You can add me to the group that isn't impressed with the score - it's Brown's usual lack of harmonic invention, filtered through a bald attempt to imitate Guettel's
Light in the Piazza work, and tarted out with strings (which I believe are augmented by synth strings, although it's so hard to tell these days, when you don't hear a single thing acoustically, only through amplifiers - I counted 5 string players in the program, but it sounded like more). The ridiculous ranginess of Pasquale and O'Hara's material borders on the comic, like a Benny Hill sketch; one fears they'll burst a blood vessel at times.
On another note, I found the story to be as Hallmark schmaltzy/trashy as it is in the novel and movie, and the awkwardness of some transitions and storytelling suggests that Norman feels that enough of the audience already knows the story, so she could dispense with clarity.
The performers do admirable work, but the ultimate feeling I had about the show was one of mere prettiness.
Updated On: 2/18/14 at 10:55 AM