For the second day of Disc of the Day, I thought I'd go for a Kander & Ebb double-feature.
First-up, chronologically, is the 1968 Original London Cast Recording of Cabaret. Like most of the Sony West End series, this disc went out of print very quickly and has been long prized by collectors. The major selling point of this recording is, of course, the presence of Dame Judi Dench as Sally Bowles and she is, well, perfectly marvelous. Her peerless acting and that sui generis voice bring freshness to a score which for many of us can sometimes feel overly familiar. Anyone who can make the title tune seem vibrant and new is someone special. Sharing above the title billing with Dame Judi is another Oscar & Tony winner, Lila Kedrova as Fraulein Schneider, and the other principals include Peter Sallis (Baker Street's Dr. Watson, best know for his 37 year run on the British sitcom Last of the Summer Wine), Tony nominee Kevin Colson, and Barry Dennen (Jesus Christ Superstar's Pontius Pilate and Streisand's former gay boyfriend). Apropos of nothing, Dennen will sell you an autographed Pontius Pilate movie print for $49.95 or record a personalized outgoing message for your answering machine for only $225.
This 18 track recording runs 58.5 minutes vs. the 17 track, 54.3 minute Broadway cast recording.
Reminder: As mentioned upthread, due to the rarity of this recording, Amazon does not provide a proper spot for listing this recording so I have listed it as Collectible under the banner of the Original Broadway Cast. You will see this is all explained in the listing details. After all, no one is going to pay that kind of money for the readily available Original Broadway Cast (not even at the recently departed Colony).
My Amazon listing for this album:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B001VRDRGU/ref=dp_olp_collectible?ie=UTF8&condition=collectible&m=A2CBRI5F6XRI96 Today's second recording is the Australian Cast Album of Chicago. This 1981 recording of the Sydney Theatre Company Production is also a bonanza for leading lady lovers. Roxie is played by Nancye Hayes who is a major Australian musical star. Hayes was the original Australian Charity Hope Valentine and went on to star in such roles as Mrs. Lovett, Dorothy Brock, Liliane LeFleur and Edith Bouvier Beale (the older). She's also played both Lily St. Regis and Miss Hannigan!
Opposite her as Velma is Geraldine Turner who will be familiar to cast album collectors as Reno Sweeney in 1989's Anything Goes and for her two volumes of the Stephen Sondheim Songbook. Terence Donovan who plays Billy Flynn has done a lot of TV and stage work but is perhaps now best known as the father of Jason Donovan. Judi Connelli who plays Matron Mama Morton is a well-known for cabaret, opera and musical theatre star whose roles include Norma Desmond, Carlotta Campion, Mrs. Lovett and most recently, Miss Andrew in Mary Poppins.
The tune-stack for this 18 track, 55.9 minute album is similar to that of the 54.4 minute original Broadway cast album.
My Amazon listing for this album:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00000J9VG/ref=dp_olp_used?ie=UTF8&condition=used&m=A2CBRI5F6XRI96 As always, thanks for your interest!
Updated On: 9/16/12 at 09:05 AM
