"The Great Comet" Broadway Cast Recording

Apologies if this is inappropriate – this is my first time making a thread so I'm not sure of all the parameters – but with the Great Comet soundtrack coming out in a few days, I'd thought it'd be a good idea to create a thread for fans to talk about it. I've made it so early because of all the early released songs that I'd love to talk about --

Like "The Duel" which got released yesterday: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46A039riCUE

I believe this is the first song to be released with a lot of major changes from the original, especially the bit with Anatole and Hélène at the end. I like it, but I must admit I miss Amber Gray singing "the aiiiiir of a connoisseur." Oh well, haha.

Vulture has the full recording streaming.

Get a First Listen to The Great Comet’s Broadway Cast Recording

Denee sometimes struggles with the high belted parts of No One Else in performance, but she nails it beautifully on this recording. I'm so used to the Off-Broadway cast/sound, but this recording sounds lovely and it's great to have it.

Holy Grace McLean!!

Plus the delicious Amber Grey! I adore the new high note in Charming, still the best song to me. Plus if you by the book they put out, the libretto includes the updated lyrics, with tons of notes by Malloy and comparisons to War and Peace.

How are you liking it? I do miss some things from the Off-Broadway recording –inflections, mainly–, but I just passed Sonya Alone and, well, it was already a powerful song but this new version is breathtaking. I got chills.

Perhaps because I so strongly disliked the production in the smaller tent venue and had such a drastic reevaluation of the show once it moved to Broadway, I never grew to like the original recording aside from a few things here and there. It doesn't quite capture the electricity generated by the new staging, in my opinion. This new recording is so rich, with its beefed up orchestrations and vocal arrangements, it feels so much more complete and cared for.

"No One Else" and "Sonya Alone" are reason enough to hand Dave Malloy the Best Orchestrations and Best Score Tonys, but the whole package is really a wonder of creativity and mood.

I've really grown to like "Dust and Ashes" a great deal.

Auggie27 said: "(I didn't know Benton struggled in the theater. When I saw it, she was quite wonderful. It is rangy for her? Or is it the "At the Ballet" styled belt that arrives thus and challenges? A layperson's question, don't beat me up, singers.)"

Singer friends of mine have said that much of the score sits in a weird part of her break, and they feel that because she has to spend so much time negotiating that, it gets in the way of her acting. Hearing her again with that in mind, I saw what they were getting at, though I never would have reached that conclusion on my own as a non-singer. All I knew was that something wasn't jelling for me.

(They leveled a similar critique at Annaleigh in SITPWG, and once it was brought to my attention, I understood what they were getting at there, too.)

I've loved the 4 tracks that were available early, but this is really satisfying. It feels like a very big meal that you're stuffed from afterwards, but still very happy you got to enjoy 7 courses. Pierre and Natasha going into the title song is stunning.

So happy to have a recording of the new section in "The Abduction." These orchestrations are killing me. Speaking of which—is it just me, or has Lucas's voice changed a lot from the original recording? I noticed it a lot in this song. Not in a bad/good way, it just sounds different to me? I dunno.

Updated On: 5/17/17 at 06:04 PM

leighmiserables said: "So happy to have a recording of the new section in "The Abduction." These orchestrations are killing me. Speaking of which—is it just me, or has Lucas's voice changed a lot from the original recording? I noticed it a lot in this song. Not in a bad/good way, it just sounds different to me? I dunno. "

I was hoping I wasn't the only one who picked up on that. Particularly in "Natasha and Anatole." Overall though the recording sounds fantastic.

Updated On: 5/17/17 at 06:21 PM

themysteriousgrowl, I agree that certain parts of this score can sit in Benton's break, but it certainly does not interfere with her acting, or at least it didn't when I saw the show. I thought she was sublime and was actually brought to tears by her performance in the final scene. Also, I definitely disagree about Ashford. The score sat perfectly in her voice and she acted it fantastically.

I absolutely love this album! It's warm, energetic, and sounds basically just like the show. The mixing is wonderful and the performances from both the cast and orchestra are brilliant. I hope Malloy wins score. This is an absolute masterpiece. It may be my favorite cast album of the year!

Updated On: 5/17/17 at 08:26 PM