Which Rodgers & Hammerstein Classic do you love the most?- Page 3

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 1:44am

Oklahoma!. Hands down. Honestly, I think it's the best musical ever written (with Gypsy being a very close second).

[michellek45]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:00am

South Pacific is my favorite, but I have soft-spots for both Cinderella and Pipe Dream, which I think have excellent scores brought down by their books (and lyrics, in the case of Pipe Dream).

[TBone]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:24am

For me its a tie between South Pacific and The King and I.

[Dr. Kitchell]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 6:58am

The R&H shows are as close to brilliance as you can get. To pick a favorite is difficult. Sondheim himself has said that "South Pacific" was the most perfect show ever written. Even their weaker shows, have some wonderful moments.
It is interesting to note that "The Sound of Music" was the one show that Hammerstein did not write the book for. It would have been fascinating to see what he would have done with that story.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 10:32am

I think CAROUSEL is their masterpiece. I would love to see the Hytner version return; it was as close to perfection as anything I have ever seen on stage. I think the carousel is described by someone else in this thread, but this is what "The Carousel Waltz" looked like:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z4CXXNbQb48

I think the idea of topping that is what has scared many directors from attempting a major revival of the piece. So, let's just bring back Hytner's version.

I think THE SOUND OF MUSIC made a much better movie that it did a stage play, so I tend to consider the stage version as one of their lesser works, despite its popularity (which again is mostly due to the film). I think it would have been interesting to see a TSOM with a Maria closer to the real thing; apparently she was not the warm, wonderful character we see in the musical. She was, according to those who knew her, quite a demanding woman and a "control freak" who kept her family singing troop together with an iron fist and a great deal of use of the motherly weapon known as "the guilt trip". In later years some of her "children" felt a great deal of animosity towards her, though they apparently buried the hatchet before she passed.

Anyway, I do wish that we could have had a Live from Lincoln Center broadcast of the Hytner CAROUSEL. That would be a keeper.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 1:48pm

I think the other problem with Carousel is that the politically correct police have to explain away the spousal and child abuse.

When Billy returns to Earth and smacks Louise, she goes to her mother and says something like can you be smacked but it not hurt and her mother says yes. That's a difficult concept to put over in today's society.

But the Hynter version at Lincoln Center really was a wonderful production and gave a wonderful new interpretation of the material.

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:03pm

I love The King and I. And I've always wanted to see Me & Juliet staged.

[NoName3]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:34pm

I'm surprised that nobody has mentioned that Rodgers and Hammerstein each said in interviews that Carousel is their personal favorite of all their shows.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:37pm

On stage:The King and I
On film: Sound of Music

[Princeton78]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:38pm

I like more songs in The Sound of Music, than any other, but onstage, it'd be a close tie between South Pacific and Carousel.

[broadwaybabywannabe2]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:46pm

The King And I
South Pacific
The Sound of Music

And my all time favorite R & H song: I Have Dreamed. from The King And I

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 2:54pm

Though I love songs from SOUTH PACIFIC and THE SOUND OF MUSIC film is one of my all time favorites, nothing gets me like THE KING & I, especially the 1996 recording with Lou Diamond Philips and the queen Donna Murphy. When I hear the dialogue during "Shall We Dance?" when he says "it was more like this," Murphy says "yes" and he says "come" before that gorgeous music starts playing, I can't help but tear up at the beauty and romance of it all. It's the most romantic moment in a musical IMO (along with "Color and Light" and "Move On" from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE).

[mikey2573]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 4:26pm

I don't think the PC police need to be concerned about the child and spouse abuse in CAROUSEL; after all that is what the show is about. The relationship between Julie and Billy is volatile and abusive. Billy is not a sympathetic character and yet he redeems himself in the end. And there is great truth in CAROUSEL's portrayal of the abused wife who excuses her husband's behavior, which Julie definitely does. CAROUSEL is not advocating for abuse, but it is portraying it truthfully. How can anyone object to that?

[Tink2]

Posted: 6/9/13 at 5:05pm

Sound of Music
South Pacific
King and I

[Eris0303]

Posted: 6/10/13 at 3:09am

I know at one point RH wanted to do a revival of SOM with Laura Osnes but I doubt she'd want to do a third RH production.

Laura has already played the role. Yes it was just a one-night concert version but she did play Maria. She has four R&H roles under her belt.

I've seen you mention Laura as Maria at least four times on the board. Is there something you know that we don't or is it just wishful thinking?

For me Cinderella comes first (and I don't have a preference between the four versions) followed by Oklahoma, State Fair, Sound of Music, South Pacific, and King & I


Exclusive Photos! Backstage and Onstage With Laura Osnes & Co. at the Carnegie Hall Sound of Music Concert

Updated On: 6/10/13 at 03:09 AM

[jsg03jd]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 5:12am

Carousel. Rich story thanks to Ferenc Molnar's Liliom and its score is beyond gorgeous.

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 6:13pm

Musically:
Has to be South Pacific all-time.

But, right now my favorite is "Pipe Dream". Been listening to the Encores 2012 CD over and over.

[all that jazz]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 7:53pm

For me it's not even a contest, Carousel all the way! Gorgeous score and haunting story.

[justoldbill]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 8:29pm

FLOWER DRUM SONG- the 1958 version, of course, but even more so, the film version.

[mormontorentandback]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 10:16pm

The Sound of Music, though I haven't seen Cinderella and I think I could really like that. I'm probably the one person in the theater community who doesn't like The King of I though. :/

[jo]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 11:12pm

How can one ask us to choose

I grew up watching those movies -- and to me they represented the golden age of movie musicals. The Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals had the drama, the musical scores, and even the right amount of lightheartedness. The movies also had quite a few excellent actors and singers.

I saw the movies before I saw any stage productions. My favorites would be South Pacific, King and I, Carousel, Oklahoma and of course Sound Of Music ( haha - that would be most of them). I did see South Pacific onstage twice at the Lincoln Center ( with Florence Henderson and the last revival), King and I with Elaine Paige in London, and Oklahoma! in London with an unknown Hugh Jackman! A few years ago, there was an international production of Cinderella which played where I live -- and it had Lea Salonga in the title role.

My first encounter with the librettos/plays was a book called SIX PLAYS by RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN. The pages are well-worn as I have often referred to them. I have also read Tales of the South Pacific and Liliom but never had the chance to read Green Grow the Lilacs or the Diary of Anna Leonowens. But I did do the tour of the Sound of Music in Salzburg - LOL!

It is a lifelong love affair, I am afraid

Updated On: 6/13/13 at 11:12 PM

[KathyNYC2]

Posted: 6/13/13 at 11:36pm

That's pretty scary..... because I have that book too ^^ and I have never seen it anywhere else.

Loved it..now that you reminded me, I may have to dust it off and read it again.