Complete My Fair Lady recording from Chandos

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/25/25 at 11:27pm

I've just finished listening to the first act and wanted to jot down a few impressions while they're fresh. So far I'm enjoying it. The orchestra is on point and the cast is strong across the board. A lot of the music is taken a little more legato than I'm used to, and "The Rain in Spain" is a bit slow until the end, but everything else goes at a good pace.

Jamie Parker changes a word occasionally, although probably no one would notice except someone like me who's watched the movie dozens of times. :) He sings the role more than Rex Harrison did (I know, low bar), but also does his fair share of speak-singing. He and Scarlett Strallen are very good together; she's in fine voice, though there are moments when she could be a little more Cockney. Malcolm Sinclair is a sweet and touching Pickering, sounding like a proud father when he says "Miss Doolittle, you look beautiful." I'm glad we get a good deal of his dialogue. Penelope Wilton's Mrs. Higgins and Julia McKenzie's Mrs. Pearce are also very strong -- I wish we got more of McKenzie especially. Alun Armstrong is a rather laid back Alfie Doolittle, but enjoyable. Laurence Kilsby's Freddy, in the dialogue scenes, sounds even more like one of Wodehouse's simpler characters than Freddy usually does, but he acquits himself very well in the singing.

I'm sure I'll have more to say when I get to the cut material! Has anyone else listened to this? Any thoughts?

[MCfan2]

Posted: 10/26/25 at 10:47am

I apologize -- I just found out there was another thread on this. I had searched on the word "Chandos" and didn't see it, but it was there when I searched on "My Fair Lady." I'll cross post what I wrote over there, and mods can shut this one down.