BWW Album Review: FALSETTOS (2016 Broadway Cast Recording) is Brilliant and Beautiful

Surprise! Ghostlight Records just pulled a Beyoncé. They dropped the digital edition of FALSETTOS (2016 Broadway Cast Recording) shortly after the stroke of midnight on December 16, 2016. To be fair, they did announce that the cast would be recording the score on October 26, 2016, but no hard date for release was previously set. Now, fans in the United States can purchase the lush score through iTunes (the digital version will be available internationally on December 23, 2016) while they wait for the physical version of the dual disc album to be released on January 27, 2017.

As luck would have it, I attended a performance of Falsettos at the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street) last night. Listening to the album today, I was instantly struck by how perfectly this robust recording captures the show. The musical is essentially sung through and the album doesn't omit a single line or note. In fact, the only thing that seems altered is a lyric in "The Baseball Game." Last night, Christian Borle sang "I wanna see the hairline!" and "It gives me pleasure to see the hairline!" On the album, bald spot (the original lyric) is sung in the place of hairline.

William Finn's music and lyrics and Michael Starobin's gorgeous orchestrations sparkle and shine on the recording. The catchy and truly enchanting tunes range from bubbly, Broadway pop to emotionally devastating ballads. The lyrics appropriately convey every emotion. Finn's work only disappoints in the form of not fleshing out the characters as fully as modern audiences would want. The show remains a powerful gamechanger, even by today's standards; however, there are gaps that the 1981 audiences of MARCH OF THE Falsettos, the 1990 audiences of FALSETTOLAND, and the 1992 audiences of Falsettos could easily forgive that do leave audiences in 2016 longing for just a wee bit more.

Across the disks the cast spellbinds listeners with ease. Borle's Martin wants the best life for himself and his family, including the wife he divorced and left for Whizzer. Borle nuzzles our hearts as he sings about his wants and desires. Moreover, his vocals on "What More Can I Say" and "What Would I Do?" masterfully stir the heart. Andrew Rannells is simply sublime as Whizzer and uses his opulent vocals to masterfully woo listeners. He expertly makes the evocative "The Games I Play" and the heartbreaking "You Gotta Die Sometime" emotionally rich and unforgettable standout performances on the album. Stephanie J. Block shows stunning range by perfectly performing the hilarious "I'm Breaking Down" and the heartfelt "Holding the Ground." As Jason, Anthony Rosenthal impresses audiences with his precision and ability to remain a plucky, hopeful child even as he is grappling with the tragedy around him, especially on the poignant "Another Miracle of Judaism"

Brandon Uranowitz's Mendel, Tracie Thoms's Charlotte, and Betsy Wolfe's Cordelia are excellently sung on the album as well. Uranowitz creates a perfect foil to Borle, and his vocals shine on numbers like "A Tight Knit Family," "I Never Wanted to Love You," and "Everyone Hates His Parents." Thoms and Wolfe ensure that "Something Bad is Happening" and "Unlikely Lovers" effect the heart and stick with audiences long after first hearing the songs.

In addition to the brilliant performances, this recording is historically important because it is the first time this landmark show has been recorded in its entirety. Musical theater aficionados will be clamoring about this show and this radiant recording for seasons to come.

To purchase and for more information about Falsettos (2016 Broadway Cast Recording), click here.

FALSETTOS runs on Broadway through January 8, 2017. Tickets are available at the Walter Kerr Theatre box office, by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 982-2787, online at ticketmaster.com or by visiting www.lct.org.

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