Customer Reviews

Sweeney Todd Live at the New York Philharmonic

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

There is a lot to enjoy in this spectacular live recording, which captures the overflowing excitement of these performances. For those who were initially disappointed when Bryn Terfel bowed out of the title role, George Hearn stepped in and triumphed. If his voice isn't quite the powerhouse of Terfel's, Hearn is an equally commanding stage presence, and brings a lifetime of acting expertise to the fore.

As the slightly dotty Mrs. Lovett, Patti LuPone is excellent, and actually sings the difficult songs such as the dazzling "A Little Priest." As the flood of words cascades down, she catches every rhyme, shapes each phrase with expert comic timing, and further, nails all the notes. (No slight intended, in the least, to Angela Lansbury and her by now legendary work in this show.) The other cast members are also wonderful (including the marvelous Audra McDonald), and the entire evening is conducted with extravagant sweep and polish by Andrew Litton. The New York Philharmonic also sounds terrific, and again, their accuracy reveals the subtleties and complexities of Sondheim's score. Harmonically, there is a lot packed in here, and while the original cast recording had an excellent orchestra, the Philharmonic's musicians cope with the cascading rhythms with even more confidence.

The sound is very good, recorded from live performances. Now and then a cast member will be a bit too far from the microphones, or too close, but frankly this only adds to the spontaneous, "you are there" feeling.

Although the original cast recording has power and character to spare, this new one is a must for those who love the music itself. With the adrenalin running high (including the audience fairly roaring its approval), this is a great addition to the Sondheim canon and should give even a jaded listener much pleasure.

Although I am an enthusiastic fan of Mr. Sondheim's work, and a lover of the musical "Sweeney Todd", I had decided not to purchase the very pricey live recording of the NY Philharmonic concert version. (I find that these "concert performances" of great works usually leave much to be desired; particularly since they are always gravely under-rehearsed.) Happily, however, I received the CD as a Christmas gift: It is terrific.

It appears that most Sondheim fans loathe George Hearn's Sweeney. I, however, believe that his is the definitive interpretation of the role. I did see Len Cariou perform Sweeney (with Angela Lansbury) in the original Broadway run, and Cariou's Sweeney was very good; he was quiet, big, powerful and very scary. But what Hearn understands is what Cariou never got: Sweeney is, as Mrs. Lovett says, a bleeding little nobody. I recall wondering, throughout Cariou's performance, why doesn't this powerful and scary Sweeney just go to the judge's house at night and kill him; or get him on the street; why does he wait? Hearn, with his hand wringing and desperate emotional outbursts, understands why. Hearn also understands that Sweeney Todd is a melodrama, and what many see as "excesses" in Hearn's portrayal, I see as perfectly appropriate emotional levels for the character, and for the 19th Century operetta form.

I now own BOTH versions of Sweeney Todd, and am very glad about that.

I ordered this CD with great anticipation since I so ardently admire George Hearn's performance as Sweeney Todd. Unfortunately, the CD is marred by Patti Lupone's over-acting. Maybe it was too much for her to do Mrs. Lovett after only 3-4 days of frantic rehearsal (according to the included CD booklet). In particular, if you listen to songs like "The Worst Pies in London" and "A Little Priest", her voice jumps from singing to screeching. It's almost like she doesn't have control of her voice. Fortunately, Patti Lupone is much better on the DVD with the San Francisco Symphony (a year after the New York Philharmonic concerts). She sounds more comfortable with the role and tones down the acting. Both the New York Philharmonic and the San Francisco Symphony concerts have pretty much the same cast, so get the DVD and if you want, you can rip the audio off the DVD. I feel like I wasted my money on this recording, but at least I got a nice booklet (130+ pages) with commentary, full libretto, and comments from the cast and production staff.

Let's face it... despite what anyone says, SWEENEY TODD is the most prominate member of the "Broadway Opera". It can be performed so sucessfully by Opera Singers (As Heidi Grant Murphy and Strafford Olsen prove) or By Broadway belters (such as Neil Patrick Harris and Angela Lansbury, on the origonal cast albulm)This recording, starring both opera stars and Broadway's best, is how Sweeney should be heard.

First off, it includes most of the dialouge, and what is prunned is not really missed. The entire score is not performed here (as it is on the origonal cast albulm) but all that is missing are the usual cuts: the second Half of Pirelli's shaving/tooth-pulling aria and the majority of the Beadle and Mrs. Lovett's Parlour songs. The NY Phil are practicly perfect for this score, and the New York Choral Artists are excellent as one of Opera's most complicated and interactive chorus (compare with the cardboard choruses of Mozart) Andrew Litton does not know the score as well as Gemignani, but he does an excellent job.

The cast is steller. Neil Patrick Harris, aka "Doogie Hoswer", is the definete Tobias, so touching and energetic. Heidi Grant Murphy is a Luxurios Johanna, and Davis Gains is excellent as Anthony, if not as good as Chris Groendal on the Lansbury Video. Audra McDonnell is her usual astounding, scrumptious self, a haunting, pathetic Begger Woman. John Aler and Stafford Olsen toss off their tenor roles with aplomb, even if Olsen isn't as good as his counterpart on the origonal cast recording. Paul Plashika as the Judge is the recording's one major letdown. He provide's strong support in "Pretty Women" but falls flat in his "Johanna" and in dialouge scenes.

Patti Lupone is nothing else but excellent as Mrs. Lovett. Her impecable comic timing and quick-change vocals (beautiful and haunting one moment, belting, brassy, and funny the next) serve hear Lovett well. Unfortunetly for Ms. LuPone, nobody, I repeat NOBODY can beat Angela Lansbury's landmark interpretation of the role. However, LuPone provides a nice alternative with a prettier voice than Lansbury, but without Lansbury's natural character skills.

As far as the title role goes, George Hern IS Sweeney Todd. Len Cariou's voice was not in great voice for the origonal recording, and Hern is far more impressive vocall. However, Cariou does have a better Todd acting-wise. Hern's Sweeney is not the dark, brooding pyschotic that was Cariou's, but an explocive maniac seconds away from madness throughout.

All in all, there is no way to go wrong with either recording of Sweeney Todd. You may want to consider The Lansbury recording, but this offers more impressive performances from most of the cast. My advice: get both.

I'm not sure what CD the first two reviewers listened to, but it certainly couldn't have been this thrilling new recording of my favorite Sondheim show. I saw George Hearn as Sweeney on Broadway, and I never could have imagined he'd sing this role better than ever more than 20 years later.

As for Miss LuPone, she too may have never sounded better. It must be very daunting indeed to play Mrs. Lovett with everyone's memory of the amazing Angela Lansbury, but Patti LuPone makes it her own: a more sensual, earthier take on the character. "Not While I'm Around" has never been more simultaneously heartbreaking and creepy, which of course is how it's supposed to be.

Speaking of heartbreaking, that's the word I'd use for Neil Patrick Harris as well--far and away the best Tobey I've ever heard/seen (I watched this concert on PBS).

This recording is just as thrilling as the original Broadway cast recording, and it's essential for anyone who loves this show.

I love the original CD and Video...but this Sweeney is incredible....George Hearn is powerful and scary Patti Lupone is hilarious, stunning, needy, loving,....and in a word...spectacular! What a belt...what a ballad...what an beautifully acted part.

I am not sure whether I like this recording better or the Original Broadway Cast recording better, to be perfectly honest. They've both got their strong points and their weak points, and they're both more strong than they are weak.

I certainly don't like Patti LuPone as much as I like Angela Lansbury, but I actually found LuPone quite tolerable on this recording (which is odd because I didn't like her on the DVD at all).

As far as I'm concerned, George Hearn makes this recording worth the price. To me, he *is* Sweeney Todd. No one before or after has captured the role so well. The rest of the cast is very good, as well, and I really can think of nothing of any significance to complain about here, except perhaps the cutting of the complete Parlor Songs, but that's entirely forgivable, given the quality of the rest of what's here.

Personally I would recommend this recording wholeheartedly to any Sweeney Todd fan, and I wouldn't hesitate to introduce someone to the musical with this recording, either. As I said earlier, I can't decide between this one or the Original Broadway Cast. Both are wonderful recordings.

While the Original Broadway Cast Album has many advocates, my vote for the definitive Sweeny recording is this amazing concert. Len Cariou's Sweeny on the OBC sounds tired and strained; Hearn's classic performance, preserved here, suffers not from these ailments, sounding nearly as good he did 20 years earlier when he first played the role as Cariou's replacement. While no one will ever match Angela Lansbury in role of Mrs. Lovett, LuPone is a better for a recording given her unbelievable vocal pyrotechnics, which Lansbury could never dream of duplicating. The rest of the cast is wonderful (Audra McDonald! Neil Patrick Harris! Davis Gaines! All superb.) and usually vocally more assured than in any other version. While I find the Judge Turpin a bit too operatic for the role, he hardly throws off the balance of this amazing cast. The orchestrations have never sounded more lush (the philharmonic helps out there) and the chorus is massively large, something financially impossible for a Broadway production. This recording plus the DVD of the original Hal Prince production (which is still the hands-down must have Sweeny purchase) will give even the most devoted Sondheim devotee his fill....if such a thing is ever possible for us Sondheim nuts.

This Sweeney Todd Broadway Cast live from at the New York Philharmonic is excellent! I have the dvd of this at home. I'm a little upset that they replaced three people which are Johanna, Beggar Woman and Judge Turpin. I'm happy they kept George Hearn becuase he's my favorite Sweeney. We'll now I'm confuessed because I just saw this show in New York city with Michael Cerveris. Davis Gains as Anthony Hope is amazing. He played Phantom for sevral years. Patti Lupone is back as Mrs.Lovett in the new one. This is my favorite version of this show. It's amazing I love it.

This New York Philharmonic Sweeney Todd stands out from all of the other recordings because of the superb talents of George Hearn, Patti LuPone, Audra McDonald and the rest of this fabulous cast. I especially appreciate the incomparable book that includes the COMPLETE libretto and the most endearing interviews (Sondheim, too!). To hear a Broadway show played by a first-class symphony orchestra and the New York Choral Artists is a rare treat. This is a recording of a live show and these CDs capture all of the spontaneity, fun and excitement that just doesn't exist in a studio recording. I had as much fun listening to it as if I was in the audience myself.