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EAN: 0724355793829 Format: Cast Recording, Import Label: EMI Int'l Manufacturer: EMI Int'l Number Of Discs: 2 Publisher: EMI Int'l Release Date: May 24, 2005 Studio: EMI Int'l Editorial Review: Amazon.com: The Woman in White, Andrew Lloyd Webber's first musical in four years, debuted in London in September 2004. "Freely adapted" from Wilkie Collins's gothic mystery-romance, it tells the story of a young art teacher, Walter Hartright (Martin Crewes), who encounters a mysterious woman dressed in white desperate to tell a secret. But she disappears, and Walter continues on to his assignment teaching a pair of sisters, Marian Holcombe (Maria Friedman) and Laura Fairlie (Jill Paice). Romance develops, but is threatened by the arrival of some shady characters, Sir Percival Glyde (Oliver Darley) and Count Fosco (Michael Crawford). The score, featuring lyrics by David Zippel (City of Angels), recalls the composer's Aspects of Love, Phantom of the Opera, and Sunset Boulevard, as well as Victorian-themed shows Sweeney Todd and even The Mystery of Edwin Drood. It has some lovely moments, such as "Trying Not to Notice," "All for Laura," "Evermore without You," and "If Not for Me for Her," though for sheer beauty it's no Light in the Piazza. And as with any ALW nearly through-sung musical, a number of the themes recycle themselves to the point where you'll dread the mere mention of certain characters' names. Friedman and Paice give the strongest performances, while Crawford--in his much-anticipated reunion with Lloyd Webber after Phantom--doesn't have a lot to do other than the muggy showpiece "You Can Get Away with Anything." Note that The Woman in White was recorded before a live audience, but "You Can Get Away with Anything" had to be rerecorded in a studio because it was the only number with an audible audience reaction. Crawford's original live performance, however, is included as a coda at the end of the second disc. It's great to have the complete libretto, except that it specifies scene titles while the CD packaging shows track listings and song titles, which means that figuring out where you are takes some detective work. When The Woman in White opened on Broadway in November 2005, Friedman, Paice, and Angela Christian (Anne Catherick) reprised their roles from the London production, while Michael Ball replaced Crawford. --David Horiuchi Album Description: Andrew Lloyd Webber's sensational new musical. Lloyd Webber has again joined forces with Trevor Nunn, the internationally renowned director responsible for staging some of the most successful musicals of all time, including Cats, Starlight Express, Les Mis rables and, most recently, the London revival of Anything Goes. EMI Classics. 2004. Album Details: Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's Musical Sensation Premiered at the Palace Theatre on 15 September 2004. "Freely Adapted" from the Classic Wilkie Collins Novel, this is Another Grand Production of Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Company. The Principles Include Maria Friedman, Angela Christian, Martin Crewes, Jill Paice and the Original "Phantom", Michael Crawford! Unlike Past Cast Albums, this One was Recorded Live on Opening Night, Thanks to the Presence of a Full Recording Studio Actually in the Palace Theatre! all the Passion of the Live Performances Are Captured on this Set, Sans the Applause. Only the Final Scene and Crawford's Performance of "You Can Get Away with Anything" were Re-recorded Due to Extraneous Noise, However, Crawford's Actual Live Performance Has Been Added as a Bonus Track to the Set. It's Another Monumental Lloyd Webber Extravaganza, Sure to Please Theatre Goers around the Globe! Includes the Complete Libretto! Average Rating:
 Rating:  - Pitiful lyrics and score, aimless story and zombie-like performancesAndrew Lloyd Webber has sunk to new lows with this boring adaptation of the novel. The music just goes on and on with tuneless melodies and mock-classic arrangements. The lyrics are just rambling sentences with little rhyme or reason. He hasn't written a good score sense "Sunset Boulevard." He needs to find a good lyricist and stop plagarizing Puccini. Rating:  - One of Andrew's best!If you enjoy Andrew Lloyd Weber, then Woman in White is for you. The music and story are great. The cast (including Michael Crawford) sing with tremendous energy. Rating:  - Great storyI love this story - I really enjoyed reading the book. I enjoyed some parts of this soundtrack more than others - there are a couple of songs I really loved and a few themes that I got really tired of by the end. I was especially disappointed by the change they made to the "secret." In the book, Sir Percival Glyde's secret is something entirely different from what it is in the play - I understand the need to adapt the book to the play - but I was disappointed in this particular change. Overall, ... Read More Rating:  - Excellent Score, Should have Given 4 stars, THANKS ANDREW!The soundtrack to the Woman in White has "grown on me" over time, and I now find that I enjoy it very, very much. It is not Phantom or Superstar, but it is it's own thing--and it just totally "works." If I had to rate it today, I would give it 4 stars out of 5. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed the music so much that I bought the sheet music for piano. An excellent score Andrew, thanks! Best numbers: Trying Not to Notice,I Believe in My Heart, Lammastide,You Can Get Away with Anything, The Holly ... Read More Rating: - You Can't Get Away With ThisSince "Sunset Boulevard" opened in 1993 and closed soon after, Webber's works have followed an incline downward. "The Beautiful Game" opened on the West End in 2000 and many audiences questioned if the Master of Musicals had lost his flare. Now, in attempts to re-create another "Phantom", Webber has teamed with lyricist David Zippel (Why not stay with Tim Rice?) to transform Wilke Collins' classic tale of romantic suspense into a broadway operetta. The plot follows the marriage of a young girl, Laura ... Read More |
