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 Lerner and Loewe's Fairest Lady Jul 12, 2009
Christine Andreas is the fairest lady since Julie Andrews. Her crystal clear notes and sensitive rendition of these classic Broadway songs are truly music to the ears of all who hear her. Add this to your collection, whether it be a collection of Broadway, Lerner & Loewe, or "girl singers"!
3 of 4 found the following review helpful:
I thought it had been forgotten Apr 13, 2007
I saw this production of "My Fair Lady" and loved every moment. My seat was in the middle of the first row, and at intermission, members of the orchestra asked me if I was enjoying the show. A very treasured memory of a wonderful and fresh production.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 1976 20TH ANNIVERSARY BELONGS ON THE SHELF BESIDE CLASSIC 1956 ORIGINAL Mar 21, 2007
I am a HUGE fan of classic Broadway musicals. In my opinion, MY FAIR LADY and WEST SIDE STORY tie for the
#1 spot as Best Musical Of All Time. I've seen several productions of Lerner amd Loewe's loverly masterpiece,; both professional and
community theatre, and I enjoy collecting various recordings of Broadway musicals. Both the original cast recordings of MY FAIR LADY and WEST SIDE STORY were recorded at Columbia's historic 30th Street Studios-- as
was this 1976 20th Anniversary recording of MY FAIR LADY.
The Anniversary production achieved a respectable
run of 384 performances. Goddard Lieberson, who produced the classic original 1956 Broadway Cast Album, again serves as producer here.
This 20th Anniversary recording used to be available at my local public library. I grew up listening to the 1956 Broadway Cast Album,
but I remember also being delighted with "20th Anniversary."
I used to own this version on audio cassette tape.
I was delighted to discover that Amazon.com offered "20th Anniverrsary" remastered on CD, and I purchased it immediately.
First, I must praise Didier C. Deutsch for the outstanding reissue and and digital remastering job he has done here and on countless other titles for Sony Broadway Masterworks. The sound quality here is sparkling and crisp.
Lightening did not exactly strike twice in terms of casting. Those hoping for another Higgins and Eliza to equal the magical theatrical partnership of Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews will be somewhat disappointed. Ian Richardson is bloody annoying and flat-out weird as Higgins. Christine Andreas, however, is thrilling as Eliza.
I know Higgins is supposed to be passionate about the proper pronouncation of the English language to the
exclusion of all else-- but Richardson has a habit of over-emphasizing/over-pronouncing almost every single word and musical phrase. The overall effect is--
there's simply no other way to describe it-- bizarre and weird! Higgins is a snobby male chauvanist-- but I never thought of him as a crackpot until I heard Richardson again. As Alan Jay Lerner so wittily wrote in his lyrics:
"An Englishman's way of speaking absolutely classifies him. The moment he talks, he makes some other Englishman despise him!"
Richardson's performance proves this point perfectly.
But even Richardson going wildly over the top never brings this recording down. There are other compensations and splendid performances galore.
Robert Coote makes a welcome return to his original role as Col, Pickering. He sounds like he hasn't aged a
day. Good old Coote is as vital and vibrant as ever.
I have never been fond of Freddy's song "On The Street Where You Live"; feeling it is just a filler while the actors portraying Higgins and Eliza get dressed for the Embassy Ball. But Jerry Lanning (the adult "Patrick"
opposite Angela Lansbury in the original Broadway cast of "MAME") sings it beautifully. George Rose is especially robust as Eliza's drunk, garbage-man dad Alfred P. Doolittle. I love how Rose bursts into tears on his final phrase of, "I'm gettin' married in the mornin'. Ding- Dong! The bells (sob! sob!) are-- (complete crying collapse) gonna chime!" It's the perfection illustration of the old joke: Q: "What's the difference between
a wedding and a funeral?" A: "Perception."
While Julie Andrews will always be the definitive Eliza Doolittle (her performance won rapturous reviews and
deservedly became a theatrical legend), Christine Andreas is, in my opinion, the only other Eliza worthy enough to follow her--
and the only other Eliza worth listening to on a recording.
Her performances of "Wouldn't It Be Loverly?", "I Could Have Danced All Night", and particularly, "Show Me," are outstanding.
Christine Andreas's musical phrasing and dramatic emphasis show a thorough and complete understanding of Eliza. After an emotional argument with Higgins at the start of Act Two,
Eliza runs into the street to find love-struck Freddy waiting for her like a puppy dog. Caught between the chauvanist snob professor who refuses to show her the slightest human respect
and the dim-wit suitor who will not stop fawning over her, Eliza explodes with rage.
Christine Andreas is perfect as she explodes at Freddy, "I get words all day through--
first from HIM, now from YOU! Is that all you blighters can do?"
In short, whereas Ian Richardson goes miserably wrong as Henry Higgins, Christine Andreas is absolutely right as Eliza Doolittle.
This 20th Anniversary recording still earns its place where it belongs-- on the shelf next to the classic 1956 Broadway Cast Recording.
2 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 Still Loverly Jan 04, 2007
The only reason I purchased this recording was because of Christine Andreas who may be one of the most talented singers from the theatre and her Eliza is totally believable due to the fact that she had four very big shoes to fill such as with Ms.Andrews and Ms.Hepburn. However I was a little disappointed in Ian Richardson's portrayal as Henry Higgins I did not think he had the personality as Sir Rex Harrison displayed in his numbers. Also Jerry Lanning as Freddy also disappointing his version of "On the Street Where you Live" was weak and just does not live up to John Michael King or Jeremy Brett's versions. In all honesty that is my favorite song in this entire score.Part of the reason I like different recordings is because of the different takes on songs and characters but this is just my little old opinion. George Rose is charming as Mr.Doliitle at times you would think Stanley Holloway was on this recording. All in all if you are a musical theatre lover such as myself and want to hear everything go ahead and splurge. If you are a bit more selective than perhaps you should look through the amazon catalog a little more until you find the perfect something.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
AT LAST! Sep 22, 2006
I saw this production on B'way twice, and it really was lover-ly. The leading players were perfectly cast, and Christine Andreas sang beautifully. I've been waiting for this CD ever since...and despaired that it would ever be released. Thank you, Sony and Amazon, for making a wish come true!
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