I do enjoy the Lansbury recording, although it is not my favourite. Her acting of Rose is sensational. But her singing... well Angela's range is not unlimited and the songs were tailored to Merman's strengths, and while Ethel did not have a huge range she did have an unusual voice with seemingly no break between the upper and lower registers. I think this is why people who have followed Ethel in key roles have always been stronger in one over the other.
That said, Lansbury gives the role more depth, and Zan Charisse's strip montage is the best one of all the GYPSY recordings.
Two things trouble me about this version: The British accents, and the way the Newsboys/Farm boys numbers are re-arrange for the recording to put them together in one medley.
Merman brought the most anger to the role and for me remains the #1 choice. My #2 would be the Bernadette Peters because it is the most complete. I would choose Lansbury (#3) over Daly (a distant #4) any day. Daly was sensational in the theatre but sadly the recording was made after a week when she had missed a number of performances because of either a bad cold or laryngitis. On the CD you hear her voice cracking and giving out on her. She was never the greatest singer on Broadway but she did sound much better when I saw her live.
As for the two movie versions, I'd take Midler over Russell any day. But I find Midler acts a caricature and never really gets inside the role. Russell does and I don't mind the older movie but it lacks the punch GYPSY needs.
Funny thing - I just saw the Shaw Festival production of GYPSY yesterday and will post my comments on it shortly.
Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks."
Live theatre does not use a "soundtrack." If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!
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