Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast) [Cast Recording, Original recording remastered]

Cole Porter (Artist), Alfred Drake (Artist), Patricia Morison (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (June 2, 1998)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording, Original recording remastered
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B000007OHT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #119,833 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
  • #87 in Music > Broadway & Vocalists > Musicals > Classic Musicals

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Opening at the tail end of 1948, Kiss Me, Kate became an instant classic--and amazingly didn't receive a full-scale revival until 1999. All the more reason to revel in its original version. With its cunning play-within-a-play premise (a musical update of The Taming of the Shrew reverberates in backstage feuds), brilliant mix of high and low comedy, and of course some of Cole Porter's better-known songs--"So in Love," "I Hate Men," Too Darn Hot," "Always True to You (In My Fashion)"--Kiss Me, Kate remains a funny, zesty hall of mirrors. Hard as you may try to find a fly in the ointment, there's no fault with the cast either--Patricia Morison, for instance, is a perfectly petulant Lilli Vanessi. --Elisabeth Vincentelli

Product Description

This was the first cast album ever recorded for LP-and 1998 marks the show's 50th anniversary! Includes a bonus track, Kiss Me, Kate Overture , plus original reviews, press clips and Playbill.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the peerless original cast, March 3, 2004

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

KISS ME KATE is still regarded as Cole Porter's greatest musical; a charming backstage story detailing feuding ex-spouses Lilli Vanessi and Fred Graham as they star in a musical version of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew".

Very rarely has the score been bettered than the original 1949 cast album, reissued here on the Columbia Broadway Masterworks label. Patricia Morison plays Lilli, with Alfred Drake (OKLAHOMA!, KISMET, GIGI) as Fred, the feuding, ego-ridden leads. Lisa Kirk (ALLEGRO, MACK AND MABEL) is the sexy young starlet Lois, with Harold Lang (PAL JOEY) as her caddish boyfriend Bill.

KISS ME KATE opened at the New Century Theatre on Broadway in 1949, making history in its run of over 1000 performances. Patricia Morison is perfectly-suited to the role of Lilli. She offers a glowing rendition of "So in Love", whilst her duet with Alfred Drake in the tongue-in-cheek "Wunderbar" is sublime. Lisa Kirk gets three of the big showstoppers ("Why Can't You Behave?", "Tom Dick or Harry" and "Always True to You in My Fashion"), and nails each and every one. Harold Lang was a better dancer than he ever was as a singer, but is quite good on this disc.

A must-own.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful remastering of historic original cast recording, May 23, 2004

By 

Mark Andrew Lawrence "Theatre Reviewer" (Toronto) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Recorded in January 1949, this album of KISS ME KATE has remained in print adn a steady best-seller for over 50 years now.

The sound on this newly remastered CD is crisp and clear and easily surpasses all previous issues. Sony even uses the original artwork from the very first LP release.

The performances remain as fresh as ever. Alfred Drake was Broadway's top leading man and sounds just glorious. Pat Morrison had less of a career but sounds just perfect as Lilli. Lisa Kirk is wonderful as Lois, and Harold Lang makes the most of his few moments on the record as her boyfriend, Bill. In an unusual move these peopel reunited 10 years later to re-record the score for Capitol in true stereo. They still sound great on that recording (on CD as part of the Broadway Angel series) but the performances are fresher on this recording made just 2 weeks after KIS ME KATE had opened on Broadway to rave reviews.

The CD booklet has good info about the show, though curiously, no synopsis. There are, however, a half dozen pictures of the original production. This edition featureds longer takes of "We Open in Venice", "I Hate Men" and "Too Darn Hot" though the total extra music adds but a minute to the album's running time. A bonus track of the Overture dates from a 1958 stereo recording by Lehman Engle.

KISS ME KATE was the first Tony Award winner for Best Musical (1949). The 1999 revival won a Tony for Best Revival.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Battle of the Sexes Continues ! ! !, October 26, 2000

By 

Eddie Landsberg "My 10th year as a reviewer !... (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Kiss Me, Kate (1948 Original Broadway Cast) (Audio CD)

Its hard to believe that this musical is over 50 years old. It might take place in the '40s, but as you listen it sounds as fresh and timeless as ever, even if some of the lyrics are a tad bit politically incorrect. Of the three versions (*IMHO* I think the movie lacked the energy of the stage play), The Liner Notes (19 pg. booklet) really bring the CD to life with a lot of interesting information about how the play came to be, including the amazing fact that Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi's charactor's are actually based on real people ! Its also amazing to find out that at the time Cole Porter was writing it the general buzz was that he was washed out - - finished - - that his best days were behind him, yet the show opened to unanimously rave reviews !

Another thing I like about this version of the CD is that unlike the Revival broadway cast recording (which I like a lot !), it also has two additional versions of the overture, one which was actually recorded 10 years later and fits in well with the CD. Kiss Me Kate afterall is a musical with enough substantive material to make a medley the legnth of the CD itself.

I have one question though : Atleast in the current version Lilli Vanessi sings "From This Moment On" but it appears on neither of the CDs - - I wonder why ?