Customer Reviews

Carmen Jones (1943 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Words cannot begin to sum up my joy that Decca Broadway finally deemed CARMEN JONES fit for a proper remaster. Oscar Hammerstein's lyrics set to Georges Bizet's classic score can now be heard clearly without distortion and this CD includes a complete plot synopsis and pictures. Now we no longer have to settle for that monstroscity from Pearl CD, which was an unauthorized recording, and I hope didn't take away too many sales from Decca Broadway. For musical buffs this CD is a must-have!

You may know that the smash grunge musical RENT is based on Puccini's opera LA BOHEME. And MISS SAIGON is MADAME BUTTERFLY, and trickiest of all AIDA is AIDA, but before all of those there was CARMEN JONES.

What makes CARMEN JONES different, however, is that it uses Bizet's original music, though it changes the setting and the lyrics (they're in English, too, rather than the original French). And who would have done such a thing? Oscar Hammerstein II (as in Rodgers & Hammerstein, I know you've heard of them. If not, shame on you, go straight to OKLAHOMA, do not pass go, do not collect CD of CARMEN JONES). This is one of Hammerstein's earlier works, and it's a great show. (There's a very successful movie version available on video, if you want to see it.)

CARMEN JONES updates the story of CARMEN. The original plot took place in Spain in 1820, Carmen was a gypsy. The first performance of CARMEN was in Paris in 1875. (Wow! Over 125 years, and it still plays regularly all over the world, talk about a great run!) What Hammerstein did was akin to what our current composers are doing with shows like RENT. He updated the show for his audience. Instead of Spaniards and gypsies, he used African-American factory workers, and set the story in 1943 during the war in a Southern town.

The story makes this a darker musical than Hammerstein's later shows like OKLAHOMA, CAROUSEL, THE KING AND I and SOUTH PACIFIC, some of which had their heavier elements, but were focused more on the romance. The tone of CARMEN JONES is more akin to his first show (the first musical) SHOWBOAT. It is also unusual not just for it's time but in general that it had an entirely African-American cast. While recent shows like Disney's THE LION KING and ONCE ON THIS ISLAND have also had predominantly African/African-American casts, these shows are few and far between. Another comparable show in terms of music and style would perhaps be Gershwin's PORGY AND BESS, though it's considered an opera rather than a musical.

Used it for my radio show on KGPL 91.7 fm On historical route 66

A friend had an LP of this many years ago, I always loved it which was the reason I ordered it. I have to say it wasn't as good as I remembered, sounded a bit tinny to me. I guess memories fade with time!

Adapting operas into the musical theater style is not uncommon, but what is uncommon is using almost the exact same music as the original opera which Carmen Jones does. If you know Bizet's Carmen, you will immediately recognize the music on this CD... even if you don't know the opera you have probably heard some of the music. However, this adaption changes the libretto significantly. I personally am not a fan. If I want to hear Carmen I will listen to Carmen. If I want to hear Carmen in English, I could find a English translated recording. This doesn't fit. It sounds too much like the opera, even the singers are quite operatic. The new setting isn't different enough to give the listener something fascinatingly different. Whats the point? I don't suggest this, really, to anyone other than collectors. I don't even have a favorite song. Two stars and the only reason is it still uses Bizet's beautiful music.