The Merry Widow/The Student Prince [Cast Recording, Original recording remastered]

Merry Widow & Student Prince (Artist) | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 27, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording, Original recording remastered
• Label: Decca Broadway
• ASIN: B00006GF9Z
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #60,817 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not the Best but Good Enough, November 20, 2002

By 

Francis M. Hough Jr. (Charlotte, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Merry Widow/The Student Prince (Audio CD)

THE STUDENT PRINCE is my favorite operetta by any of the Golden Age operetta composers, and I was extremely eager to hear this version first recorded in 1950 but only now being released on CD coupled with another classic THE MERRY WIDOW. Alas, the film soundtrack with the incomparable Mario Lanza and the Columbia studio cast version with Jan Peerce still outdistance this release by a considerable margin.

The primary problem is the Prince himself sung by Danish tenor Lauritz Melchior. Melchior has all the notes and is in good voice, but his age works against him. There is no zip, no brio to the singing (which sets Lanza apart), and he seems supremely uncomfortable singing these songs in English (where Peerce excels). Peerce also has the luxury of stereo recording and the fact that his recording features the entire score, all benefits that make that release (sadly not on CD yet) the one to own.

Jane Wilson makes a youthful and lovely sounding Kathie while Lee Sweetland adds power and authority to the baritone refrains. It's not the perfect PRINCE, but it's a nice souvenir of the show's highlights.

THE MERRY WIDOW turns out surprisingly to be the better of the two operettas offered on this CD. Kitty Carlisle seems perfect casting as the title lady in question and handles her vocals admirably. Even better is bass-baritone Wilbur Evans who punches out the familiar songs with considerable power. Felix Knight adds whimsy to a couple of numbers.

These recordings, available for the first time in decades, are not the definitive versions of these shows, but it's wonderful to have them available again to familiarize ourselves with melodies which have been around longer than most of us who are eagerly listening to them.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Nostalgic Visit With the Merry Widow, February 6, 2003

By 

Paul J. Rask - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Merry Widow/The Student Prince (Audio CD)

My ancient 78 rpm album of acetate records of this version of The Merry Widow is worn with age and over-use. So am I.

However, this reissue "digitally remastered" on a CD is like a joyous finding of an old treasure. There are many English translations of the orginal German lyrics this fine operetta and, perhaps, each listener has his or her own favorite. This performance happens to be mine. I happen to like Kitty Carlisle in the title role because I've been listening to her sing it for 60 years! I'm delighted this came out digitally remastered as it is. I wish someone could figure out how I can be digitally remastered -- just to keep up with things the way they are.
-o0o-

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars MERRY WIDOW Broadway style, February 3, 2004

By 

Mark Andrew Lawrence "Theatre Reviewer" (Toronto) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Merry Widow/The Student Prince (Audio CD)

Decca's old 78 RPM album of THE MERRY WIDOW was recorded shortly after their phenomonally successful OKLAHOMA! set and sounds like a cast album of a Broadway production. Well, why now? After all THE MERRY WIDOW made her North American premiere at the New Amsterdam theatre for 416 performances begining October 21, 1907.

Though this recording is not directly taken from any specific production, two of the male leads Felix Knight and Wilbur Evans had appeared in a 1942 staging at Carnegie Hall which may explain why both men sound so comfortable in their roles. Kitty Carlisle makes a delightful widow, a role she too had played on stage many times. She sings with a straightforward, unforced voice and enunciates the lyrics clearly. The whole performance made for an enjoyable listen when the set was new and the only problem is the occasional bit of surface noise from Decca's well worn master discs.

The 1950 set of highlights from THE STUDENT PRINCE (6 selections plus and Overture and Finale) shows what happens when singers go overboard: Though the rest of the cast is fine, Lauritz Melchior oversings the role to the point where it sounds as if he is mimicing Ezio Pinza in SOUTH PACIFIC.

In short, get this disc for THE MERRY WIDOW but go elsewhere for STUDENT PRINCE.