Victor/Victoria (1995 Original Broadway Cast) [CAST RECORDING]

Tony Roberts, Rachel York, Leslie Bricusse, Tara O'Brien, Julie Andrews, Henry Mancini

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 5, 1995)
• Original Release Date: December 5, 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Cast Recording
• Label: Decca Broadway
• ASIN: B0000041E4
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #108,705 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Musical Fan from Cokato, February 23, 2000

By	Jason B. Olson (Cokato) - See all my reviews

I believe that quite a few people have been extremely harsh to this musical and have not looked past their noses to say the musical recording redeeming qualities.

First of all is the star Julie Andrews. She may not have the voice that she did in the 1960's, but even then in 1995, few could sing the way she did. Some of the reviewers do not seem to believe that personality, which she provides, is good. This is being incredibly harsh and short sighted. Her La Jazz Hot number is fabulous. The writers should have just allowed more time to her, instead of the baritone singing the beginning.

Rachel York who plays Norma is about as good as you can get. Her 1930 mob doll voice is perfect with the hilarious numbers of Chicago and Paris Is So Sexy.

The shows ending number called Victor Victoria I found to be clever. It provides more finality to the show. That was the problem with the barber of Seville. While it was funnier with Robert Preston at the end it did not truly end the show.

For the most part the show is upbeat and stresses positive themes about people following alternative lifestyles. Some people need to open their eyes more. True this is not Lloyd Weber or Boubille and Schonberg, but it is Mancini and the qualities in that are unmistakable.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Musical, December 27, 1999

By A Customer

This is a pleasant recording of the stage version of Victor Victoria. I saw the show on Broadway and it was fabulous and Julie was exceptional. This cast recording has some great new material with "Living in the Shadows" as one of the stand out numbers. Beautiful music and lyrics. Julie also does a fantastic job on "Louis Says" and "If I Were A Man". "Le Jazz Hot" is a different, longer arrangement than the film version, but equally as grand.

To anyone who was fortunate enough to have seen it live, this will bring back great memories. This disc is wonderful for any admirer of Julie Andrews.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Julie Andrews' return to Broadway after a 30-year absence, March 5, 2004

By	Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews (TOP 50 REVIEWER)

VICTOR/VICTORIA was tricked out for the Broadway stage in 1995, and would help usher in a whole slew of screen-to-stage adaptations (STATE FAIR, HIGH SOCIETY and THE PRODUCERS to name but a few). Once again, Julie Andrews essayed the title role/s, with an expanded score by Henry Mancini, Leslie Bricusse and Frank Wildhorn.

Julie Andrews suffered several bouts of illness during her time in the show, which eventually forced her to leave the production. Liza Minnelli and Raquel Welch later played Victoria before the musical closed in early 1997, resulting in a loss of about $4 million. The national tour featured both Ann Runolfsson and Toni Tennille but was a mild success. The outcome?...Julie Andrews OWNS the show and it can never be a success without her!

Though many people, including myself, believed that Andrews would have been better-showcased in a revival of A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC or even LADY IN THE DARK, she gives a thrilling performance in V/V's stage incarnation. Though the new songs aren't a patch on the originals, they serve a purpose and move the plot along briskly.

Andrews is joined by a stellar cast including Tony Roberts (SUGAR) as Toddy, Michael Nouri as King Marchan, Rachel York as Norma, Tara O'Brien as the street-singer and Gregory Jbara (the one-time husband of Rebecca Luker) as Squash Bernstein.

This is a must-own for Julie Andrews fans.