Customer Reviews

Kismet [Original Broadway Cast Recording]

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

 

 

KISMET is a grand old rollicking ride, a thrilling score taken from the immortal themes of Borodin, written by Robert Wright and George 'Chet' Forrest, and starring the big-voiced leading man Alfred Drake as the colourful poet Hajj.

Derived from the play by Edward Knoblock, the story concerns fast-talking poet Hajj and his daughter Marsinah, as they get tangled up with the Wazir and the voluptuous Lalume, amongst others. Dulcet-toned Doretta Morrow (the original Tuptim in THE KING AND I) plays Marsinah with Joan Diener (MAN OF LA MANCHA's original Aldonza) in her Broadway debut as Lalume. Alfred Drake (from the original casts of OKLAHOMA! and KISS ME KATE) has the right amount of attitude and swaggering brag to play Hajj.

The score is best-remembered for delights like "And This is My Beloved", "Stranger in Paradise", "Baubles Bangles and Beads", "Not Since Nineveh" and "Gesticulate". This sparkling reissue of the original 1953 cast album (which is the exact same disc as the 1998 Broadway Masterworks pressing but in a new, "eco-pack" cardboard sleeve) includes a fascinating excerpt from 'Stage Struck', a radio programme of the day which interviewed Drake, Morrow, the composers and album producer Goddard Lieberson during the recording sessions for the cast album, a few days after opening night. KISMET ran for a not-too-shabby 583 performances.

Both Broadway and the record industry were very different in 1953. KISMET opened on December 3, 1953. On December 6 the cast went to Columbia's 30th Street Studios and recorded the album which was in New York City record stores by December 10! Today it takes months, sometimes years for the cast album to emerge, without any discernible increase in quality.

KISMET was record in high fidelity mono. The LP was a very long one for it's time lasting 53 minutes and getting all of the score along with some of the dance music. The Lp stayed in print through the end of the vinyl era and was among Columbia's earliest CD releases. This edition is Sony's 3rd CD release, utilizing the original album artwork. The remastering is the same as used for the 2000 edition (including bonus tracks of highlight's from Mike Wallace's radio interview withe the stars) but instead of the traditional jewel case the disc is housed in a less permanent cardboard wallet.

Reviewing the 2000 release I wrote:

Here it is, in glorious crystal-clean monophonic sound: the one and only ORIGINAL original cast recording of KISMET.

Unlike later recordings, this album preserves the lush orchestrations by Arthur Kay. Recorded just three days after the show's Broadway premiere, the cast is in great voice, fresh and full of energy.

Sony has done another outstanding remastering job making these 50 year old tapes sound as clean as possible. As a bonus, there are highlights of a radio interview with album producer Goddard Lieberson and star Alfred Drake. The biggest bonus is the wonderful original album artwork.

From the first notes in the overture it is clear that this musical is epic. The music was written by a famous Russian composer named Alexander Borodin and is world class. The lyrics to the songs are funny, clever, and sincere. I bought this for my wife (a musical snob) and it quickly became one of her favorites.

I just sat at the keyboard for 3 minutes trying to think up possible downsides.....I've got nothing.

Enjoy!

I saw Kismet both on stage and at the movies as a child in the 1950s in Melbourne. We had a record of it at home. When I saw Kismet returning to Melbourne recently (the Production Company performance) I couldn't wait to go and take my daughters with me. We loved it and I immediately went on line to find the CD. This original broadway cast of Kismet recording is the same one (and same cover) that we had at home all those years ago. For the past 4 weeks I have almost worn it out playing it in the car over and over again. It is brilliant!!!