SHE LOVES ME! (it's still perfect, but that might make it beyond perfect).
(Yes, it does have one, but not really, not in the sense of a con glom overture that shows the power and beauty of the score and effectively revs the audience)
RAGTIME has a bit of a prelude tacked on to the opening number, but I would love for it to have a great overture.
NEWSIES has one of the most disappointing overtures ever, in my opinion. It is essentially a weak instrumental of Seize The Day, and I think that score has lots of potential for a really fantastic overture. It could include King of New York, Seize The Day, Santa Fe, Watch What Happens, and The World Will Know. That would be worth listening to.
I have always found it interesting that Hello, Dolly! has an overture....but it is optional. The info with the music implies it was NOT done as part of the original production. It's pretty lovely, too.
I have to admit, while I always enjoy an overture, I tend not to miss it if its not there.
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"RAGTIME has a bit of a prelude tacked on to the opening number, but I would love for it to have a great overture."
I was listening to it the other day and thinking about how I'd like someone to cut out all the dialogue so I could just listen to it as a quasi-overture.
The good thing about Ragtime is they recorded that symphonic suite on one of the cast recordings. I love listening to that. I wish more musicals would do them - Dreamgirls, Jekyll & Hyde, Sunday in the Park with George come to mind.
I'd like to hear an overture to Bridges of Madison County.
HAMILTON!! I can't say this enough. It would highlight LMM's perfect score. Also, when I saw the show, there were two noisy little boys, and the dad was shouting at them to be quiet 30 seconds into "Alexander Hamilton". While I love that it starts off strong (with the DUH DUH DUH DUH DUH DUH DUH weenaameeenuuudoooo), some audience members might need an extra minute to settle down.
I believe the overture was added to the Broadway production mid-run. I know by the time the Pearl Bailey record was done it was in. Unless it was only done for the album.
In regards to Hamilton, I don't think an overture would be appropriate to the piece but I would love to have an instrumental suite of some of the show's bigger numbers (maybe including You'll Be Back, Satisfied, The Room Where It Happens, Burn and My Shot). Hell, I wish they'd recorded the bow music.
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Dolly never had an Overture in the original production. The prologue heard on the original recordings and the overture on the Bailey recording were added just for the recording. However, the revivals had overtures - the same one heard on the 1995 recording. I prefer that overture to the one that is currently licensed and have no idea why you can't add that overturns to a production, but you can add the two Merman numbers.
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I believe the overture was added to the Broadway production mid-run. I know by the time the Pearl Bailey record was done it was in. Unless it was only done for the album.
Curious if it was a real overture or just the title song? Don't remember where, but I know that I have listened to some recording with that, which doesn't count to me. Dolly certainly has the makings of a terrific overture.
I've always imagined how glorious an overture for GRAND HOTEL would be. Just imagine the swells of "Love Can't Happen," a midway jaunty "We'll Take A Glass Together." It would be freaking amazing.
The verrrrry short but brilliant Entr'acte of SEESAW makes me wish they had done an Overture, it could have been magnificent.
Every Sondheim show that doesn't have one. Not to actually include in the musical, but to just exist on its own. His Overtures are just so great and he clearly knows how to write lush incredible ones like for Follies, Forum, MERRILY which is phenomenal, and Night Music
Please don't hate me for this. But I wish Hamilton had an overture.
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