Customer Reviews

Passion (1994 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The theatre of Stephen Sondheim can be, to the ready soul, a almost religious experience, and that's no exaggeration. I'm an average guy with a job, an apartment, some friends and some hobbies; I like swimming, biking and running and got a life, albeit a quiet, uneventful one. I've had my trials by fire in the neighborhood of my heart more than once and I've been as confused about it as a dumb pup with a stinging slapped nose. But when I see or listen to a Sondheim musical, and especially PASSION, what goes on between my two ears and in my heart becomes special, precious and abiding. He gives shape and understanding to the conflicting feelings of love and passion in all their caprices and disappointments, and he pulls no punches in the disappointment and brokenheart department. I saw the New York production of PASSION and was deeply moved by the music. Fosca, nearly deranged with obsession, alientated the audience from believing in her love. Then I went to the London production and, buddy, it flew! It's about LOVE, unconditional, unrelenting love, crystal clear and bitter when unfulfilled. There wasn't a dry eye in the house during the last 20 minutes. I sat there thinking my heart would fly out of my chest with feeling. There ain't many of 'em that can work that kind of magic in the theatre these days, let me tell you.

Almost every song on this album aches. Even the first conversational duet HAPPINESS causes pain in the heart. Clara and Georgio are obviously in love with love ("how quickly pity leads to love") as they go over their chance meeting and pick-up in the park. I WISH I COULD FORGET YOU is shocking with the agony of sustained, unfulfilled love ("how could I ever wish you away?" she asks hopelessly) which leads to the perfect conclusion echoed throughout the entire musical that "should you die tomorrow, your love will live in me." Fosca dies, not of the illness described in the plot, but of love. Although this reeks of grand opera, Sondheim brings it down to such a delicate heartbeat of feeling that it seems as natural as breathing. Georgio learns to accept love and its disappointments the way we all do, by heartache and pain. What doesn't kill us makes us stronger.

This album should be given only by perscription. It's effect is so overwhelming that you need a doctor's supervision to get through it.

Passion is one of Sondheim's unrecognized gems. Many deride it for its lack of feeling, but how can you really hold anything against this classic piece of theatricality? The Passion OBC soars to the heavens with the voices of Marin Mazzie and Donna Murphy as the opposed Clara and Fosca, with Jere Shea solid as the soldier Giorgio. As Giorgio slowly loses interest in his neat affair with Clara and becomes fascinated by the haunted, tormented, chronically ill Fosca, we see this tale of dark obsession grow along with its lush score. Mazzie's voice has every light and airy quality, and Murphy goes through the raw, dark life of Fosca with style.

Passion contains a good deal of dialogue, and the story flows fairly well if you're reading your synopsis. Some of the spoken material that isn't on the recording is available in the written script, and I'd recommend it if you want to know more about this fascinating tale. It's not to everybody's taste, but Passion will shine for those waiting for just such a recording. At twelve bucks, I think it's a worthwhile gamble for any musical lover looking to expand a bit.

Using a glittering language that owes a debt to Ravel, Stephen Sondheim has created one of his most ravishing scores, that in actual performance seems more like a tone poem rather than a conventional musical. In a single arc, the music flows seemingly straight through from beginning to end, with small motifs appearing, combining in intricate patterns and then receding. The sensuous result is some of the composer's best work.

The story here is an odd one, that some listeners may find a bit puzzling: a sickly woman (Fosca) falls in love with a much-healthier soldier, who eventually leaves his (also much-healthier) girlfriend for the sicklier one. Not the most believable scenario -- on paper, that is -- until the great Sondheim illuminates the touching emotions lurking just below the surface.

As Fosca, Donna Murphy (who won a Tony Award for her portrayal) makes a strange character come to vivid life, and sings the aching songs with a luster that drills them into the memory. A highlight is the searing "I Wish I Could Forget You," in which she dictates an imaginary letter to Giorgio, played by the wonderful Jere Shea. The incandescent Marin Mazzie plays Shea's girlfriend Clara, and is also in beautiful voice in her many "letter scenes," as well as those in which she combines her liquid voice with others. The score is chock full of Sondheim's soaring melodic lines and his usual heart-rending lyrics.

The recording quality is excellent -- quite natural, with realistic balances between the orchestra and the singers evoking an actual stage production. If I recall, the original Broadway orchestra was augmented with extra musicians for the recording, resulting in an even more sumptuous sound -- an excellent decision. Highly recommended.

This is my favorite Sondheim musical. For me that's a big statement, but this musical is beyond brilliant. Based on a 19th century Italian novel that was later made into a film, the dark nature of this story might alienate some listeners at first. We open on a scene where Giorgio, a handsome young soldier is bidding farewell to his beautiful mistress, Clara- he has been sent to a remote outpost. They are young and in love but Clara is married. Still they are hopeful for their future. When Giorgio arrives at his new location he finds a remote, provincial town where his Colonel lives with his cousin Fosca, a repulsive, terminally ill woman. Fosca falls hopelessly in love with Giorgio and the love triange makes up the crux of the plot.

Many listeners may have a hard time understanding why Giorgio's affections turn from the beautiful young (albeit married) Clara to the sickly, repulsive Fosca, but the lyrics and the score weave such a spell that you are caught up in it. Love here is not necessarily a happy thing. Yes, the opening song, a duet sung by Giorgio and Clara, is an ode to the joy of being in love, but Giorgio's idea of love progresses to something darker and deeper as he comes to know Fosca more and more. As Clara attempts to schedule her affair with Giorgio around her husband, Giorgio arrives at a conclusion that his feelings were something else: "Love isn't something scheduled in advance/Not something guarenteed/You need/For for fear it may pass you by/You have to take a chance/You can't just try it out/What's love unless it's unconditional?/Love doesn't give a damn about tomorrow and neither do I!"

He comes to know his feelings for Clara as "Love within reason/ that isn't love". At the same time Fosca is literally staking him, which at first he resents and later relents to an idea of: "Love without reason/ Love without mercy/ Love without pride or shame/ Love unconcerned with being returned/No wisedom, no judgement, no caution no blame". It is Fosca that loves him with this completeness, and he can't help but return it.

Many of the songs are letters written from one character to another and that stucture takes some getting used to. In fact it's hard to isolate individual songs here. Each one flows into the next to create the effect of a unified whole. At the end all the characters sing bits of each song in the show as Giorgio reads Fosca's final letter to him they come together in a musical climax before fading out, leaving only Giorgio and Fosca softly singing "your love will live in me"

Marin Mazzie is a gorgeous Clara who's voice shimmers in a luminious way. As Giorgio, Jere Shea sounds fine but falls rather short emotionally. He hits all the notes but with little feeling (Michael Ball of the London cast is far better, I think). However as the doomed, dark Fosca Donna Murphy gives one of the most stunning performances I've ever heard. Her understated delivery is devistating. Her voice is perfectly suited to the score and we have one of those all too rare perfect combinations of actor and material.

PASSION, like so many Sondheim shows, is not a disc to put on in the background while you do the dishes.

Like any good musical or opera you need to sit down and listen..really listen...to the music, the lyrics and dialogue.

PASSION is a mood piece.... there are few "set" songs....mostly the music segues back into dialogue. It is a beautiful meditation on lust, obsession and the power of unconditional love. It is no accident that the phrase "I thought I Knew what love was" should reappaer so many times throughout the show...but listen carefully as the meaning changes.

That's the power of this show.

It does not pretend to be - nor does it want to be - HELLO DOLLY! If that's the kind of musical you are looking for there are dozens of them. PASSION is a very special show, and for those who open their ears - and hearts - it will be an incredibly moving experience.

If you're a fan of regular book musicals, this one is not for you!!! Passion is an operetta style love triangle that is complex, poignant, and beautiful. Stephen Sondheim's brillaint score ties the entrie musical together, which again helps him keep his genius status. The clever weaving of songs, scenes, and, most interestingly, letters, make for a great cast album.

As for performances, it's the females who own this show. Marin Mazzie is as glorious as ever as Clara (she's even better in Ragtime), and Tony-winner Donna Murphy brings all of the emotion forward in her portrayal of Fosca.

For those who are used to the usual Sondheim, this one may dissapoint. Others, however, will love this opera of love.

I saw this production in B'way back in 1994 and liked it a lot. Now, as years have gone by, my addiction to it has increased, probably due to the great amount of recent shows that do not deserve much attention. This is one of the theatrical events that surpass its origins. Being the Ettore Scola's movie a most enchanting production, this musical overpasses it in terms of poetical and romantic appeal. Some songs are simply awesome, like the opening "Happiness" and the most wonderful of all, "No one Has ever loved you". Donna Murphy and Gere OShea are wonderful both in singing as in acting. The story is beautiful and very moving. Possible future revivals might work even better in a small round-the-circle kind of stage rather than in the frontal, large scale production like the one I saw in B'way.

Sondheim defies classification, after the fact. His 'Sweeney Todd' has been presented on the operatic stage (not everyone was pleased). Other plays are typically Broadway, like 'Sunday in the Park with George' and 'Into the Woods'. 'Passion', like 'Sweeney', is continuous music, with dialogue and 'arias'. I would class both as 'operetta' ('opera-comique' in the literal sense), but in these times, the distinctions are blurred. Is Sondheim the Lehar, or J. Strauss, or Kalman, or even the Gilbert-and-Sullivan of the day, with a contemporary message ? Never mind.

'Passion' is quintessential Sondheim. Words and music in tandem, evoking moods, and yes, passions.

The cast is first class, especially Donna Murphy as 'Fosca', and the ensembles are vocally near to being 'visual'. I have never seen this musical play on stage - but judging from the music and plot - it is probably best heard than seen, as are some other Sondheim efforts.

If you like Sondheim's music and his own lyrics - you get both in this musical. Note, here there are no set pieces. One reviewer complained that there were no memorable, extractable, numbers. That's the very point of this kind of Sondheim theatre ! When you start, there is no stopping until the end, if you want to get the full thrust of this play.

This recording, with the original cast, is it. Great sound, great vocal actors, and the only recording available to date. Based on its short run, this may be the ONLY recording of one of Sondheim's more adventurous but moving plays (based on Ettore Scola's Passione d'amore).

There are musicals that offer zesty song and dance numbers. There are musicals that are star vehicles for leading actors. There are musicals that offer interesting perspectives of life, love, and death. There exist all these musicals...and then there's "Passion". It's difficult to find a category into which this show fits. There is no dance. It's not likely anyone will hum this score. High schools will most likely pass on mounting this show. Indeed, it is unlikely it ever shall return to Broadway or the West End -- it's not likely to make a profit (it hasn't yet), there's no way to merchandise the show, and it is not at all appealing to children. Most adults will probably be repulsed by it. In fact, I couldn't get through the score the first time I discovered it. But then I started thinking and paying attention to what I was hearing. I realized this is a show that is so unconventional, so apt to be misunderstood, and so terribly real that experiencing it is probably too much for most people to tolerate. The characters in this show -- most particularly the role of Fosca -- expose in humanity the very worst of feelings and behavior. She is self-loathing, ugly, ill, demanding, obsessive, insecure, and alone. She is human nature at its very worst. Musicals often show characters in unrealistic bliss, experiencing the very best of life, and even singing about it. Fosca doesn't sing about being happy. She isn't happy. She's not moved to song by a kiss or a touch or flirting. No one flirts with her, and no one would ever touch her, save for a devoted and helpless doctor. Her song is sorrowful -- she sings of misery and pain and rejection. This is thought-provoking theater at its very finest. Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine, along with a brilliant cast, have crafted a story that one cannot hope to resist. The show is at once insightful and fascinating -- and it is represented in fine form on this recording. I liken this musical to a rich tapestry with varying emotion woven into so many layers at once it, at times, is overwhelming. It is unlikely that the theater will see a show of this impact anytime soon. This is a work of art to be treasured.

PASSION is one of Stephen Sondheim's best shows. Sondheim, usually given extensive accolades for his lyrics and moderate praise for his music, should be saluted first and foremost for consistently collaborating with brilliant writers. The talented writer in this case is James Lapine.

Sondheim and Lapine have created a masterpiece that questions our rationale for loving one individual over another. The story centers on Giorgio (Jere Shea), a soldier in love with Clara, a beautiful, upbeat, life-loving married woman (Marin Mazzie), but at the same he is relentlessly pursued by Fosca, an ugly, sickly, morose spinster (Donna Murphy). While all the performers are great, Murphy steals the show with her Tony-winning portrayal of a most unusual heroine.

What makes this show unique is its incredibly tight construction: there is no intermission; there are no comedic subplots; there is only a seamless flow from one event to the next, events linked through repeated musical motifs. Through the clever utilization of characters reading letters they have received from one another, Lapine and Sondheim explore the inner thoughts of the main characters. Two remarkable, complex examples are worth mentioning. The first is the "Garden Sequence," in which Clara reads aloud Giorgio's recounting of an uncomfortable conversation with Fosca, even as the conversation is occuring onstage -- not only do we watch Giorgio and Fosca interact, but we hear (through Clara) what Giorgio is thinking at the time. In "I Wish I Could Forget You," Fosca asks Giorgio to take down a letter that she wishes to dictate. However, instead of dictating a letter from herself to someone else, Fosca dictates a fantasy letter from Giorgio to herself, in which Giorgio admits that he doesn't love her, but acknowledges her love for him: "a love as pure as breath, as permanent as death, implacable as stone."

I recommend this CD to anyone who enjoys intellectually challenging art in any form. This CD is best appreciated when given undivided attention, and I find it more fulfilling, more stimulating, and more emotionally engaging to listen to the recording than to watch the video of the same cast.