Customer Reviews

West Side Story-The New Broadway Cast Recording

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(6)

 

 

I've yet to see this revival of "West Side Story," but if this beautifully produced, powerfully performed album is any indication, the show is as marvelous as everyone says it is. I have to admit that I'm one of those who's taken this landmark musical for granted over the years. "Oh yes, it's 'West Side Story,' been there done that." But listening to this CD, one is reminded WHY it's become a part of all of our lives since it's debut some 40 years ago. Perhaps there have been better sung versions, but I can't recall one that's made such a strong case for this work's continued validity. Chalk it up, certainly, to the combined genius of Sondheim and Bernstein, but also, this time around, to a young, vibrant cast that seems to have been born to play these roles. Simply put, Matt Cavenaugh and Josefina Scaglione ARE Tony and Maria. Regardless of what one may think of their voices (Cavenaugh's is a tad nasal, Scaglione's a bit thin at the top), the honesty, passion and intensity of the performances cannot be denied. Some here have found their spoken dialogue unconvincing, but I find it highly effective and touching, due in great part to the authenticity of Scaglione's accent. To hear her say how she'll never joke about love again is to relive one's memories of youthful longing and the ways in which one's first love defines all others. As for the supporting cast, it's uniformly terrific. Karen Olivo, as Anita, miraculously makes as strong an impression as have her predecessors, which is saying a lot.

Of course, the new Spanish lyrics are the big news here, and while I never found them a distraction, I'm not sure they serve as great a purpose as they were meant to. (Particularly when the Sharks, in the "Tonight" quintet, still sing the word "tonight" in English.) Perhaps it has more of an impact in live performance. That said, Lin-Manuel Miranda seems to have done a terrific, if not literal, translation. (Sondheim's only demand was that Miranda retain his rhyme schemes.) When Anita sings "cabron...Americano," it actually has more impact that simply "a boy like that..." Personally, I did find Tony's singing in Spanish during the finale a trifle politically correct; it's doubtful he would know enough of the language to do a spontaneous translation as he's dying. On the other hand, the decision to have a boy soprano sing "Somewhere" is an inspired one. Like so much else on this remarkably successful recording, it demands of us that we listen with new ears. For those willing to do so, the rewards will be immense; a very moving reminder of why "West Side Story" is going to be with us for as long as its source material.

West Side Story came out the year I graduated prep school. I saw it on Broadway at the Winter Garden in August 1960, which was an experience that still resonates within me. I love the show and I love the music, and it struck me as a bit unusual that there is such a diversity of opinion in the reviews here at Amazon.

Not wanting the whole CD particularly, I downloaded two songs, Tonight and One Hand, One Heart, in an attempt to evaluate the leads, and I have to concur with the critics that find fault. Scaglione's voice does not have the quality I would expect in a lead of a show of this magnitude. Not only does it thin as the pitch goes higher, she seems to have trouble hitting notes right, and her vibrato comes when it detracts from the song. I assume she must be miked for the production as I can't see that voice filling a theater. When I saw the show, Lawrence and Rivera had departed, but the woman doing Maria had a fine voice, and once I accepted that she wasn't Carol Lawrence, I was totally engrossed in the show.

Cavenaugh comes across better, but his voice is nasal and he sings tentatively as if he was not comfortable with the part. There is a sense of urgency, a tension, in many of the WSS songs and this was particularly lacking in Tonight.

It seemed to me, particularly in Tonight, that there was much more orchestra than was needed. The OCR sounds as if they used the pit band and this track sounds like they have the whole symphony and it dominates when the singers should be front and center. Perhaps this is just poor engineering and mixing. I wonder also about the tempi. It seems to me they are slow.

A reviewer mentioned that instead of using the cast to snap their fingers, an electronic device is used. That probably says more about current performers than needs to be said and the use of Spanish is a bad idea. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, but it seems to me, in trying to make it better, they broke it. There apparently isn't a Jerome Robbins to get it done right.

One question: I would love to see the original production, if only to see the dances, even if it wasn't the whole show. Is any of it available on DVD?

I bought this the next day after I watched the broadway show. The studio-quality recording is much better than live. There is no discount tickets of WSS as of July 2009. I bought them from ticketmaster two weeks before. WSS is full of dancing, even the gang fight was performed in a dance which added the uniqueness of the masterpiece. Bernstein is the genius behind the scene by mixing classical, jazz and latin music. Almost all kind of percussions such as timpani, xylophone, wood blocks, conga, etc were used. I don't understand Spanish, but the Spanish songs could be the main attraction for me to buy the music. I stopped buying CD-format anymore, but for this I need the print-out libretto (lyrics). Anyway it's only $3 more than the MP3 download.

I saw the original London production of 'West Side Story' when I was 15 years old and was totally bowled over by it. Over the years, I have learned to appreciate the movie version, although I always liked ANITA and BERNARDO and found it better that they did the 'America' number. I also enjoyed 'Dance at the Gym' in the movie - the 'Mambo' is exilerating.
I no longer live in New York City now BUT I made a special trip up in order to see the new production of 'West Side Story' during its first week. The production is excellent - the woman that plays Anita is great - sadly, she and Bernardo do not play-off each other in 'America' although other changes inspired by the movie have been included. The 'hispanic' dialogue is a definite plus - wouldn't Anita and Maria not speak to each other in their own dialect???? So it was with much excitement that I awaited my copy of the CD of the new cast recording.

I hate to say it BUT sadly I was very disappointed by it.

Most of the songs are good but 'Dance at the Gym' is too short and lacks the excitement that it had on stage. 'America' is also too short and totally lacks the tension that it would have had were Anita and Bernado been allowed to play-off each other.

Tony is good and so is Maria. But it is the music and the lyrics which are the real stars of any album. On stage, this would be enhanced by the dancing.

Sadly, for me, this recording does not measure up to the stage production. It needed alot more ZEST! Sorry.

So disappointed with the bi-lingual version...why must people insist on fixing something that isn't broken. On the contrary, this musical is a classic, and trying to change a beautiful thing is always the WRONG decision...anyone who loved the original, just stick with that...

The Orchestra is terrific. The cast is uneven. One odd disappointment is that the finger snaps in so many other versions (including the movie soundtrack) are replaced by an electronic sounding snap. Even if it needed to be augmented for the stage, it's a sticks out sorely in the recording--and robs it of some human-ness. Cavanaugh is OK--a bit TOO "high school," and Josephina Scaglione "scoops" almost every note. Why can't current broadway singers just hit the note, stay in character, and lose the vibrato? Where's Sutton Foster when you need her?

There are a handful of musicals that are so perfect and complete as they were originaly presented, that any re-interpretation will only hurt a production. Shows like Oklahoma!, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Gypsy, A Chorus Line and West Side Story are flawless masterpieces and should be, and need to be re-created as close to the originals as possible. This re-interpretation is not necessary and clearly is capitalizing on current trends and demographics. I don't think the changes work, are not needed and damage what was perfection originally, and from what I've read of the reviews the critics agree with me. The film, though it's pretty good, did the same thing to the stage show.
Actually I can understand why they made the changes that were made. It is, after all, a business, and I am sure they thought the new Spanish changes would attract a Latino audience and hopefully keep the show running, and possibly profit. On that count, go for it! It is after all WSS, and it's on Broadway again, so... Bravo!!!

But for the recorded music, stick to the original, and now the new re-release of the OBC has symphonic selections added at the end of the CD, as performed by the NY Philharmonic that are terrific.

I just saw the touring company in Dallas last night, and we picked up the 2009 Broadway Cast recording that they were selling in the lobby.

I was very excited to hear about the Broadway revival, and the idea of having the Puerto Rican characters singing and speaking in Spanish to be a wonderful way to bring a fresh and authentic take on this masterpiece. Unfortunately, they seem to have chickened out halfway. The Puerto Rican characters keeps switching back and forth between English and Spanish for no apparent plot- or character-driven reason. (Note that there are a few times early in the dialog where one of the Puerto Rican character during a Puerto Rican-only scene something like "No, English!" as if they're practicing their fluency but it seems very contrived.)

Aside from this attempt at originality, dance scenes of the rest of production seems to be a step-for-step copy of the movie, which I assume used most of the choreography from the original stage production. The singing seems no better, despite the occasional breaks into Spanish. The singers are for the most part mediocre (except Maria, who is very good). They hit a number of sour notes, and never seem to quite get the syncopation and Latin rhythms that Bernstein uses to great effect. The orchestra, however seems impeccable.

On the whole, this recording isn't awful (although it does have moments that are quite cringe-worthy). It just isn't particularly good.

This weekend West Side Story unfortuately closed its run in New York -- a transporting experience with a superb cast that gave everything they had, with great energy and talent. The music and dancing in the gym scene and later with "Somewhere" were simply riveting. Personally I find the slightly tamer orchestral presentation absolutely right for a 2010 production and the New York Times was spot on in its review when it said one feels more protective of the tragic youth on stage rather than menaced, hence a more muted musical interpretation, which still packs a wallop and is played to perfection. The more modern character and musical sharpness of this orchestra comes through nicely on the CD. What an extraordinary musical gift, still fresh and so profoundly moving after more than 50 years.

I saw this live at the National Theatre (I believe) and I felt the same way about the production as I do the soundtrack: The talent is absolutely fantastic, Tony and Maria were inspired, beautiful, and flawless, Anita was brilliant; however, the changes that were made were totally dissappointing. I'm all for making things more modern, but this is a play that is as 100% accurate today as it was when it originally came out. There is no need to make unnecessary changes (Um, random little boy coming out of the corner and singing "somewhere" anyone???) The most dissappointing change (in my opinion) was the total destruction of the most crowd pleasing song, "America." Perhaps it has always always been sung by just the shark women in the play adaptation (not sure), but the movie version with the men is far superior. Even with the wonderfully talented woman who plays Anita, it still falls flat and is simply sad. Overall, the soundtrack is fine, but stick with the original if you are trying to decide which one to buy.