Customer Reviews

The King And I [Import]

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4 star:		(3)
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By the time RCA recorded this album of the 1977 revival of THE KING AND I the show had been playing on Broadway for six months and the cast had settled happily into their roles. The result is a vividly theatrical recordng that, except for the "Small House of Uncle Thomas" ballet, contains the entire musical score.

I would like to correct reviewer Arne Anderson: Brynner was not dying from cancer when this production played. He returned to Broadway with the show again in 1985 just six months before his death and by that time, yes, he voice was showing noticable deterioration. But when this production played the Uris theatre in 1977 and 78 he was in fine voice. True, it is not the youthful voice heard on the original 1951 cast album but with the years come many more layers to the performance.

It also helps that several dialogue moments such as the King's soliloquy "So Big a World" are included on this record. The dialogue also plays an important part in the way Thomas Z. Shepard has laid out the record. For example, the famous "Shall We Dance" sequence. On this recording, the whole scene is prsented and suddenly what on other KING AND I cd's is just another great R & H song, is a dramatic highlight. Also, the Cd closes with a recording of the entire final scene. It is incredibly moving.

Constance Towers sounds properly mature as Mrs Anna, and all the secondary roles have been thoghtfully cast by wonderful singer/actors. Bear in mind, Richard Rodgers was still alive when this production and recording were made and was at the recording sessions. In fact, it would be the final cast recording of one of his shows he would supervise. This guarantees it is an authenic recording.

The package includes good background notes and a fully detailed synopsis of the show.

This album was recorded Monday October 31, 1977. On Tuesday November 1, 1977 I attended the performance at the Uris theatre. It was my first Broadway show. So, for me, this album holds extra special memories.

Everyone who loves musicals (I feel sorry for people who don't) should have at least one recording of the "King and I" with Yul Brynner. This is the best one available. Not only one of the most complete recordings of the "King and I" (all that's missing is some underscoring and the "Small House of Uncle Thomas"), it also has one of the best casts assembled. Brynner is fine, the lung cancer which killed him in 1985 very much NOT in evidence in this '77 recording. Constance Towers is a terrific Anna, and she most certainly CAN act. Her "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?" betters Gertrude Lawrence. Hye-Young Choi is my favorite Lady Thiang, floating her descant in "Western People Funny" better than anyone else. Martin Vidnovic and June Angela are an appealing pair of lovers, and the two boys roles are sung with energy. A treat for lovers of musicals, Rodgers & Hammerstein, and "The King and I."

This cast album to the acclaimed 1977 Broadway revival of THE KING AND I is a must-own for all fans of the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. Yul Brynner again heads the cast as the imperious King, with Constance Towers as Mrs Anna and June Angela as Tuptim.

Yul Brynner asked his good friend Yuriko (the original Eliza in the "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ballet in the 1951 Broadway production and later the film version) to direct this production and also recreate Jerome Robbins' choreography for the ballet. Yuriko perfectly reproduced all this and more with this sumptuous revival, which embarked on an extensive touring season following it's Broadway engagement, before coming back to New York in 1985, the year that Brynner succumbed to cancer.

Constance Towers is quite lovely in the role of Mrs Anna, offering up glowing renditions of "I Whistle a Happy Tune", "Getting to Know You", "Hello Young Lovers" and "Shall I Tell You What I Think of You?".

June Angela, apparently the youngest actress to play Tuptim in a major revival, lets her gorgeous soprano loose with her breathtaking "My Lord and Master" as well as her duets with the Lun Tha of Martin Vidnovic (OKLAHOMA!) in "I Have Dreamed" and "We Kiss in a Shadow".

Hye-Young Choi is a lovely Lady Thiang, singing a heartbreaking "Something Wonderful". The rest of the cast is superb.

All-in-all, an essential cast album of THE KING AND I, and one you will really adore.

The 2 love duets between Martin Vidnovic and June Angela are worth the price of admission in themselves, plus you get the complete score including "I Have Dreamed", which for some unbelievable reason was cut from the film.

This 1977 version really tells you what this show is made of!!! Yul Brynner is in prime form with A Puzzlement (finally being recorded with the full score), and Constance Towers makes a fine Anna Lenowans. The added dialouge tracks add a special personality to the CD, and help the listener who may have never seen the show to understand it. The 1956 soundtrack (remastered) is okay compared to this, and the 1951 Decca Broadway album is deplorable compared to this. Only version you will ever need. Highly Reccomended!!!!!!!!!

Constance Towers sings brilliantly. Who cares if she can act? Yul Brenner sounds great. I sure didn't notice that he was "gasping for breath". This was HIS role, and nobody could play it better. I have listened to all of the recorded versions, and this is by far the best.

I had not heard this musical for many years. Listening to it so many years later brings back wonderful
memories of Yul Brenner and the teacher.
Thanks for having the original in stock. It is truly a joy to listen while driving.
I am a converted Amazon customer.

Absolutely wonderful! I first saw this play as a child. My two sisters were cast as the King's children in it, but I was too young so my parents took me to the play. Can't get the songs out of my head. Highly recommended. Love it!

Simply the best, by far, recording of TKAI. Brynner was at his perfect peak for the role, and Constance Towers could not have been better as Mrs. Anna. The supporting cast, particularly June Angela and Martin Vidnovic are sublime, having recorded the most gorgoeus renditions of I Have Dreamed and We Kiss In A Shadow available.

A must have for R&H fans or theater collectors. It doesn't get much better than this recording!!!

BRILLIANT! A MUST for all 'King and I' fans. It has ALMOST ALL the 'King and I' songs, except for 'The Royal Dancing Wives' Dance' and 'Uncle Tom's Cabin - The Ballet'. However, the voices are more 'opera-based', especially June Angela and Constance Towers, but what does that better? The singers are simply SUPBERB. Constance Towers portrays a SPLENDID Anna, even though Marni Nixon has a sweeter, smoother voice. June Angela sings 'My Lord and Master' and the other songs BEAUTIFULLY, I don't know how she reached all those high notes, but then again, Rita Moreno is 'smoother'. Yul Brynner is wonderful as usual, Martin Vidvonic(Lun Tha) sings MUCH better than Carlos Riva's singing voice in the 1956 movie, and as for Hye-Young Choir, I think she beats Terry Saunders. Her best song is 'Western People Funny'. And Gene Profanto and Alan Amick who play Prince Chulalonkorn and Louis are BRILLIANT too, and they sing 'A Puzzlement(reprise)' REALLY well. However, Constance Tower's 'Shall I Tell You What I Think of You' is not that good, and Marni Nixon is alot better anyway, because Towers sounds like an old woman at times. Anyway, overall, this IS a MUST!