mostly from the most familiar recordings.

Excellent collection but BIG PUBLISHING MISTAKE! .......2006-01-10

Please beware they made a mistake on this. It's actually the shortened Ray Shell version of STARLIGHT EXPRESS from the original 1984 London cast - NOT the El Debarge single from 1987 like it says on the box. I don't know how they let that goof pass. Sorry to Ray Shell. Having said that, this is an outstanding compilation of Lloyd Webber's greatest hits.

ONE OF LLOYD WEBBER'S BEST COMPILATIONS, DESPITE A FEW FLAWS.......2005-03-21

Regardless of the fact that some of his latest efforts (most notably, The Woman in White) are disappointing, there can be little doubt that Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the greatest composers ever to work in the musical theatre. Ever since his "Jesus Christ Superstar" hit the stage in the early 70-is, it was clear that the conception and perception of musicals are never going to be the same again. Many of his songs became standards not only in the theatre history, but also as tops on the charts. Even though he's British, his influence on the shape of the modern musical theatre expanded over the West End boundaries long ago and has thus made an enormous impact on Broadway. Two of his shows ("Cats" and "The phantom of the opera") hold the record as two the longest running shows in the history of Broadway. He has also been the only composer to have three of his shows running at Broadway concurrently. Some of his awards include three Grammies, a Golden Globe, an Oscar and a bunch of Tony awards. But perhaps most of all, Lloyd Webber is responsible for bringing the musicals and the theatre appealing to the wide audiences, who in different circumstances would not consider seeing a musical. The secret of his success is probably the mixture of beautiful and catchy melodies, interesting subject matter (though some, like Starlight Express, are too thin) and grandiose staging.

Over the years many compilations of his work have emerged. In the late 80-is and early 90-is it was the "Encore" series and lately the one-disc collection called "Gold". The one in question here can be considered one of the best currently on the market. First, it includes a 3-disc selections from all of his shows, minus the latest one, i.e., "The Woman in White", which, considering the triviality of the score, is no great lost. The fourth disc covers some of his most known songs sung by the famous artists. Then, there is the fifth disc with previously unreleased material, most of which are the songs ALW wrote with Tim Rice for various artists during the 70-is. The disks are all neatly packed in a hardcover book that features 67 pages of pictures and text with information about each of ALW's shows. One of the other assets here is the perfect sound quality, since all of the tracks have been digitally remastered.

Here are my basic impressions and comments regarding the material on the discs:

* Disc #1 has the selections from "Jesus Christ Superstar", "Evita", "Cats" and "Song & Dance". The Superstar material mostly comes from the Concept Recording. Although the songs sound beautiful as always, their orchestration is a bit dated now. Only Steve Balsamo's "Gethsemane" from the 1996 revival cast has a modern rock sound. "Evita" comes with the material from all of the major recordings: London, Broadway and the movie productions, as well as the Concept album. No objections here; since this is one of ALW's most satisfying works, every song is just perfect, although Patti LuPone, the Broadway and overall the best Evita, is left with only a couple of lines. With the selections from "Cats", however, I have some doubts. A plus to the choice of the "Jellicle ball" impressive orchestral sequence from the 1998 movie version and "Mister Mistoffelees" from the 1981 London cast. One of the best known ALW's songs, "Memory", also comes from that album. It's a pretty version and Elaine Paige's rendition cannot be matched, but why include this when the definite version, featuring an 80-piece orchestra and Elaine Paige with much better interpretation, can be found in the same movie version. Thusly, one has to buy Elaine Paige's latest 2-disc compilation "Centre Stage: The very best of Elaine Paige" to get that one. And "Gus the theatre cat" is more a recital than a song, so there was not much point in including that. Marti Webb brings her vocal charm to the "Song & Dance" sequence, Sarah Brightman sings "Unexpected song" with her famous soprano, but as much as I like her version, Bernadette Peters, who was in this show on Broadway is strangely left out here.

* Disc # 2 starts with "Starlight Express". This was never one of my favorite ALW's shows; the plot is even lighter than in "Cats" and the 1984 original cast recording is terribly dated. Yet, here we have one terrific duet, "I am starlight" from the original together with three songs from the later revivals and it seems that fresh orchestrations were just the thing Starlight needed. My favorite remains a touchy ballad, "Next time you fall in love". "Requiem" is the most solemn of all ALW's compositions, written in 1985 to commemorate the death of his father. Placido Domingo's tenor rides together with the chorus all the way through the strong "Hosanna", only to be joined by Sarah Brightman in the final moments of this song. She then gives an echoing deliverance of "Pie Jesu". What can be said of ALW's next show, "The Phantom of the Opera"? A phenomenon in its own right, it's easy to see from the six numbers included here why this is one of the best and most beloved musicals of all time. The cast, the music, the story - everything is perfect. Although "Aspects of love" was never a popular hit, it does have some of the most beautiful love melodies ALW has ever written. "Love changes everything" sung by Michael Ball is probably one of the best tunes ever about love. The rest of the selected material here has a dreamy love flavor and the melodies find their way into your brain in the best Lloyd Webber way.

* ALW's first musical, "Joseph and the amazing Technicolor dreamcoat" was more successful in its revival form than the original from the 70-is. The three songs included here are sung by the show stars, Jason Donovan and Donny Osmond. Maria Friedman was not a lucky choice to play the narrator, as the track from the 1998 movie version shows. "By Jeeves" was ALW's only big flop when it came to the stage in the 70-is. The 1995 revival sounds much better though, full of funny numbers in the best manner of the musical comedy. "Travel hopefully" remains one of the show's highlights on this compilation. "Sunset Boulevard" comes next. "Sunset" remains for me one of Webber's best scores; lush and beautiful. I listen to the original cast recording with Patti LuPone all the time. However, here most of the songs are performed by Glenn Close. A big mistake. If you've ever listened the American premiere recording with her, you'll know what I am talking about. She may have a strong stage presence, but her vocal abilities are too limited, and her aggressive approach to the role lacks any subtlety. Therefore, the two big numbers from this show, "With one look" and "As if we never said goodbye" are ruined by the fact she can't sing. The same goes for the American Joe Gillis, who was played by Alan Campbell. Luckily, Patti LuPone and Kevin Anderson, the original Norma and Joe from the London production, make their brief entrance here with the "Perfect year"; enough to show how better they are. The funny thing is, on the jacket and inside of it, Glenn Close and Alan Campbell are credited as performers in this song as well. If this was a mistake on ALW's part, it was a good one. The next ALW's show, "Whistle down the wind" was never a critic's dear and yet the audiences rushed in to see it in London. The score brings back ALW to his rock and roll roots of the seventies and the story is quite interesting. But the selections here are not the happiest, since the cast recording boasts with much better songs. And finally, "The Beautiful Game". Again, we have one of those ALW's shows that is worth in its individual parts rather than as a whole. "Our kind of love" and "Let us love in peace" are two catchy ballads. The latter is a nice amalgam version not available elsewhere. The two other tracks here I could live without.

* Disc # 4 has the songs from all the above shows performed by different artists. The assembled tracks have their pros and cons. For example, we have some previously unreleased stuff, like Dame Kiri Te Kanawa's operettic rendition of "The heart is slow to learn", or a stunning and epic "A kiss is a terrible thing to waste" from "Whistle down the wind", performed by The Metal Philharmonic Orchestra. Then again, what was the point in including almost identical tracks as the ones on the previous disks? So we have Michael Ball again singing "Love changes everything" with only a bit different orchestration; Sarah Brightman comes out again with the same Phantom duets, but only with the different male singers. It would be much more appropriate to include tracks from the Toronto Cast of the Phantom, with Colm Wilkinson. Other pop deliverances (Tina Arena's "Whistle down the wind", Barbra Streisand's "As if we never said goodbye", Boyzone's "No matter what" and many more) were wisely chosen. Patti LuPone is again nowhere to be found and Petula Clark's "With one look" sounds too worn-out.

* The last disc is probably the one that will be of most interest to Lloyd Webber aficionados. It consists of entirely previously unreleased material ALW for the most part wrote for various artists during his early years, with Tim Rice. Some of these tunes, not successful as a singles, were later used in his shows. Thus "Down thru' summer" became "Buenos Aires"in Evita, "Try it and see", an unsuccessful attempt for the Eurovision was used for "King Herod's song" in "Superstar" and so on. Some of these songs are nicely made pop songs: "Make believe love", ALW's first recorded composition, for which he provided the lyrics; "Goodbye Seattle", sung by Paul Raven, who later became Gary Glitter; "Come back Richard, your country needs you", from a never made musical, sung here by Tim Rice, or Latin flavored "Magdalena", with Tony Christie singing. My all time favorite here is a song called "It's easy for you", sung by none other than Elvis Presley himself. Lloyd Webber and Rice sent him a demo recording that he accepted and recorded this live version a couple of weeks before he died. It's amazing to hear how his voice remained in the perfect shape. Also, there is a track of Andrew Lloyd Webber singing "Policle dogs and Jellicle cats" while plying the piano. His voice doesn't sound bad at all.

Taken as a whole, this compilation makes a perfect birthday or Christmas present to any fan of Andrew Lloyd Webber shows, or just anybody interested in some of the best tunes from the modern era of the musical theatre; despite the flaws I mentioned above. To the former, it may just be the final addition for the Andrew Lloyd Webber collection.

SUCH MAGICAL MUSIC OF THE NIGHT!.......2003-01-19

"Evita." "Sunset Blvd." "Starlight Express." "Jesus Christ Superstar." "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." "Requiem." "Aspects of Love." The man who is the most recognized composer in the history of the musical theatre, the man who has won more Tonys than any other composer, the man who boasts the best-selling show of all time ("The Phantom of the
Opera") and the longest-running show of all time ("Cats"), the man whose homes are filled with three Grammys, five Oliviers, a Golden Globe, and Oscar and too many other honors and hosannas to mention, the man knighted in 1992 certainly doesn't need an introduction. Now Decca Broadway pays tribute to Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber with "Now and Forever," a spectacular 5-CD set compiled and produced by Sir Andy himself. It's cheaper than a
ticket to "The Producers" ... and more much exciting. This treasure trove contains highlights from all of Webber's shows, and a bonus disc of tunes sung by Betty Buckley, Barbara
Streisand, Jose Carreras, Boy George, Charlotte Church, Madonna, Tom Jones, Petula Clark, even Elvis! A must for lovers of theatre---and good music.

A Must Have for Sir Andrew fans.......2002-05-21

This five-CD collection of Andrew Lloyd Webber's career is fantastic. It leaves virtually no stone unturned. I have no doubt that diehard Webber fans will love this, especially for the 5th disc entitled "From the Vaults." This disc alone is worth the price as it contains tunes never before heard by the typical fan. Who knew Elvis did a Lloyd Webber tune?!? I didn't! Also the tune "Benedictine" which the composer wrote for his most recent marriage is not only pretty, but it has the same medley as "The Lady's Paying" from "Sunset Blvd." which I found highly enjoyable. Another great track is the composer himself singing a cut song from "Cats" entitled "Pollicle Dogs and Jellicle Cats" which has the same tune as "Jellicle Songs for Jellicle Cats," but to hear Sir Andrew sing is a blast...he sounds a lot like Al "Year of the Cat" Stewart.
The cuts from the musicals are great but are likely owned by ALW fans as they are on the original cast albums. And I'm glad that there were tunes included from the composers most recent efforts which have yet to make it beyond London (Whistle Down the Wind, Beautiful Game).
My only complaint is the inclusion of way too many tracks by Sarah Brightman. She must've received a great divorce settlement that included having tunes on any ALW collection until the end of time!! Her interpretations of some of the tunes were limp and uninspired. I would've much rather heard casts from around the world rather than yet another song by this disdainful soprano! How about Colm Wilkinson's version of "Music of the Night" from the original Canadian cast of "Phantom"? Or Michael Crawford's version of "Unexpected Song"? What? No Betty Buckley from "Sunset Blvd."? And of course there are songs you KNOW are going to be on the collection before you even listen to it as they have been on EVERY ALW collection for the past decade or so.
A great collection but too much Sarah Brightman!

Average customer rating:

Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg

Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Music of Sigmund Romberg
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Songs of Victor Herbert
A Victor Herbert Showcase: The Greatest Hits of the Father of American Popular Song
Deep in My Heart
The Desert Song / The New Moon

ASIN: B000000X26
Release Date: 1992-06-12

Tracks:

The Desert Song: It
Maytime: Waltz Medley
Girl Of The Golden West: Who Are We To Say?
The New Moon: Introduction - Stout Hearted Men - Lover Come Back To Me - Girl On The Prow - Try Her Out At Dances - Wanting You - Softly As In A Morning Sunrise - One Kiss - Finale
Nina Rosa: The Gaucho March
The Desert Song: Waltz
Viennese Nights: Introduction - I Bring You A Love Song - Here We Are - You Will Remember Vienna - Regimental March
Blossom Time: Song Of Love
My Maryland: Introduction - Dixie - Boys In Grey - Mother - Silver Moon - Your Land Is My Land
Bimbo: In Old Granada
The Desert Song: Introduction - Riff Song - One Flower In Your Garden - Waltz - The Foreign Legion - Romance - One Alone
Maytime: Farewell To Dreams
Nina Rosa: Your Smiles, Your Tears
The New Moon: Marienne
The New Moon: Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
Nina Rosa: My First Love, My Last Love
Viennese Nights: I Bring A Love Song
The Night Is Young: When I Grow Too Old To Dream
The Student Prince: Intorduction - Arrival Of The Prince - Serenade - Deep In My Heart, Dear - Drinking Song - Just We Two - Students' March Song

Customer Reviews:

Great Hits from Sigmund Romberg.......2007-01-04

Excellent audio product, especially considering its age and the state of technology.

Average customer rating:

Sweethearts is a sweet album indeed!
Sweethearts is a sweet album indeed!
Sweethearts - Operetta Favorites of MacDonald & Eddy
True Sweethearts!

Sweethearts

Manufacturer: Newport Classic
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Deep in My Heart
When I Grow Too Old to Dream
Ah, Sweet Mystery of Life: The Songs of Victor Herbert
Great Operatic Arias
Music of Sigmund Romberg

ASIN: B00001R3MB
Release Date: 1999-09-14

Tracks:

Ah, Sweet Mystery Of Life
Sweethearts
Lover, Come Back To Me
Romany Life
Will You Remember
Softly, As In A Morning Sunrise
Thine Alone
One Kiss
The Butterfly Waltz
Wanting You
Pretty As A Picture
Kiss Me Again
Stout-Hearted Men
Indian Love Call

Customer Reviews:

Sweethearts is a sweet album indeed!.......2002-01-18

How delicious that the two superb singers on this lovely tribute to Macdonald and Eddy are actually married. Futral is well-known from her opera appearances in the US and abroad (she starred in Andre Previn's Streetcar Named Desire and as Baby Doe at City Opera, I believe), but baritone Steven White is less well-known. This seems odd, as the man has an utterly fluent baritone and he is spot-on in the style of Nelson Eddy: same masculine timbre and boy-scout-like sturdy diction. Reports in Opera News have it that this singer is also an opera conductor and is engaged now by many US companies--if true, and he stops singing, it's our loss, for sure.
This is a darling collaboration, and the Newport label is to be congratulated for avoiding the cloying and yet not fearing to offer the listener some of the very best-known duos and solos which the operetta immortals brought us decades ago. Bravo!!

Sweethearts is a sweet album indeed!.......2002-01-18

Sweethearts - Operetta Favorites of MacDonald & Eddy.......2000-09-16

I recently had the priveledge of meeting Ms. Futral and Mr. White, and they are as wonderful in person as they are on this album!

True Sweethearts!.......2000-08-16

What a wonderful collaboration! Both Mr. White and Ms. Futral are superior solo vocalists, yet this husband/wife pair complement each other very well. I'm looking forward to more of the same!

Sigmund Romberg: The New Moon; Up in Central Park; Viennese Nights

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Sigmund Romberg: The New Moon; Up in Central Park; Viennese Nights

Manufacturer: Naxos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Sigmund Romberg and His Orchestra
Deep in My Heart
The Ultimate Sigmund Romberg, Vol. 1
Ultimate Sigmund Romberg 2
Light Opera Gems

ASIN: B0000W3XMU
Release Date: 2004-02-17

Tracks:

Your Land And My Land
Silver Moon
Mother
Boys In Grey
Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
Lover, Come Back To Me
Stout-hearted Men
Wanting You
One Kiss
I Bring A Love Song
You Will Remember Vienna
Viennese Nights Waltzes
Dance, My Darlings
Just Once Around The Clock
Something New Is In My Heart
Lordy
Close As Pages In A Book
April Snow
The Big Back Yard

Average customer rating:

Underated Treasure
What a remarkable voice, it's deserves your attention

Lesley Garrett: Soprano in Red
Jacques Offenbach , Franz Lehár , Emmanuel Chabrier , Ivor Novello , Johann Strauss II , Noel Coward , Sigmund Romberg , Richard Heuberger , Arthur Sullivan & W.S. Gilbert , James Holmes , Lesley Garrett , and Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra
Manufacturer: Silva America
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Lesley Garrett - Prima Donna
Lesley Garrett - I Will Wait For You

ASIN: B000004BQS
Release Date: 1995-11-21

Tracks:

New Moon: Lover Come Back To Me
Casanova: Nun's Chorus & Laura's Song
La Belle Vivette (La Belle Helene): My Traitor Heart?
Perchance To Dream: We'll Gather Lilacs
Gipsy Love: Gypsy Fiddles Playing
Bittersweet: If Love Were All
L'etoile: 'I'm Called Lazuli' The Pedlar's Rondo
L'etoile: Pretty Little Star
The Dancing Years: Waltz Of My Heart
Frederica: Why Did You Kiss My Heart Awake
New Moon: Softly As In A Morning Sunrise
The Opera Ball: A Chambre Separee
The Contrabandista: Only The Night Wind Sighs Alone
The Merry Widow: Vilja
Orpheus In The Underworld: Hymn To The Bacchus - Infernal Gallop (Can - Can)

Customer Reviews:

Underated Treasure.......2003-08-30

This Cd is delightful. I love Leslet Garrett's voice but most of all, I love the selection. This cd is great for introducing any true lover of opperetta to some truly great operas and composers. I originally bought this cd for a musical glimpse at Sullivans 'The Contrabandista' and discovered the beautiful worlds of Offenbach and Lehar and so many more that can not be heard except in pieces (many of which only exist on this cd such as 'The Contrabandista' and 'The Opera Ball' and 'The Dancing Years'). I recommend that anyone who loves opera buy this album. But on a final note, all of the songs are sung in english, even those not originally done so.

What a remarkable voice, it's deserves your attention.......2000-11-05

If you adore great singing by a super star this cd is for you. What a voice! Everytime I hear it, I loose my breath i'm so excited. I tell you, there are not many voices like this around. When you find one you have better latch on to it for there may not be another.

The main concern I had for this cd was the repertoire. It had too many songs that I didn't particulary like. If the repertoire had of been better this cd would definately have been a 5. I will say this, Lesley's voice was super even on the songs that I didn't like.

I know a lot of people are unfamiliar with Lesley, since she lives in the U.K., but she deserves you attention. She is a great talent.

Recommendation: Despite giving this cd a low rating, I still would like to recommend it.

Carmen (Sung in English)
Average customer rating:

English is an asset and a drawback

You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English

A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!

I love Carmen!

Carmen (Sung in English)
Bizet , Bardon , Gavin , Plazas , Magee , and Parry
Manufacturer: Chandos
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Mozart: The Magic Flute

The Barber of Seville / B. Ford, D. Jones, A. Opie; G. Bellini [in English]

Verdi: La Traviata

Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro

Mozart - Don Giovanni / Garry Magee · Cullagh · Banks · Plazas · Shore · Tierny · PO · David Parry

ASIN: B00007JGRN
Release Date: 2003-03-11

Tracks:

Prelude
In The Plaza
Just Look At That Delicious Morsel
Here Come Our New Soldier Boys
Jose! There Was A Girl Here Looking For You Just Now
Off With You Old Soldier Boys
Corporal! Sir!
We Have Heard The Bell Summon Us To Meet Here
Ah, Just Look!
But Why Hasn't She Come, Our Carmencita?
Love's A Bird Wild As Any Rebel
Carmen! We Will Follow You High And Low!
The Cheek Of It!
Give Me News Of My Mother!
Your Dear Mother And I Were Leaving Church This Morning
I See My Mother's Face!
Wait A Moment - I'm Going To Read The Letter
Come And Help
So, Corporal: Tell Me What Happened
Well, Carmencita: What Do You Have To Say For Yourself?
Where Are You Taking Me?
There's An Old Bar In The City
Careful - It's Lieutenant!
Entr'acte
From Far Away Mysterious Sounds
Bravo, Bravo! More! Keep Dancing!
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
Who's That? It's Escamillo, The Bullfighter From Granada
Hurrah! Hurrah! The Torero!
You're Most Kind
We'll Come With You, Senor Torero
Toreador, Be Ready!
At Last! We Got Rid Of Them As Quickly As We Could
There's A Little Job That We're Starting!
Being In Love Is Not A Reason

Tracks:

To Bid You Welcome To Our Bar
La La La La La La La La...
Back To Camp!... Go At Once!
That Flow'r You Threw To Me I Treasured
No, It's Not Love At All!
Hello! Carmen!
Lieutenant Fair, It's True
The Sky Above The Open Road
Entr'acte
Keep Going, Dear Old Friend, Kep Going!
Right! Let's Stop For A While
Shuffle! Cut Them!
In Vain You Would Avoid The Bitter Things They're Saying
You're Back!
As For That Man, It Should Be Easy!
Is This The Place?
I Say That There's Nothing To Fear
It's Him! I'm Sure It's Him Over There!
Escamillo Is My Name, And I Come From Granada
She Had A Lover Here
Hola! Hola! Jose!
You Should Take Care, Carmen
Alas! Jose, Your Mother Is Ill
Entr'acte
A Few Cuartos! A Few Cuartos!
Here They Come! Here They Come!
If You Love Me, Carmen
It's You! It's Me!
Viva! Viva! What A Corrida!

Customer Reviews:

English is an asset and a drawback.......2004-07-20

The best thing about this recording of Carmen is the libretto. Conductor David Parry penned this facile and dramatic English translation. He avoids the pitfalls of literal translation to achieve an idiomatic flow that matches the rhythm of the original lyrics. I use this as a reference libretto for any of the French Carmens.

Unfortunately, the performance suffers from being sung in English. The singers declaim their parts with such proper British diction that Carmen comes across as a school marm. The spoken dialog is delivered beat for deliberate beat and is dripping with reverb. It makes the plaza, tavern and mountain pass all sound like a sewer pipe.

This is a good first Carmen for someone trying to understand the work. The libretto itself is a good investment for further listening. For an enjoyable performance with an emphasis on character and action, I recommend Regina Resnik on the London Double Decker set.

You Will Love Opera After Hearing Carmen In English.......2004-02-09

What a perfect introduction to opera. This newly released recording will surely get you hooked into opera. Carmen, a French opera by Georges Bizet, is the most recognizable and most popular in the opera world. It's famous melodies- the overture, the Habanera, The Toreador Song have all been featured in everything from cellular phone ring tones to Superbowl Commercial (last year's Superbowl with The "Opera In English" label has been making Italian operas into English for a number of years now. Also on the market are Verdi's La Traviata in English (with soprano Valerie Masterson as Violetta) Handel's Julius Caesar with Janet Baker and even Wagner's epic Ring Of The Nibeling sung in English. This is a terrific recording and I highly recommend it if you want to get into opera. Listen to this version first and then try the real, original French version Bizet had written. Patricia Bardon is sensational, sexy and dramatic as Carmen.

The real strength of this version is the dynamic drama. With the advantage of being sung in English, we get better insight on characters' emotions and motives, and we understand the drama a lot better. Carmen is all about great drama. Bizet drew the plot from the French writer Prosper Merimee's dark short story. Carmen is the ultimate femme fatale- a devil-may-care, sexy Gypsy living in Spain, seduces the conservatively raised soldier Don Jose, stealing him away from his fiancee, the passive Micaela, living a life of underground smuggling and rowdy taverns. "Habanera" and "The Gypsy Song and Dance" are very expressive of Carmen's extraordinarily liberal lifestyle. Don Jose, however, has fallen deeply in love- as he shows us in his song/aria "The Flower Song". But Carmen soon becomes tired of his constancy. Don Jose wants a committed, monogamous relationship with Carmen. But Carmen will not submit to love, since she is first and foremost a carnal creature. Eventually, she falls for the handsome Toreador Escamillo. Don Jose, consumed by jealousy, stabs Carmen at a bullfight after Carmen declares her love for Escamillo and rejects Don Jose's love. Don Jose's crazed, obscessive personality shines through in the English version as well. This tragedy has been done in English before so don't think this is the first time. Back in the 50's, there was a film, starring black actors "Carmen Jones" which was treated the same way as this opera- more like an English Broadway musical and with the dubbed singing voice of Marilyn Horne as Carmen. All in all, this recording is excellent.

A wholly credible "Carmen" -- finally!.......2003-09-17

This recording really sells "Carmen" as a drama. Although I have two other recordings of this opera and have seen it performed several times, it never quite worked for me dramatically. But thanks to the fine performances, conducting, and translation here, I've become a "Carmen" convert. Producing a good English-language performance of a foreign opera, especially a warhorse like "Carmen," is much more difficult than it might appear. You need performers who not only can sing the parts (of course) but also can sing *English* and make it halfway intelligible and make it sound like English and make it dramatically convincing to English-speakers. The singers on this recording do an excellent job all around. Don't be put off if you don't recognize their names -- they are up to the task musically and (especially) in their acting. Admittedly, as with *all* English-language recordings, some passages are very hard to understand without reading along, but most of the time the words are clear and effective. I would recommend this recording to any opera beginner or opera lover, even those who normally turn up their noses at performances in translation.

I love Carmen!.......2003-08-15

I do. I can think of no other opera with more melodic inventiveness, and few others with so sure a dramatic pulse. Carmen is popular and it thrills me to say that it is also a very good opera - not always true of popular things.

And what of this recording? Carmen sits well in English, so it is good to hear in translation, although some of the detais in the text jar. Escamillo refers to Jose as "my dear", which sounds rather peculiar, and the guide's line to Micaela: "it's not exactly inviting, is it?" sounds distinctly Middle England rather than Rural Spain. Some of the performers, not least Carmen herself, make the words work, although there are long tracts, especially with the chorus, where the language is distinctly indistinct.

The soloists are, by and large, strong. Patricia Bardon's deep, Handel-friendly voice adapts well to Carmen and she colours the music with phenomenal detail, sounding sexy and provocative from the start with an edge of pride and anger that emerges as the show goes on. She is out of her depth above the stave, though, and some extra top notes in the second act don't show her off to her best advantage. I have previously said that Julian Gavin is poorly served by recordings, though here he sounds much more even and gives a thrilling and musical performance (but his wooden spoken lines let him down). Mary Plazas is a lovely Micaela, rich-voiced and sincere (and word-perfect), but Garry Magee sounds miscast as Escamillo, lacking the ballast at the bottom of the voice to do justice to this tricky role.

The supporting cast is good (Mary Hegarty seems to do nothing but Frasquita these days!) but the really treasurable thing is the conducting. Stepping out of Italian Ottocento, David Parry turns his hand to this French Comedie with an appropriate lightness of touch. His pacing and handling of the set pieces is exemplary and the enrtractes go with a real swing.

A pleasure, then, for the Carmen naive or a novelty for the Carmen-acquainted. I nearly wrote Carmen-weary - but I don't think it's possible.

Ultimate Sigmund Romberg 2
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Ultimate Sigmund Romberg 2

Manufacturer: Pearl
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B000069KBV
Release Date: 2002-08-27