Pacific Overtures Revival Cast Recording

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:13pm

So don't shoot me but-

DOes this recording drive anyone else crazy. I adore this score, and listen to the OBC often, but I can barely get through this annoying new recording. I saw this revival, and liked it well enough, but I don't remember being as annoyed in the theatre as I am by it on disc.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:17pm

i tried listening to it once...couldn't get through it. it has been sitting on my shelf ever since.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:20pm

OH NO! i never saw the original show but i have the original recording and while there are tracks on the original i like better than the revival, i think the revival was an amazing production and the recording is JUST as good! the Advantages on the revival is better. the Bowler hat is better. the Pretty Lady is BRILLIANT! AH!

i could go on and on and on and on and on about my love for the Revival but i won't cuze i won't make sense but i think that the revival is a very well crafted album and i enjoy it very much as i did the production. but the perfect PO album would include tracks from all THREE recordings.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:22pm

I have all 3 recordings too, but I favor the OBC for most tracks. It has a bigger sound, and tracks like "Four Black Dragons", "Someone in a Tree", and "Please, Hello" (my favorite song in the score) have a fuller and more dramatic feel.

[Caroline-Q-or-TBoo]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:25pm

yes i agree in some respects, i believe Please Hello is better on the revival. i find myself nodding off during the OBC version. i also think Four Black Dragons is better on the recording. maybe i just like the orchestrations better or something... hmmm...

Someone in a Tree and Chrysanthemum Tea are both MUCH better on the OBC, the same with Next and a couple of other songs.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:31pm

I miss the big blast that "Please, Hello" has on the OBC. It just seems like more of a spectacle on the OBC. Which I prefer. The revival just sounds too tiny and quiet to me. The revival just seems to be holding back and a bit low energy.

[nomdeplume]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:32pm

I attended the recent revival and only have the new revival cast recording done in January 2005 so I can't compare it to the OBCR, which I don't have and didn't see. I loved the revival and was very impressed with the quality of the singing and directing and wished it had extended. I've listened to the revival CD several times and it's special to me because I know several of the performers. I think it's very clear and their singing is good and you can hear all the lyrics, but I've read the original had a bigger orchestra for perhaps a bigger orchestral sound, yet was a little harder to hear the lyrics.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:35pm

I can hear the lyrics fine on the OBC, but I have heard that same complaint before.

FOr me, I like the bigger sound. But then again, the whole original production was much much bigger than the recent revival. It just seems to fit more into my vision of what the show should be.

[Elphaba]

Posted: 10/18/05 at 9:38pm

I love it!

[fiatlux]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 7:35am

I also have all three recordings. I must admit to only really listening to the revival recording after having it for a few months. There are a few tracks I like as much -maybe not better - for instance Someone In A Tree works very well for me; Please Hello, the rall at the end helps, I would think, with understanding the words better. I really like Next (sorry)

[Smaxie]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 7:39am

The revival recording is ghastly. The other two recordings are superior by leaps and bounds.

[twogaab2]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 10:07am

Saw the rival and the Original cast (one of my favorite Broadway memories). The revial was a very mediocre mounting of an absolutly brilliant production. I saw the same production at Lincoln Center and was completely boweled over. The new Broadway production has no where the sharpness and the focus of the Japanesse cast of the same production. I starts with the casting of the reciter (bland and damaging) and works it's way on down. The same holds true for the recording.

For a worthwile alternative to the OBC, check out the ENO cast recording. It was once available complete. See if anyone on e-bay has the 2 disc set for sale.

Updated On: 10/19/05 at 10:07 AM

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 11:31am

One of my favorite scores.
I dont hate the new recording, but do not think the cast is as good(particularly the voices - LOVE There Is No Other Way in the original and Alvin Ing is amazin'), prefer the orignial Kabuki concept with all men, so didnt like the women onstage until "NEXT" (sorry ladies) and dont care for all of the dialogue. I am glad we are in the digital age and I can cut that all out.

[leomaxfrank]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 12:13pm

As previously stated, the orchestrations are just miles better on the original recording. That has a lot to do with the downfalls of this hollow revival recording released this year. It never musically reaches any peaks. The ballads are beautiful (Pretty Lady, Bowler Hat), I enjoy the added dialogue and I like B.D. Wong - a lot - but the songs never reach the brilliance of the OBC. It's a shame too, I actually liked the new staging. The kabuki was a wonderful concept (an authentic re-telling) but all of the technical aspects (set, lights, etc.) of the revival were gorgeous.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 12:18pm

That's a great word to describe it leomaxfrank: Hollow.
Updated On: 10/19/05 at 12:18 PM

[ImStillHere]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 7:38pm

I find it amazing that everyone has such negative opinions of the revival. Referring to it as "hollow." Stephen Sondheim himself wrote a personal note to the cast telling them that the revival production was his "perfect" vision of the show. He once left the performance in tears because he said that the 2006 production was the best that this show would ever be.

I dunno. just thought that there was so much more heart and insight into this show with a real japanese perspective. (And yes, the Prince production was incredible and beautiful... but much different than the composer had necessarily wished.)

[C is for Company]

Posted: 10/19/05 at 11:49pm

Well I saw it on broadway and although I thought it was a great production and I love all of SS's work, it wasnt one of his best. But this recording is amazing in parts, other parts I wasnt liking too much. Definitely liked "Someone in a tree" better in the OBC even though there are things I like more in the revival recording. Im so split on this its ridiculous. All I can say is this certainly far from perfect, but if you take the best from both, you can see how great it is when heard in its best form

[Jon]

Posted: 10/20/05 at 12:26am

The tempo on "Someone In a Tree" on the revival recording is deadly slow. The song goes on and on and on and never builds in intensity.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 10/20/05 at 12:51am

plus the voices sound a bit weaker, again taking away from the power behind the performance. Great actors(Alvin Ying, I believe was the old man and he was great elsewhere in the show so talented, but still)