Alain Boublil - Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast)
Free Music Review: A Tragedy of Passion and Beauty
Hit: 5 Stars
To follow up on their first musical, 'Les Miserables', Alain Boubliland Claude-Michel Schonberg created another absolute masterpiece in
'Miss Saigon'. Like 'Les Mis', 'Miss Saigon' presents listeners with
an array of inspiring music and lyrics which appeal to their senses
and emotions. Every song in the score is worth listening to for its
meaning, symbolism and beauty. Set in the Vietnam War, 'Miss Saigon'
follows the love-story between a young girl, Kim (played by Lea
Salonga), and an American GI, Chris (played by Simon Bowman), yet ends
tragically due to the events which occur around the two
protagonists.
After viewing Lea Salonga's performance in 'Hey! Mr
Producer', I bought this version of 'Miss Saigon', later buying the
1995 Studio Cast. Salonga's performance on this album; with her
beautifully precise voice and way of creating emotional energy,
captures the spirit of the innocent, yet strong-willed, Kim perfectly,
especially in the duet "The Movie in My Mind". Her solo
performances in the songs; "I'd Give My Life For You" and
"The Sacred Bird" reveal the passion that Kim feels for her
son, Tam, and Chris. Yet, it is Salonga who brings this character to
life with her fantastic voice. Joanna Ampil's performance in the 1995
Studio Cast is equally brilliant, but Salonga just cannot be
beaten.
The character of Chris is admired at the beginning of the
musical, but toward the end a negative view is held of him, as he
chooses his new wife, Ellen (played by Claire Moore), over Kim. Simon
Bowman does an incredible job in portraying Chris, with his nicely
ranged and emotional voice. His performance of "Why God
Why?" is awe-inspiring. Not counting David Campbell's portrayal
of Chris in "Hey! Mr Producer", Bowman is the best Chris I
have heard to date, Peter Cousins (1995 Studio Cast) simply cannot
compete with him. I find that Cousins pronounces his words to well,
and therefore cannot create the realism which surrounds the American
GI. Bowman's American accent is very realistic, Cousins' is not. The
duets performed by Salonga and Bowman as Kim and Chris are beautiful
and are performed with great passion, especially in "Sun and
Moon", and "The Last Night of the World"; two truly
lovely songs. But Bowman's best performance in the musical, in my
opinion, is in the song "Confrontation" with Ellen and
Chris, where Chris sings: "Saigon was crazed, but she was real
And for one moment I could feel." This performance by Bowman is
deeply inspiring.
Kim's pimp, known as the Engineer, is played
outstandingly by Johnathon Pryce. Pryce portrays the seedy, comical
character with great enthusiasm. Although, the listeners should hate
him, I found that I felt sorry for him in parts due to the sad life he
has lived. That is what Boublil and Schonberg do, to create greater
realism and appeal to the emotions of the listeners. Every character
has faults, there are moments when you hate them and moments where you
pity them, a brilliant technique used by Boublil & Schonberg to
create realism. Kevin Gray's portrayal of the Engineer in the 1995
Studio Cast is also a brilliant performance, yet Pryce has a
wonderfully compelling voice, especially in the songs "If You
Want To Die In Bed", "What A Waste" and the fantastic
"The American Dream", and therefore I believe that his
performance is better.
The character of Ellen is one which can be
hated or admired. She is the character which destroys the dreams of
Kim. Claire Moore portrays Ellen quite well, although I believe that
Ruthie Henshall performs the character better in the 1995 Studio
Cast. Yet Claire's performance of the song "Now That I've Seen
Her" is powerfully beautiful. The duets between Kim and Ellen are
also performed beautifully by Salonga and Moore; "I Still
Believe", and "Room 317", two extremely powerful
songs.
Peter Polycarpou's portrayal of John, Chris' GI friend, is
the best I've heard. Although the 1995 Studio Cast's John, Hinton
Battle, performs well enough, his voice is just not fitting,
especially for the power and emotion required for the song
"Bui-Doi". The beautiful duet, "Please", between
John and Kim is also performed amazingly by Polycarpou and Salonga on
this album.
The antagonist of "Miss Saigon" is found in
Kim's cousin, Thuy, played by Keith Burns. Burns has quite a powerful
voice, and the viciousness he displays in the songs "What's This
I Find" and "This is the Hour" are really rather
effective in terrifying listeners. I think that he portrays Thuy
better than Charles Azulay (1995 Studio Cast), because he puts more
emotion into his performance.
The company numbers of "The
Heat Is On In Saigon" and "The Fall of Saigon", as well
as "This is the Hour" are performed brilliantly. These songs
are extremely good-listening.
'Les Miserables' cannot be beaten
musically or lyrically, but Boublil and Schonberg have come close with
'Miss Saigon'. If this album was complete like the 1995 Studio Cast,
then this album would be perfect. Even so, I would buy this album just
to hear the beautiful score as well as the brilliant talents of Lea
Salonga and Simon Bowman.
Free Music Review: It's the prettiest thing that I've ever heard...
Hit: 5 Stars
Ok, while the title of this review may be a slight exageration i do feel that Miss Saigon, (and more particularily) contains some of the most beautiful songs and heart rendering performances i have ever heard in my life. It is foolish to compare this musical with its towering predessor; Les Miz is a masterpiece, Miss Saigon is simply a collection of beautiful songs. It is far too centralised; the entire story revolves around five characters-the true magic of Les Miz, that which sets it apart from every other musical ever written, is that it succeeds in making every member of the cast, from Valjean himself to a lowly member of the chorus into an individual, who is part of a collective whole. Miss Saigon fails to do this. There are very few chorus numbers, the bulk of the show is thrust at the stars, who it must be said cope brilliantly with their hefty roles. But enough in depth analysis which is causing all Miss Saigon lovers to grind their teeth at me.
The wonderful thing about Miss Saigon is that it succeeds in making one of the cheesiest love stories in history which has been done 1000 times in different ways, into something utterly beautiful. It is similar to the effect which Baz Luhrman's Moulin Rouge can have on an audience. All it takes is some exceptionally talented young performers who know how to nail a lovely song and fill it with all the desparation and the tragedy which their director has drummed into their heads during rehearsals, and the audience is instantly hooked and can't stop watching or listening. In all honesty i can say that i have heard Miss Saigon more often than Les Miz, not because it is more enjoyable, but simply because i cannot stop. Lea Solanga(Kim), who later worked her magic over several charming disney musicals, is utterly delightful on this recording. Her performance is filled with youthful innocence and pathetic, tear-jerking yearning; here is a talented little minx who knows exactly how to milk her audience. Simon Bowman gives a deliberately over-the-top performance as Chris; he knows perfectly well that no one wants to hear him being sincere, they just want to hear him push his beautiful voice to the limit. His Why GOd Why? can either be annoying or utterly beautiful, depending upon your frame of mind, and the young couples duets, Sun and Moon and Last Night of the World are some of the most beautiful songs Schonberg and Boubil ever wrote. Claire Moore's(Ellen) voice drips with pathos as she unnashamedly sings her heart out, as if unnaware that her character is the least sympathetic of all of them. Her duet with Solanga, I Still Believe, and the powerful Now That I've Seen Her are probably my favorite musical moments on this CD. She also does exceptionally well in confrontation, but then, so does Bowman. His voice is more beautiful in that song than in the rest of the show put together. (There in the shambles of a world...) Both Peter Polycarpou(John) and Keith Burns(Thuy) try very hard; the audience can't help giving them their brownie points. Bui-Doi is of course awe-inspiring and What's This I Find and This Is The Hour are chilling, spine tingling numbers. (Incidently, Solanga's performance of You Will Not Touch Him, in This Is The Hour is probably her strongest moment on the entire CD.)
But even cushy romance can become boring after a while and undoubtedly would without the brilliant performance of Jonathan Pierce as the Engineer. He is the star of this recording, the only one who is truly acting at all times and who captures the Vietnamese feel that the collaborators tried so hard to create. In the first CD he has little to do, but he shines throughout the second. If You Want To Die In Bed, What a Waste and The American Dream are all equally wonderful and never fail to bring a smile to my lips. I cannot resist that moment at the end of Let Me See His Western Nose:
If you want to die in bed/Dont care to much for country/Hit the open sea instead/And float there like a cork/Uncle Ho-Ho!Ho!/I'll have to call you from New
The few chorus numbers are excellent and not to be overlooked, The Heat Is On In Saigon is a steamy triumph, and The Morning of the Dragon is almost frightening the first two times and a rythmic delight the next 200 times. Overall, this is a brilliant recording which is simply to beautiful to be left out of any musical collection.
Free Music Review: Seamy, and at times tacky, but very powerful!
Hit: 5 Stars
Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schonberg followed up their blockbuster masterpiece, LES MISERABLES, with another mega-hit, MISS SAIGON. While the show has some glitches, it packs an emotional whallop that makes it easy to forgive the problems. THE STORY:
MISS SAIGON is a retelling of MADAMA BUTTERFLY set in the Vietnam War, but, in many ways, the musical's book is superior to the opera's libretto. Unlike the opera, there is no "bad guy." The characters are unique, realistic, and three-dimensional. Most brilliantly, Boublil spins the clash of cultures, politics, and personalities of 1970s Vietnam into an inevitable tragic conclusion.
However, Boublil (perhaps influenced by American co-lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr.) has created a disgustingly naturalistic view of the chaos in Saigon - detailing the lives of confused American GIs looking for release through cheap sex, orphaned South Asian girls turning to prostitution for economic survival, and greedy con-men exploiting the situation for finanical profit. This is not a show for children or the faint-hearted: throughout the show, Boublil and Maltby expose the underbelly of the West's corrupting influence in Asia. Despite the offensiveness of the environment surrounding the main characters, the audience is drawn into the plight of Kim, the innocent Vietnamese orphan, and Chris, the American marine separated from her by events beyond his control.
THE MUSIC:
Schonberg has done it again! In this through-sung score, there's plenty of great songs. Some are cynical; some are beautiful. "The Heat Is On In Saigon" is the American soldiers' attempt to grab illicit pleasures as their world spins out of control, while the whores dream of "The Movie In My Mind" if they could convince one of these men to take them to America. Chris asks "Why God, Why?" has he found true love on "The Last Night of the World," as the United States abandons Saigon. Three years later, Kim and Ellen (Chris's new wife) both say "I Still Believe" that they will find a new life with Chris. Kim finds strength through her maternal duty in "This Is the Hour" and "I'd Give My Life For You." The war veterans plead for Americans to save the "Bui-Doi," their half-Vietnamese children left behind. Ellen recognizes Kim's suffering, but realizes that Chris must choose "Her Or Me." A Vietnamese pimp (called "the Engineer") envisions "The American Dream," where the marketing of illusion is a lucrative art form.
THE LYRICS:
For the most part, the lyrics are fine. Boublil's message occasionally gets slightly watered down by Maltby's lyrics, which range from saccharine sweet (as in "Sun and Moon") to overtly ominous (Kim's preceding soliloquy).
THE RECORDING:
I like this better than the complete symphonic recording - the vocal and acting talents of the three main leads are superior. As Kim, Lea Salonga became an overnight sensation, combining a youthful innocence with the lung power to belt out song after song. As Chris, Simon Bowman balances the machismo of an "alpha male" with the fragility of a man carrying psychological scars. Almost stealing the show from Salonga is Jonathan Pryce as the materialistic, egocentric, enterprising Engineer: while he's not the greatest singer, he can "act" a song with the best of the Broadway talkers.
RECOMMENDATION:
Unless you are easily offended or unless you have personal connections to the Vietnam War that you'd rather not revisit, MISS SAIGON is a show to know. This is a powerful musical, although the minor problems of the show can grate on you. Seeing the show is even better - although you may be tempted to get up and leave in the first 20 minutes, you may find yourself crying by the end.
Free Music Review: "Miss Saigon" in my mind
Hit: 5 Stars
Fusing an intricately woven, unprecedented, thrilling andutterly beautiful score with a stellar cast and stunning staging brings about a masterpiece. "Miss Saigon" is one of them - those rare gems that shine brighter than all the rest. The Original London Cast Recording is the perfect example of this Boublil/Schonberg masterpeice. Lea Salonga (as Kim) and Jonathan Pryce (as the Engineer) both perform standard-setting roles (especially Salonga whose voice sounds of the angels and whose acting abilities and physical attributes match perfectly.) You may find Simon Bowman's Chris a little annoying at first listen, but after hearing several other Chris', you will love Simon's soft-edged operettic voice. Peter Polycarpou's John is all too-often underestimated ..., as is Claire Moore's Ellen. I believe that (with the exception of Ms. Salonga) Claire Moore gives the best performance on the recording. She nails the climactic note in "Now That I've Seen Her" (formerly "Her or Me") and allots the right tone to her character to portray the coincidental emotion or reaction. Aside from the stellar casting, the score is of a magnitude that far exceeds its greatly appreciated predescessor "Les Miserables." "The Movie In My Mind" is probably one of the most gorgeous melodies ever written, and "Sun And Moon", a frequently repeated theme is a perfect analogy for the love between two different worlds. ... "The Last Night Of The World" is a high-caliber, classic-style love duet and "I Still Believe" and "I'd Give My Life For You" perfectly illustrate Kim's determination and faith in love. "The Heat Is On In Saigon" utilizes past 60's/70's styles of music to muster up the mood of a bar in Saigon in April 1975. (Act I exhibits the rising tension before the Fall of Saigon, especially well with the arrival of Thuy, the Viet-cong soldier betrothed to Kim in childhood.) The second-act smashes "Bui-Doi" and "Now That I've Seen Her" counter the pre-Ho Vietnam tension with positive vigor. The famous "The American Dream" is funny and cleverly-written. "The Fall Of Saigon/The Guilt Inside Your Head/Kim's Nightmare" is just amazing (not just the stunning helicopter landing.) "Miss Saigon" is too-often criticized for placing "The Fall Of Saigon" in Act II as a flashback instead of placing it in chronilogical order, but the show works better this way, as it foreshadows love's downfall ... All the remaining inlaid score (much of which does not appear on this recording, but rather on the less-passionate Complete Symphonic Recording) is beautiful in itself. If you want the classic, original and unprecedented recording, then choose "Miss Saigon: The Original London Cast Recording."Free Music Review: brilliant, moving and a true classic
Hit: 5 Stars
personally, i feel that lea salonga is the one of the greatest vocalists of all time. her brilliant voice has a purity and emotion that is unsurpassed. so naturally i had to buy miss saigon (her debut and first lead). the musical itself is a semi-modernization of madame butterfly (it takes place in saigon, viatnam in the 1970's) it chronicles the romance of a US GI (simon bowman) and a 17 year old viatnamease prostitute (salonga).
the music itself isn't the most memorable ever heard by any means. but it is still beautiful and evocative. the music is slowly flowing and utilizes asian influences and sounds to add authenticity to make certain songs truly shine. "the morning of the dragon" really works well because of these aspects.
most of where this cast recording succedes is because of the vocal performers. they bring emotion to every song that allow listeners to trully be drawn in. these performance help make this a greatly subtle anti war musical. we are against the vietnam war because we sympathize and empathize with these trajic characters and how horrible their lives have all become.
JONATHAN PRYCE - pryce's voice is perfect and he makes the engineer perfectly sleezy and easy to hate. his songs are all, well just sleezy. we grow to hate him and the way that he has preyed on girls such as kim
SIMON BOWMAN - bowman is impressive as chris. rather than become a bland character or stereotyped hero, chris is a tortured soul by the end of the piece. he's emotional and we see how he is torn between his own country and his love for kim. later on of course this inner conflict becomes quite obveous and throughout we feel for chris and easilly see how his experiences tortured him.
LEA SALONGA - salonga won the olivier award, tony and drama desk award for her portrayel of kim. and she certainly deserved it all. salonga goes from neive in the beggining to pained throughout the musical. her performance is so heart breaking on "i still believe" and "i would give my life for you." "this is the hour" is the most emotionally charged song i have ever heard and salonga delivers beautifully. her always emotional voice really pulls the character off.
all in all, everything comes together perfectly to make this a beautifull but heartbreaking musical. listening to this is painfull and certainly can be difficult, but every second of it is completely worth it. "this is this the hour" and "the fall of saigon" are moving to the point of tears. all of the performers deliver brilliantly emotional performances that make this the most moving, and touching musical i've ever heard. no one can go wrong with this one.