re: Miss Saigon vs. Miss Saigon

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 12:54pm

I know most people will say they like the OLC because of Lea Salonga, but besides that . . . which do you like better and why?:

The OLC




The Complete Studio Recording

[Patronus]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 1:01pm

I prefer the symphonic recording mostly because I infinitely prefer Kevin Gray's Engineer to Jonathan Pryce and Peter Cousen's Chris to Simon Bowman. I also like Hinton Battle, Charles Azulay, Margaret Ann Gates and Ruthie Henshall as well as their OLC counter parts.

I also feel the quality of the recording is better over all.

Updated On: 11/10/06 at 01:01 PM

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 1:02pm

Jonathan Pryce is one of those "loved by many" actors that drives me up the freakin' wall.

[Ciaron McCarthy]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 1:05pm

Spider did you see Jonathan in "Saigon"? He was amazing!! The OLC is the best. Nobody has ever topped Salonga and I can still remember the first time I saw the show in London and Pryce blew me away. Claire Moore was also a great Ellen. Claire is one of those performers who is so much more powerful on the stage than on the recording.

The complete recording is good. Just not great.

[Patronus]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 1:05pm

Oh, I don't hate him by any means. I just thought Kevin Gray was wonderful and prefer him to Pryce in this particular role.

If I am going full spectrum here, I'd also have to put in a vote for the Stuttgart cast recording.

Uwe Kroger and Aura Deva are phenomenal and have amazing chemistry even on a cast recording.

The Dutch Cast Recording is also quite good, but I am not a huge fan of Willem Nijholt's Chris so it holds it back even though I like Stanley Burleson's John and actually prefer Charles Azulay's performance here slightly more than the Symphonic recording.

[Barnaby12345]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 1:06pm

I honestly cannot listen to the studio recording at all, I think everyone on the OLC is superior, other than Gigi and Jonathan Pryce. I'm not a fan of Ruthie's Ellen just because Claire outsings her, and Joanna's vibrato drives me crazy! I am a big fan of Simon's singing, so for me the OLC is miles above the studio recording.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 1:38pm

Depends on what you want to have. Here are your choices:

1. For Songs - The OLC is not the complete show and has songs that were changed when it opened on Broadway (i.e. Her or Me changed to Now That I've Seen Her and Sacred Bird changed to the new version which was merged into the Finale). The OLC was also recorded on the original slower pace.
2. For Orchestration - The CSR was recorded with a 73-piece orchestra, the OLC, less. I personally think the 73-piece didn't translate well in the recording as compared to the Japanese Recording. The OLC is just fine for me. It depends on the sound system.
3. For Performers - The OLC obviously has the cast that originated the roles, the CSR has cast from productions from all over the world. In the CSR, Chris was too whiny for me and Joanna Ampil has a more nasal/breathy voice compared to Lea's pure and crystal clear rendition. But, the CSR has Charles Azulay (Thuy) who sounds better than Keith Burns.

In short, if you are a fan of the show, it would be good to have both because it recorded the historical progress or development of the show.

Updated On: 11/10/06 at 01:38 PM

[James885]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 3:11pm

This is a hard choice for me. I like them both, but I think that nothing can top Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce on the OLCR. The OLC also includes The Sacred Bird, which was cut when the show moved to Broadway. However, the studio recording is more complete, and I like hearing the score played by the 73 piece orchestra, and with one or two exceptions, the cast is pretty solid. The CSR also includes the extended version of The American Dream, one of my favorite songs in the show. I also like the fact the the booklet included more production photos. I think that they're both pretty good and complement each other well.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 3:25pm

The OLC mainly for Lea Salonga. And I can't stand the Chris on the Symphonic recording.

[Calvin]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 3:30pm

Me too, Matt. Peter Cousens sounds like he would have lasted about five minutes in marine basic training.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 3:50pm

Let me just say that I have never seen this show live, but I like this musical more then Les Miserables which I have seen. So, this is based purly on what comes through on the recordings.

I think that the OLC is much better. When I listen to a song on the OLC and then on the symphonic the emotional depth and power is greater on the OLC. Partially due to the three main actors; Lea Salonga, Jonathan Pryce, and Simon Bowman. These three sing and act their roles Extraordinarily so, that I have a feeling they can not be topped. Except for the scene between Chris, John, and Ellen I perfer Simon Bowman's acting and singing for Chris.

I think both Charles Azulay and Keith Burns, and Hinton Battle and Peter Polycarpou are pretty much even. Though I do like Hinton Battle a tad better then Peter Polycarpou.

The main reason to buy the symphonic, IMO, is Ruthie Henshall. I think she is more real and intense then Claire Moore is on the recordings. Ruthie Henshall's Now That I've Seen Her is amazing.

Updated On: 11/11/06 at 03:50 PM

[moulinrougehk]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 3:56pm

Why this but not Les Mis? Les Mis has a very good structure of the book with a meaningful message while Miss Saigon is only a modernization of Madame Butterfly which is lame. Even the music of Les Mis is more memorable! For me, Les Mis is the best of Boublil & Schonberg, though Ruthie... Hai~ AMAZING!

Updated On: 11/10/06 at 03:56 PM

[Barnaby12345]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:08pm

See I love Ruthie in the Les Mis concert, but cannot even listen to her Ellen on the studio album. I don't think (vocally) that it comes even close to Claire Moore's renditions.

[JohnPopa]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:19pm

I think most anyone who saw Pryce understands what the fuss about him is. The London recording doesn't capture any of the magic he brought to the role and the stage. His is probably the most charismatic performance I've ever seen in a show (and I've seen my share.) The other Engineers I've seen have never come close to matching Pryce. Too many go for laughs, mug for applause and beg the audience to look at them, whereas Pryce gave the audience no other choice BUT to look at him.

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:34pm

I personally prefer the OLC. However, I think Japanese cast recording is much superior.

[laura is broadway]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 4:48pm

the studio has hinton battle... who is amazing and so much better than the OLC.

but i like lea and jonathan on the OLC.
but then again i like that the studio has the whole show.
ahhck its hard to decide.

[jewishboy]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 7:54pm

I like Miss Saigon better becuase I find the score more original/ creative and it is much less repetitive. Also, it is more emotionally impacting than Les Miz. When I was listening to the OLC of Miss Saigon it was a more emotional journey, for me, than when I saw Les Miz.

I know what you mean, JohnPopa, there are many perfomers and roles that mean much more when you see it live. I have never seen Jonathan Pryce as the engineer, but his journey and emotion comes full force through the CD.

[VIETgrlTerifa]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 8:17pm

I personally can't stand the song "The American Dream" or Pryce in it. But then I only saw it on DVD.

[spiderdj82]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 8:22pm

Does anyone have a link to the japanese version?

[Patronus]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 8:33pm

Just to clarify, my preference of Kevin Gray to Jonathan Pryce is solely based on the recordings in question which is what we are comparing.

Everything that I've seen in regards to press reels and unspeakable proves that Pryce was phenomenal, but I didn't have the fortune to see him in the role.

I just enjoy listening to Kevin Gray more than Jonathan Pryce.

[ashbash1990]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 9:58pm

OLC

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 11/10/06 at 10:07pm

I like the complete symphonic recording the best because it's the complete show. that's the bottom line for me. when I listen to Miss Saigon I want to listen to the entire show and I can't do that with the OLC.

[chino]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 12:00am

I grew up listening to the OLC. But I like the orchestrations on the Studio Cast Recording. I had both CD's now, and I cant give up the Studio Recording because the fact that it is complete and yes the performance of Kevin is just amazing. In terms of the role of Kim, no doubt Lea wins. Gigi, I like Isay Alvarez. I hated the Chris on the studio cast, and I like Ruthie as Ellen. I did not like "Bui Doi" in the Studio cast which is such a shame since Hinton, I believe, has a nice voice.

For those of you who are getting the recording and cant pick which one should they get, Get the OLC. If you want to know more about the show, then get the Studio Cast, you can purchase cheap ones that are used.

Enjoy.

[musicaltheater1]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 12:23am

spiderdj82, link to a website of the Japanese production or where one can get a cd? The cd is out of print but, I'm sure you can find one in ebay. The website does not exist anymore since the production closed years ago.

Updated On: 11/11/06 at 12:23 AM

[Rose_MacShane]

Posted: 11/11/06 at 1:04am

I have the OLC but have never heard the CSR. I got the OLC for Lea Salonga and Jonathan Pryce. I'm iffy on the rest of the cast, and I can't stand Simon Bowman. He's too whiny and every time he says "Please don't DOUBT me, ELLEN!" I crack up, because he's so overacting it.