A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
#1A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:42am
So, this is one I don't own (I'm ashamed) and although there doesn't seem to be a ton of recordings out there, I'm looking for some opinions on which one you guys prefer.
Thoughts?
The Overture is part of the show, people. Please shut your pie hole.
#2A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:46am
OBC
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
#2A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:46am
The OBCR and the revival recording are the absolute best. Both must haves.
The others are just OK. The Dench recording isn't bad. London recording is nothing special. And the studio recording is very mediocre.
#3A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 2:21amI'd start with the OBCR. It is the best. The Broadway revival disc plays better for me than it did on stage.
"Broadway...I'll lick you yet!"
#4A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 11:00amOBCR it is! Thanks guys.
The Overture is part of the show, people. Please shut your pie hole.
Larcen26
Stand-by Joined: 5/21/04
#5A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 12:47pm
OBC too...for official recordings that is...
But the best recording I think there is,that is readily available, are the clips on YouTube of the Lincon Center production from 1990.
Truly a shame that cast didn't make a recording. Particularly the Charlotte and Petra.
Baritone in search of a role in a new musical...
#6A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:18pmWhat about those of us who have the original reissue of the OBC on cd? Is it worth purchasing the Masterworks reissue?
With Irma you gotta do something!
BDrischBDemented
Broadway Star Joined: 11/13/05
#7A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 1:22pmThe Masterworks is the same as the original CD reissue, isn't it? It has the film version of "Glamourous Life," I thought.
"Your lyrics lack subtlety! You can't just have your characters announce how they feel! That makes me feel angry!"
Auggie27
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/13/03
#8A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 4:06pmI have the Judy Dench, NT production, and it has the film version of "Glamourous Life" which I love. The interpolation of "Fredericka's Song" works for me, but there are detractors -- apparently including Sondheim himself.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
#9A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 5:43pmI think the merging of the two versions of A Glamourous Life is wonderful too. I nearly levitated in the theatre when I realised what they were doing with it.
#10A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 5:44pm
I think it sounds fine, but it's a bit choppy.
I've read on ATC that they made ALL of those score changes without Sondheim's permission. He was apparently very unhappy with the production, and canned a transfer of it.
Not sure if that's all true, but it's what I've read in the past.
#11A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 6:04pm
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I've no idea about that. I can understand a small theatre like the Donmar trying to get away with the Merrily book-ends but I doubt a large high profile organisation such as the National, which had already seen Sondheim there for Sweeney and SitPwG, would try to do anything illegal.
The production didn't transfer to the West End so I doubt a Broadway transfer would have even been thought about.
#12A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 6:06pmYeah, I have no idea either. Just repeating what I've read. Even if he did approve the changes, it's known that he was deeply unhappy with how they turned out.
#13A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 6:16pmInfact Sondheim must have been well involved because I understand it was his suggestion that Laurence Guittard take over when McKellen dropped out.
#14A Little Night Music - Which Recording?
Posted: 6/8/10 at 7:11pm
He's very please with Judi Dench's performance. Actually, even if Sondheim didn't banned the production, they cannot transfer the production to anywhere simply because no other theatre in West End and Broadway other than National Theatre can assist that production, not even Beaumont. We are talking about a theatre with areas of 8 meters from ceiling to stage and 6 meters from stage to basement, and most of the scene changes need all those areas (a whole two stories set totally descended underneath the stage). Also, the stage itself has various combinations of platform changes in order to assist the complicated sets and directions. Some of them stated that this production is the ultimate version of ALNM simply because the scene changes are lavishly smooth and spectacular.
Updated On: 6/8/10 at 07:11 PM
