Kiss of the Spider Woman

[Angel Dumott Schunard]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:21pm

Should I buy this? I love Cabaret and Chicago. Which is the best recording?

[Princeton78]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:22pm

I'm not fond of either recording..but I'd go with Chita.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:24pm

Buy it. Go with the Chita recording.

[Tesse]

Posted: 3/8/05 at 11:26pm

The Chita recording, IMHO, has the better performances and overall sound, but the Vanessa recording has more dialogue clips, and gives you more of a theatrical experience.

Both are very good in their unique ways, but if you can only get one, I'd recommend the first.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 1:12am

Both are good recordings. The original cast has better performances, but the 2nd New York cast CD captures more of teh show (dialogue and music.) Howevere... the Vanessa Williams CD is no longer in print. Copies can be found in used CD stores.


********

Cast albums are NOT "soundtracks." Live theatre does not use a soundtrack. If it did, it wouldn't be live theatre!

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 1:58am

Definitely get the original cast recording (with Chita Rivera and Brent Carver). I just bought myself a new copy, actually. It's a wonderful recording -- Brent Carver's Tony Award-winning performance is so heartbreaking and earnest.

The show itself is wonderful -- a very moving portrayal of love, betrayal, and injustice.

[perfusion]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 3:36am

I dig them both (Chita & Vanessa),they are both very different & worth a listen too.

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 6:29am

If you've got the cash, buy them both. Like frontrowcentre2 said, the Vanessa Williams version (which features Brian Stokes Mitchell as Valentin and Howard McGillin as Molina) is out of print, but there are still many affordable ways to obtain it (Amazon, most notably). If you can only buy one, though, I would suggest that you go with Chita.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 7:17am

I agree, I always like to have the original cast first, and then If I really like it, I'd buy another version. But I'd deffinately start with Chita Rivera.

[sparky310]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 9:07am

it was a great show and vintage kander and ebb..it is a must have..but make sure to get the chita version not the vanessa oh my god why did i do this version

[JBSinger]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 12:05pm

buy Chita! Terrific recording!

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 1:45pm

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN is good, certainly Chita's cd is the best.

HOWEVER, if you love CABARET and CHICAGO, might I recommend you purchase a far superior score by Kander and Ebb? I believe you will find either of the following much more enjoyable than KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN:

70, GIRLS 70 (simply fabulous--you will adore it) or

WOMAN OF THE YEAR (delightful Kander&Ebb and capture's Lauren Bacall's and Marilyn Cooper's great performances.)

[mallardo]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 2:24pm

I certainly agree that Kiss of the Spider Woman is NOT top drawer Kander and Ebb. To me they succeed with the fantasy elements but the world of the prison comes off as weak and almost campy - i.e. the Over the Wall stuff. I don't think they ever found the right "sound" for this show.

[ElphieZ]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 2:26pm

Chita Chita and more Chita.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 2:32pm

mallardo, I agree with you two hundred percent. :)

[Gothampc]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 2:40pm

"To me they succeed with the fantasy elements but the world of the prison comes off as weak and almost campy - i.e. the Over the Wall stuff."

I believe that's because they had conceived this show as a star vehicle. (Did they first intend it for Liza? I can't remember). I do agree that the prison scenes are weak. "Dear one, I don't miss you inside me". I think they could have done better.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 3:09pm

Woman of the Year is out of print. i have been looking for the Cd on ebay and haven't come up with anything so far. I should check again right now!

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 3:13pm

Re: Vanessa as Aurora:
I thought that she was a brilliant Aurora. She was not as good as Chita, of course, but she brought something special to the role. And her singing voice is lovely, as always.

[WISHIHADATONY]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 3:17pm

withoutatrace,,,,,,,,,,I bought WOMAN OF THE YEAR cd not toooo many years ago at amazon.com(actually I just checked and I bought it in 1999.)

have u checked for it at amazon.com or
barnesandnoble.com
alibris.com

anyway,,,,,you are welcome to listen to my copy of the cd anytime you like:)

p.s. amazon has an option where they will try to find a used copy for sale for you.........I greatly enjoy this recording. goodluck!

Updated On: 3/9/05 at 03:17 PM

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 3:29pm

I just checked Amazon. It is indeed out of print, but used copies are available.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 4:06pm

I actually love the Vanessa Williams version (but that was the first one I heard)

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 4:12pm

Vanessa was phenomenal. I hate it when people say, "She's no Chita." She wasn't trying to be Chita.

[mallardo]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 6:41pm

MEF, I agree with you about Vanessa Williams. How many times have we seen people on this board slamming her for not being Bernadette Peters in Into the Woods?

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 7:31pm

It's so very true, Mallardo. When I saw Vanessa in the role (after seeing Chita in the role, also,) I found it so refreshing that she was doing the role totally different from Chita. The same with her wonderful performance in "Into the Woods".

[DreamingChaseR]

Posted: 3/9/05 at 8:37pm

what kind of music is this musical? i saw the soundtrack at a used CD place and almost got it but i dunno... i really love rock and pop musicals would i like it? Chicago's cool but i prefer Wicked or We Will Rock You... should i try it?