Customer Reviews

Fanny: A New Musical (1954 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Harold Rome's FANNY is a score little-known but worthy of much respect. Dripping with melody and full of emotion, it represented another peak in the growth of the 'integrated' musical through the 50's that achieved apotheosis with MY FAIR LADY. With a cast of true singers like William Tabbert, Florence Henderson, and the sublime Ezio Pinza (who'd earlier brought his operatic bass to the role of Emile in SOUTH PACIFIC), this recording's an aural treasure trove. In one of those vagaries of the repertoire, none of the songs became standards, but with numbers like the title song (soaringly rendered by Tabbert), the impassioned, "I Have To Tell You" (Miss Henderson), and the exuberant, "Welcome Home", you have to wonder why. In the end, perhaps the most affecting piece is the curious, "Be Kind To Your Parents", which rounds out the sumptuous score, faithfully rendered on this Original Cast Recording.

I saw this in its original run, again in an excellent road show performance in LA. As with most of David Merrick's shows, the show was superbly cast and directed (by Josh Logan who also did South Pacific). While there were no huge "pop" tunes, this was a touching and engaging emotional show, full of love and what were then "family values." Walter Slezak was utterly brilliant in the show as a friend of the family who becomes the father of Fanny's child, knowing full well that he is not the father. Tabbert was excellent and a fantastic tenor. Pinza was Pinza, the best accolade one can give him. Florence Henderson, as Fanny, delighted in the role and came across very real. The music and songs are delightful, often very funny. (I'm In Love With An Octopus is one of the first songs in the score!) I still own the original cast LP and just ordered the CD. This one is a keeper.

William Tabbert, Walter Slezak, Ezio Pinza and yes, young Florence Henderson are a delightful cast. Also listen to the Broadway South Pacific...especially William Tabbert's version of "Younger than Springtime". Just listening to William Tabbert singing "Fanny" makes this album worthwhile.

This is a beautiful, touching show. Unashamedly romantic, and a celebration of values (filial love; friendship; loyalty; duty) that we now seem to regard as quaint. Because the lovely songs are not in the pop rep, they remain fresh on rehearing--and may be a revelation to you if you haven't heard them before.

I have been wanting to purchase this CD for a long time, and finally did, as it came down in price. This is an excellent Harold Rome Score, written in the style of 50's Musicals. Very light and airy, with many almost operatic numbers. I especially like the numbers: Be Kind to Your Parents, Welcome Home, the arias of Florence Henderson and William Tabbert (whatever happened to him??), and of course the title song.... It is a delight to hear the wonderful Walter Slezak (had seen him in rerun airings of an old game show, while he was performing in this show), and also Ezio Pinza, who died just a couple of years after this performance, also saw him in recent airings of The Name's the Same on the Game Show Network with his ten year old son. Slezak and Pinza were both in not the greatest of health during the run of this show...(Slezak had a leg infection of some kind, and Pinza had other health problems) I have always enjoyed Harold Rome's music and am trying to get all of his musicals...do have the important ones: Wish You Were Here, I Can Get it for you Wholesale, Destry Rides Again, and Fanny....really beautiful melodies in these albums...

I grew up listening to the LP of this show and still absolutely adore the music. It is funny, romantic, exotic, emotional, and you, yes you, can sing most of the tunes in the shower. It is a perpetual mystery to me (and frustrating, as well) why the musical "Fanny" is not shown much any more on live stage. I'd fly across the country to see it. Rather than being very traditional, as some of the reviews here state, it was actually very risque for its time. Perhaps it was too risque, with a story that may not seem extraordinary to us now but then was scandalous - an unwed mother is the heroine, abandoned by an irresponsible biological father, who takes off for adventure on the sea. An older man weds Fanny and raises the son as his own. The crisis occurs when bio dad returns from his exotic ocean voyages to declare his love for Fanny. What should she do? These are the moral, ethical and emotional dilemmas we still face today. If you like musicals, you'll love Fanny! OK, amend that, if you like the musicals I do - Camelot, Sound of Music, South Pacific, Cats, A Chorus Line, Chicago...you'll probably like Fanny. The only problem is, when the music gets stuck in your head and you want to sing with other people, they will have no clue what you're talking about. That should change!

I saw this show with the original cast. The story, the music and the performances were touching and memorable. This was Florence Henderson's debut as engenue--she was (and is) a delight. Ezio Pinza's voice was thrilling, and a (then) unknown belly dancer named Nejla Ates brought the house down dancing in pasties (Shika, Shika). Pretty racy stuff for 1954.

Avoid the movie version (VHS). It omits the music and has been panned for ham acting by stars who also should have avoided it.

I own the LP and will probably buy the CD.

This was one of the worst shows ever to hit Broadway. The songs are so bad that they were eliminated entirely from the movie version even though the movie was obviously intended to be a musical and starred Frank Sinatra and Maurice Chevalier as the son and the father, respectively. I played in the pit for a production of this thing and by the end by the end of the run could barely tolerate going to the theatre each evening. The best ballad, "I Like You," is sung by the son to his father. "Welcome Home" sounds promising but isn't addressed to anyone. It continues "Welcome Home says the chair as I enter in the room..."

This is a recording from the '50s and doesn't compare to modern production values.

I'd pass.