Man of La Mancha (2002 Broadway Revival Cast)
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Free Music Notes for Man of La Mancha (2002 Broadway Revival Cast)
Free Music Review: Amazing
Hit: 5 Stars
This cast is amazing- I just saw the show in New York- Mitchell is stunning, along with the others.Free Music Review: Engineering Does Not Do Justice to the Performers or Band
Hit: 4 Stars
I have to agree with several of the comments that the engineering of the album is not great. The band and actors are a magnificent group of seasoned professionals who play cohesively and beautifully in the live production. The editing, balance and mixing on this recording do not do them justice, but it is not fair or reasonable to blame the performers for that. The producers also omitted the overture, which I think is unfortunate. Nonetheless, this is still a fine recording. If you are only going to get one recording, though, I think the best choice is the original London cast -- which has the best collective singing as well as substantial chunks of dialogue that surround the musical numbers.
As to criticism of the revival itself, I can say that the live show is far better than many critics will allow -- beating up on this show is a sport that goes back to the original. The show is too upbeat, optimistic, and idealistic, and dismissed as lowbrow entertainment for pollyannaish saps. If it is, then I am one, as I love the show, and like this production and recording just fine.
Brian Stokes Mitchell is a wonderful Don, and his acting is terrific - especially during the death scene. He has a wonderful, expressive voice and is every bit as affecting as Richard Kiley.
Ernie Sabella's Sancho has a Lou Costello quality that may work better live than on the recording. (Both he and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio employ New York accents). All in all, he is a delightful Sancho, capturing his zest for life, peasant wisdom, and touching devotion to the Don.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio has the toughest job as Aldonza/Dulcinea in this production because she is not a classically trained singer. She is a terrific actress, however, and she does fine work here. She tends to improvise more than other players, I am told. Another choice the producers made that I think was unfortunate was to jettison the dual-layered transformation of the original production, in which the woman who played Aldonza was plucked by Cervantes as she cowered in the shadows of the prison -- so that as Aldonza was transformed by the idealism of the Don into Dulcinea, so too was the prisoner who played her.
If you are really interested in this production, I recommend that you go see it live. The recording is an imperfect and lesser reflection of the wonderment, magic and professionalism of the real thing.
Free Music Review: Brian Stokes Mitchell heads the Broadway revival cast
Hit: 4 Stars
Since the original Broadway cast album of "Man of La Mancha" is one of my all time favorites it was probably impossible for the 2002 Broadway Revival Cast to even come close and while it has its moments, due mostly to the performance of Brian Stokes Mitchell, it is just not in the same league. My verdict is not based on "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)," because I actually like what Mitchell does with the Broadway classic, but rather on "Aldonza" and the "Final Sequence: The Death of Alonso Quijana." Those two tracks on the original cast album are two of he most powerful moments I have ever heard on such albums; I am not talking about seeing them in performance on stage, but the effect they had on my just listening to them on the record (and then on the cassette and then on CD). Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio does a nice job on "What Does He Want of Me?" but does not capture the raw rage of Joan Diener's "Aldonza," an amazingly adult song for a 1960s musical. Nor is the tearful chemistry there as Aldonza tries to will Don Quixote back to life. All the live performances of "Man of La Mancha" I have seen have suffered in comparison as well, so I am pretty consistent (and, yes, I usually enjoy traveling companies and community theater musical productions, so I am not being elitist here). But those two tracks are the heart and soul of this musical so they really do make all the difference in the world as far as I am concerned.
Apart from those two critical points in the production, the rest of the songs are fine. We do get all of the music this time around, which includes the "Opening," "The Knight of the Mirrors," "I'm Only Thinking of Him (reprise)," as well as more of the dialogue from the "Final Sequence" and "Finale." But the chief attraction remains Mitchell's vocals as he infuses new power into all of his songs. The story remains interesting because Dale Wasserman manages to take the two quite different parts of Cervantes "Don Quixtoe" and make them work together, which is one of the reason that whenever I taught the classic novel I made a point of playing the original cast album for the class.
Free Music Review: It Grows On You
Hit: 4 Stars
This new Broadway Cast Recording of "Man of La Mancha" is actually a bit better than one might expect. Though the original score has always been somewhat overrated, it nevertheless provides enough pleasantries for the attuned listener. And while this recording may have its flaws, and they are by no means insignificant, it still offers a fresh take on an old warhorse of a show. To begin with, Brian Stokes Mitchell is really rather wonderful as Don Quixote. As any Broadway afficianado knows, Mitchell has the vocal chops to perform the role ably (he sings the living daylights out of "Impossible Dream"). The marvel here is that his phrasing is so right and in key with the character that the ghost of Richard Kiley never hovers. He makes the role his own. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio may be a bit of a mixed blessing, but she ultimately acquits herself surprisingly well. While her singing is a bit wobbly at times, the rough edges and harsher tones actually fit her character. Aldonza shouldn't be all sweetness and light, and Mastrantonio doesn't sing her that way. The surprise here is that her basic instrument is so supple and technically proficient that she is able to do justice with an extremely demanding role. Her rendition of "What Does He Want of Me" is exquisite. Unfortunately, its her line readings that do damage. Mastrantonio has a habit of interpreting her characters in extremes, and here her line readings have all the subtly of a brickbat. At times she seems to be projecting to the back row of the theatre across the street. As Sancho, Ernie Sabello is an adequate, conservative choice for the role, but the evident deterioration in his voice is a constant distraction, and he sometimes sounds like he got to Spain by way of Flatbush Avenue. The supporting performers are uniformly fine, and though the orchestrations are a bit thin and reedy at times, there's a liveliness to this recording that's hard to resist. Ultimately, the value of this recording will be based on whether or not you enjoyed the musical in the first place. Me? I've listened to the Original Cast Recording with Richard Kiley once. This new cast album hasn't left my CD player in two weeks. Says something, doesn't it?Free Music Review: Best version but
Hit: 4 Stars
This is the best recording of this score; the cast sings and acts the material as well as it can be done. Two caveats - the sentimentality is shied away from, which has its rewards but results in a performance that is a bit dry. The recording is bit dry as well. It does take the curse off the cuteness of some of the songs, but it also erases some of the humor. A bit of earnest in a musical goes a long way. It should be possible to create a production with all of the above. Mitchell is amazing, as he usually is. He and Brent Barrett are the Alfred Drakes of this era, able to sing and act with a brain working behind the voice and the heart. The orchestrations evoke the Spanish sources with simplicity. But a bit of the drama and heart is lost, at least on the recording. You never have any doubt where it's going; and even with - especially with - a tale told many times it's the duty of the production to recreate the drama, not cede that you've heard it all before. But no production could ever give depth to the lyrics, which are as simple and lacking shade as nursery rhymes.