AIDA & cast album - Thoughts & Opinions?

First show I ever loved, one of my favorite scores and one of my favorite albums. It was the first time I ever left a show wanting to turn around and see it again immediately. I bought the album the next day, and I'm surprised I never actually wore out my copy.

Sometimes I question how much I'd like it if I had seen it later on in my theatrical education, and I'm also not sure how much I'd like another production, since so much of what wowed me was how simply dazzling the Broadway production was. But even though it can be a little cheesy at times, at the end of the day it's, IMO, a really beautiful love story (especially if you do the first and last scenes well), and even though it is flawed, it has the ability to be just breathtaking. Plus it's got a killer score, which is definitely its biggest strength. There are a few lesser songs, sure, but the good ones are SO good. Great orchestrations as well.

There is a coffee table book, yes, and I love it as well.

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Updated On: 7/30/11 at 01:18 AM

It seems to have a fairly healthy life in summer stock and high school/college productions. Not the most popular piece, but far from being dropped off the planet.

A great production and would love to see it again - with the original cast. It's by far Elton's best of the 3 that have made it to Broadway, IMO. The songs stand on their own even outside of the show. Loved the concept album that was released several months before opening in NY. Saw it in Atlanta where they premiered, and it was a flawed but worthy effort. Lot's of problems with the pyramid, which was a key prop in that production. Heather Headley's performance stands as one of my top 5 all time favorites to date. Wish she would return in a new leading role!

I'm not saying it was cutting edge or Pulitzer prize worthy. But it was an absolutely enjoyable evening at the theater -very much fun AND a great love story, and most of all the songs were good songs. That's the thing about Billy Elliott that bothers me. I don't like the score - except for the the song Electricity.

Updated On: 7/30/11 at 08:08 AM

It's easily Elton's best theatrical score.

I really enjoy the show, particularly the aforementioned score. There were a couple of clunkers (Another Pyramid, Like Father Like Son), but overall it was one really great song after another. And, when the leads were exceptionally strong singers, as they almost always were, it was a joy to listen to and watch.

I still believe that had the show been nominated for Best Musical that year, it would have easily won. The voters clearly favored it, awarding it 4 of the 5 Tonys they were nominated for and clearly favoring it over The Wild Party, The Dead, and Contact.

I saw this when I was fairly young, ~9, and fell in love. I'm pretty sure I saw the OBC but it was a while ago. I still listen to the OBCR all the time and I find it hard to describe how much it affects me. I would run run run to see this again on Broadway.

This is one of my favorite scores! The orchestrations are absolutely gorgeous and in my opinion, it's one of the few shows where BOTH pop/rock and "traditional" styles are integrated well.

I was a little disappointed by the show itself though...while the general story is beautiful, the script is pretty weak.

There are TONS of high school/community theatre productions of this in my area...

Funny -- I don't remember seeing more than a small handful of times being done by high schools in the Boston Area.

I saw the OBC and loved it. Funny thing, I never got around to picking up a cd. Hm. Wonder why. Now I'm thinking that I want it.

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I enjoyed it. There are some great songs in the score, and the show itself has an interesting story and characters. I like that the three leads are given a lot of great songs to sing that truly add depth and to their characters.

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Saw the OBC, loved the production! The score was beautiful and the acting, top notch. I thought the score for Another Pyramid and Like Father, Like Son didn't fit. AP sounding too reggae for the theme.

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