Rodgers & Hammerstein Catalog Sold

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 2:51pm

Oh no. This has huge implications.

"The estates of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II have sold the rights to the legendary duo's songs and musicals - including South Pacific, The Sound of Music and Oklahoma! to Imagem Music Group, an investment arm of a huge Netherlands-based pension fund, the company announced on Tuesday."

Link

Updated On: 4/22/09 at 02:51 PM

[Mattbrain]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 4:11pm

Such as?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 4:23pm

Because R&H Organization was very strict about guarding the work.

Reason #1
"Hello, this is Patti Lupone. Is this the keeper of R&H? Listen doll, I've done the Merman catalog so now I have to do the Martin catalog. So I'll need you to OK Broadway productions of "South Pacific" "Sound of Music" and whatever else ya got in stock. Lonnie Price will get in touch with you about details. Toodles."

Reason #2
High schools doing The Sound of Muzak with interspersed songs from Oklahoma and Carousel

Reason #3
Do you really want to turn on your tv and see a douche commercial with the music "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" playing in the background?

Updated On: 4/22/09 at 04:23 PM

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 4:24pm

Wow...are you sure it's the US rights, or just foreign rights?

[jennamajig]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 4:35pm

Reason #3
Do you really want to turn on your tv and see a douche commercial with the music "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" playing in the background?

I don't want to see this off course, but the idea of it made me giggle, I'll admit. I'm a twelve-year-old this afternoon :).

[A Director]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 4:57pm

The people who are running R&H now are STAYING ON! They are the ones who gave the okay to the awful cartoon version of The King and I.

Patti is long in the tooth to play any role in any R&H show.

[husk_charmer]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 5:11pm

^ She could be Aunt Nettie, or Aunt Eller, or Mrs. Mullins, or Grandmother (in Allegro)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 5:14pm

It all sounds very smart to me.

===

The estates have been talking for about a year to prospective buyers, including Andrew Lloyd Webber, whose musicals are represented by the Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization in North America. Mr. Chapin said that the heirs wanted to sell the organization at a time when it was in strong shape, and to take advantage of Imagem?s global reach and seek new licensing deals in Europe and Asia.

?Figuring out the right time to sell a family business is always tricky, but you never want to be in a situation where a family business has frayed and it?s too late to fix or to sell,? Mr. Chapin said. ?And since Imagem is global, I hope they can help us disseminate the works we represent with a little more moxie.?

André de Raaff, the chief executive of Imagem, said in an interview that he believed that musical theater classics like Rodgers and Hammerstein songs were ?a very solid investment? for pension money. Imagem is owned by the Dutch pension fund ABP and the European media company CP Masters BV.

?I see musicals as a very big growth area for investment,? Mr. de Raaff said.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 5:47pm

Reason #1
"Hello, this is Patti Lupone. Is this the keeper of R&H? Listen doll, I've done the Merman catalog so now I have to do the Martin catalog. So I'll need you to OK Broadway productions of "South Pacific" "Sound of Music" and whatever else ya got in stock. Lonnie Price will get in touch with you about details. Toodles."

Two shows is the Merman catalog?

Reason #2
High schools doing The Sound of Muzak with interspersed songs from Oklahoma and Carousel

Or they could just do Grand Night for Singing.

Reason #3
Do you really want to turn on your tv and see a douche commercial with the music "Oh What A Beautiful Morning" playing in the background?

Or an STD PSA using "Cain't Say No". Chicks and ducks and geese better scurry.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 6:14pm

"Two shows is the Merman catalog?"

According to PL, she's done 3. Anything Goes, Gypsy and Annie...Gun. And she still has her eye on Hello Dolly and Call Me Madam.
Link

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 9:46am

Eh...Annie Get Your Gun was a benefit performance.