Customer Reviews

The Secret Garden (1991 Original Broadway Cast)

5 star:		(78)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

One of the standout broadway musicals of the last part of the 20th century, The Secret Garden boasts a great source (Frances Hodgson Burnett's classic novel), a wonderful score by Lucy Simon, and a superb cast. From the opening exotic sounds of the cholera outbreak in India which leaves young Mary Lenox orphaned to the (admittedly somewhat schmaltzy) finale of "This, my lovely child, is your garden!" the score swirls and soars in a magnificent musical tapestry. Almost universally consistent accents (an extreme rarity in Broadway theater; kudos to the dialect coach) are instrumental in helping establish the "feel" of the piece, and the dark Yorkshire moor where the majority of the action is set.

The cast features the youngest Tony winner to date, 11-year-old Daisy Eagan, who plays Mary Lennox to perfection. Rebecca Luker's glorious soaring soprano makes Lily's ghost songs heartbreakingly ethereal, and even Mandy Patinkin's usual histrionics don't detract a bit from his powerful rendition of the disfigured, disturbed, and perpetually mourning Archibald. The supporting cast is equally superb: Alison Fraser performs "Hold On" and "Fine White Horse" with warm wit and tenderness, and John Cameron Mitchell (now perhaps better known for Hedwig and the Angry Inch) has an impish tone as Dickon, with the standout solos "Winter's on the Wing" and "Wick."

The recording wisely includes a substantial amount of dialogue to supplement the score, making it possible to understand the show fully, even for those who haven't seen it (or, like me, saw it almost half a lifetime ago). Complete lyrics, and a solid, concise plot synopsis further enhance the package. A solid addition to any musical theater fan's collection.

I am a huge theatre fan. I mean, theatre is my life! That's why i am so glad that my life is hitting a bright beautiful patch! Why, you ask? Simple--The Secret Garden!

I just fell head over heels in love with this magical show. The music is simply stunning! The lyrics range from dazzlingly innocent ("Show me the Key" especially) to exceptionally profound and emotional ("Lily's Eyes").

Rebecca Luker (who was so wonderful in "the Sound of Music") and Daisy Eagan shine! John Cameron Mitchell's Dickon is tons of fun, adding a splendid comic relief naivety to the production. Then, of course, there's Mandy Patinkin who at first listen sounds a bit out of place. Patinkin sounds to reserved in the beginning--a far cry from his "Evita" days. But after a few songs the voice settles into your system and you come to love him along with everyone else.

I often buy cast recordings that stay in my CD player for mere hours before I put them back in their cases and in storage. This, my friends, is not one such album! I will be surprised if I ever take it out! It's wonderful, ranking right up there with "Ragtime." You must discover "The Secret Garden."

THE SECRET GARDEN, based on Frances Burnett's classic children's novel, opened on Broadway in musical form in 1991 to critical and audience acclaim. Most of the praise was for the amazing, eclectic score written by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman.

The show originally starred Daisy Eagan (Mary Lennox), Mandy Patinkin (Archibald Craven), Rebecca Luker (Lily Craven), Robert Westenberg (Dr Craven), Alison Fraser (Martha) and John Cameron Mitchell (Dickon).

The score features a lush combination of haunting love songs, sweeping waltzes, Celtic-inspired chants and rock-type anthems as well as a few Broadway-style tunes.

Standout songs include the heartbreaking "How Could I Ever Know?", the jaunty "A Fine White Horse", and "A Girl in the Valley". Other great songs are "Winter's on the Wing", "The Girl I Mean to Be", "Wick", "Come To My Garden" and "Race You To the Top of the Morning".

It is one of the greatest tragedies that this musical did not run longer on Broadway, but it was later re-conceived and significantly re-written for its West End production at the Aldwych Theatre.

Highly recommended.

Prior to this recording, I am ashanmed to say that I had never heard Mandy Patinkin. His Archie was absolutely fantastic! "Race You to the Top of the Morning" was flawless; his intonation and the music and the lyrics were in perfect sync. Once again, I'm ashamed to admit that I had never heard Rebecca Luker or Daisy Eagan before this either. Both turned in beautiful performances, particularily Luker's Lily in "How Could I Ever Know".

I am partial, however, in both book and musical, to Dickon. John Cameron Mitchell's portrayal is honest and artless while showing off a real talent for conveying emotions through voice alone. (For more but VERY different JCM, see "Hedwig and the Angry Inch")

As a true fan on musical theatre and no of several of the artists featured on this album, I MUST reccomend this. While the orchestration and vocal arrangements sometimes tend to drag on, one song is worth the entire price of the album. "Lily's Eyes" is possibly the greatest song I have heard come out of musical theatre. The first time I listened to the song, my eyes were red and I was quite ready to cry. If there is one song everybody must hear at least once, "Lily's Eyes" would be it.

Fans of Mandy Patinkin, musical theatre, and the Burnett's book will adore this, but the story is engulfing even to the skeptical listener. The performances are absolutely amazing.

This is the best musical I have ever seen in my life, and I have heard and seen quite a variety, from Singin' in the Rain and On the Town to Cats and Jesus Christ Superstar to Swing Time to The Wizard of Oz to Les Mis to My Fair Lady to The Sound of Music and State Fair to Fiddler on the Roof to Gypsy to Hello, Dolly! and more. I saw a production of it at my local high school, and it is truly magical. You will love it. This CD with Robert Westenburg, Mandy Patinkin, Rebecca Luker, Daisy Eagan...The cast is outstanding...The music is just perfect...your heart will break for Archie and Neville during "Lily's Eyes." "Hold On" will lift your spirits to the skies, you'll feel lighter than air, like you could fly! That's how inspirational it is. "I Heard Someone Crying" is hauntingly beautiful, and "A Girl in the Valley" is a lovely lilting melody, and romantic as well. "Wick" will have you up and singing with a smile spread across your face. "If I had a fine White Horse" is a comical song that bounces along with a rhythm and a melody that you stop singing. "The House Upon the Hill" is a moody, dramatic song that sets the stage for Misselthwaite Manor. "Come to My Garden"/"Lift Me Up" has two beautiful melodies weaving through each other, each complementing the other; one a gentle appeal my a mother and the other the promise from a child. "Where in the World" and "How Could I Ever Know"...I have no words left to describe them, but they are among the best songs I have ever heard. Every melody will get locked into your heart and stay with you forever. Please buy this, and listen to every second of every song. I can promise you quite easily, without a doubt, that you will not regret it.

_The Secret Garden_ has some absolutely enchanting lyrics, and while the music is not as spectacular or memorable, it can still be incredibly moving in combination with those wonderful words.

Admittedly, the music has a definite trend towards soft, high parts, especially with the vocals, where soprano (Mary and Lily) and tenor (Dickon and Archibald) parts reign supreme. So if such music is not your type, you probably won't like _The Secret Garden_ as much as some -- but you might well still like it at least a bit!

However, let it be noted that the casting was excellent, especially for the leading parts of Mary and Archibald. The eleven-year-old Daisy Eagan was the life of the show *and* its songs; what more is there to be said? Mandy Patinkin absolutely excelled in the songs such as "A Bit of Earth" and "Lily's Eyes" -- his voice is perfect for the songs and the songs are perfect for his voice, which is without doubt the loveliest tenor I've ever heard. To say nothing of the rest of the superb cast! Rebecca Luker, for instance, has a wonderful classic soprano that works out perfectly in the part of Lily. In fact, the interplay of vocals in general was fantastic, as best evidenced in such numbers as the aptly named "Quartet," the eerily beautiful "I Heard Someone Crying," where the enchanting parts sung flawlessly by Luker and Patinkin can send chills down my spine, and the haunting baritone/tenor duet of "Lily's Eyes."

Some of the songs do become overly complex, and lyrics are perhaps too often repeated in part. Also, one might be inclined to think that everything on this recording is not entirely necessary, such as some of the tuneless scenes. All in all, though, _The Secret Garden_ has an incredibly wonderful soundtrack.

This new musical version is faithful to the children's classic novel about how a little girl bravely brings healing to a house haunted by grief. The show is filled with moving vocal and acting performances by both young and old. The music is rich, beautiful, haunting and stirring. The entire story is communicated in the recording, so it makes for a very nice experince to sit down in a dark room or on a long road and hear the whole program. Some of my favorite moments: the soprano duet between the young boy Colin and the spirit of his departed mother in "Come To My Garden/Lift Me Up"; the tenor duet between Archibald Craven and his brother Neville in "Lily's Eyes"; the tenor/soprano duet where servant Dickon encourages young Mary Lennox that tending the garden will make a difference in "Wick". Appropriate for all ages. You're not likely to regret this purchase.

I saw THE SECRET GARDEN on Broadway when I was fifteen years old. The original cast recording, which I've owned ever since, truly captures the spirit of this lovely and poignant musical about an orphaned girl who, with the help of a "secret garden," changes the lives of the inhabitants of gloomy Misselthwaite Manor. The entire cast is superb, both in their singing and in their acting (a fair amount of spoken dialogue is included on the recording). If I had to single out just two cast members for praise, they would be Rebecca Luker, who sings with ethereal, even eerie, purity as Lily, the orphaned girl's aunt (or rather, the GHOST of the orphaned girl's aunt) and Mandy Patinkin, in glorious voice as the grief-stricken uncle, Archibald Craven, who finally learns how to love again. Through his singing and his delivery of the dialogue, Patinkin creates a totally believable characterization. His renditions of "A Bit of Earth" and "Race You to the Top of the Morning" are two highlights of his performance and of the recording as a whole; another is the tremendously moving "How Could I Ever Know?", sung by him and Luker. Hearing the score of THE SECRET GARDEN, especially as performed by the artists on this CD, is a beautiful experience. I believe it is one of the finest show albums ever recorded, and it is definitely my favorite.

Although I have never seen this musical performed live on stage, I purchased this recording just to hear music composed by women composers/lyrisists with whom I was not familiar. From a musical perspective, the work and the performance are flawless! Each song on this CD is a treasure. Previous reviewers commented on the plethora of thematical material--there is not a dull or repetitive moment!
The performances are excellent! Daisy Eagan has a powerful and lovely voice for a young girl. She shines in her role as Mary. Charlotte Church should have taken some lessons from her. Daisy easily carries her part against the adult voices of Lily and Archibald in "I Heard Someone Crying" and lets it all hang out in her duet with Dickon, "Wick." Great work!
Alison Fraser's performance as Martha makes we want to see the musical with her in it! Alison's role is purely fun and tender. "If I had a fine White Horse" wins the prize for the most fun! I love Alison's gorgeous alto voice in "Hold On."
The men in the recording are well cast and exceptionally cast. Mandy Patinkin and Robert Westenberg blend nicely in their duets, while Dickon almost steals the show with his solo work.
My favorite part of this recording is Rebecca Luker as Lily. Rebecca's voice is probably one of the best broadway voices I have heard. She has a perfect vibrato-free tone that is well-suited to her role. Ms. Luker is preferable to Sarah Brightman's shrill exercises any day. I would like to hear her sing Phantom--that would be a treat.
Everything about this well-scored recording is wonderful. A definite must have for anyone, not just Broadway fans.

THE SECRET GARDEN was the best (and most under appreciated ) musical of the 90's. Even thoug it is nearly 10 years since it closed, it is still talked of very highly. And the music is absolutely haunting! Some of the best songs: I HEARD SOMEONE CRYING, LILY'S EYES (of course!) and the IMMENSELY moving HOW COULD I EVER KNOW and COME TO MY GARDEN/LIFT ME UP. I still remember COME TO MY GARDEN when I saw it on Bway --as the little boy fell calmly asleep in the arms of his mother's ghost, the lights slowly, slowly faded to one tiny blue spot on their two faces. Then blackout. It was the most moving thing I have ever experienced in the theater! Other shows with their screeching choruses and suicides and tragic deaths --they were telling you (almsot FORCING you) how you were suppesed to feel. TSG moved me in ways that were so subtle and quiet and gentle. It let YOU find the emotion instead of forcing it on you! THIS is the show that deserved a ten year run --I would gladly trade in LES MIZ and PHANTOM to see TSG just one more time.

PS --Let's hope the current Royal Shakespeare Production in England gets a FULL recording and (dare I wish) a video as well!!

MIKEY