Arabian Nights (Original Cast Recording) [Cast Recording, Original recording remastered]

Lauritz Melchior (Artist), Helena Scott (Performer), William Chapman (Performer) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 8, 2008)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording, Original recording remastered
• Label: SEPIA RECORDINGS
• ASIN: B001AWUC4Q
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #122,946 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. Overture

2. What A Pity Grand Vizier / It's Great To Be Alive

3. A Thousand And One Nights

4. The Grand Vizier's Lament

5. Hail To The Sultan

6. The Hero Of All My Dreams

7. A Whale Of A Story

8. The Bath Parade

9. How Long Has It Been?

10. Teenie Weenie Genie

11. A Long Ago Love

12. Marry The One You Love

13. It's Great To Be Alive [*]

14. A Thousand And One Nights [*]

15. The Hero Of All My Dreams [*]

16. A Whale Of A Story [*]

17. How Long Has It Been? [*]

18. Teenie Weenie Genie [*]

19. A Long Ago Love [*]

20. Marry The One You Love [*]

See all 22 tracks on this disc

Editorial Reviews

Available on CD for the first time! Arabian Nights was an extremely successful 1954 extravaganza starring opera star Lauritz Melchior. Bonus tracks feature the same score performed by Guy Lombardo & His Royal Canadians in a dance tempo. Liner notes by noted author and opera historian Richard Traubner.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars What a treat!, August 11, 2008

By 

Mikejpc (Brooklyn) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arabian Nights (Original Cast Recording) (Audio CD)

This was the first record I ever bought. I purchased it with my own allowance money back in 1955. I was eight years old and had seen the Jones Beach production and LOVED it.
I still have the album, which have been full of clicks, pops, and surface noise for many years now. How wonderful to have a crisp new copy of this lush, romantic and clever score, filled with Rimsky Korsakov / Miklos Rosa style ballads [A Thousand and One Nights / How Long Has It Been?] and Gilbert & Sullivan-esque patter numbers [The Grand Vizier's Lament]. How great, after 54 years, to finally hear and understand the lyrics of "A Whale of a Story":
`Cause when you're seasick there isn't any
rail on a, rail on a, rail in a, rail on a monster.
There's no rail on a, rail on a, rail in a, rail on a whale.'
Lauritz Melchior still glorious at the end of his career / James McCracken at the beginning of his.
What a treat! Thank you Sepia!

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars ARABIAN NIGHTS is "KISMET"-light, April 12, 2009

By 

Phantom "star" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Arabian Nights (Original Cast Recording) (Audio CD)

ARABIA NIGHTS was surprisingly entertaining, if a little silly. It is clearly an attempt to mine the same territory that was done much better in KISMET, but done on a grand scale. The choral writing is huge and the orchestrations lush and grand, and the singing is in the operetta style, except for the several comedy numbers.
I put on the CD expecting to laugh my way through it, but was pleasantly surprised. The score is tuneful and well sung, and the exotic story easy to follow.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars It's better than the original., October 19, 2008

By 

Ronald Kelley (Johnstown NY) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Arabian Nights (Original Cast Recording) (Audio CD)

I bought this recording back in the 50's and played it a lot. What a thrill to have it back again. Little did I know that I would be working with Bill Chapman a few years later. It certainly sounds better than the original. Decca never used very good Vinyl and there was always a hiss. Thanks to Sepia the hiss is gone no pops or ticks. It sounds GREAT!The dance arrangements by the Guy Lombardo Orchestra are very Camp!