The Man Who Cried [SOUNDTRACK]

Salvatore Licitra (Artist), Kronos Quartet (Artist), Taraf de Haidouks (Artist)

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 22, 2001)
• SPARS Code: DDD
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Soundtrack
• Label: Sony
• ASIN: B00005J9XR
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #50,012 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #94 in

  Music > World Music > Latin Music > Tango

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Sally Potter's film tells the tale of a young Jewish girl caught up in a maelstrom of artistic, emotional, and political conflicts on the eve of the Nazi occupation of France. The Man Who Cried is set against a disparate backdrop of Paris opera houses and rich Gypsy folk music, and Potter has assembled a diverse, compelling score with the help of Argentine composer Osvaldo Golijov. Opera fans should note the presence of meteoric young star Salvatore Licitra, a tenor whose performances here (which include excerpts from Puccini's Tosca, Bizet's The Pearl Fishers, and Verdi's Il Trovatore) mark his recording debut. Giving that operatic sensibility its historical and ethnic context, Golijov's delicate pieces, performed by the Kronos Quartet, serve to balance the swirling Gypsy verve of the Taraf de Haïdouks ensemble. The resulting score gleefully turns the various clichés of "world music" on their heads, revealing new connections between Euro-folk and the classics as the disc showcases traditionalists and newcomers alike, introducing a bright new operatic star in the bargain. --Jerry McCulley

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sweeping global musical landscape of love and passion..., March 31, 2002

By	Veggiechiliqueen - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

"The Man Who Cried" is one of the best soundtracks of the last few years. It is a flawless, spellbinding compilation of classical opera (Bizet, Verdi, Puccini, Purcell), Roma (Gypsy) music (Taraf de Haidouks), and original score ("Cesar's Song," "Close Your Eyes," "Without a Word." The Kronos Quartet performs the original score).

Tenor Salvatore Licitra in particular was a gem, this being his debut recording. His voice is tragically gorgeous on "E Lucevan le stelle," heroic and lighthearted on "Di quella pira," haunting on "Je crois entendre encore" (especially on the Yiddish version) and "Close Your Eyes," an achingly tender Yiddish lullaby that Suzie/Fegele's (Christina Ricci) father sings to her as a child in Russia.

Christina Ricci's singing voice is provided by Czech chanteuse Iva Bittova, whose sultry jazz stylings on "Gloomy Sunday" and childlike innocence on "Dido's Lament" combine to form a musical portrait that matches Suzie's (Christina Ricci's) screen image of a teenager teetering on the edge of adulthood, exploring her musical talent and blossoming sexuality. A pity that the final version of "Close Your Eyes" sung by Bittova wasn't included, but "The Man Who Cried" is a fantastic soundtrack that captures the tumultuous musical world of WWII Paris.

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Man Who Cried, May 2, 2002

By	Christina Holloway (Cocoa, FL United States) - See all my reviews

Moving, versatile, deep and rich. Salvatore Licitra, will you marry me?

The Kronos Quartet, Iva, every artist named and unmentioned on this soundtrack will pull at your heart.

It's not necessary to have seen the movie to appreciate the soundtrack - it is as operatic as cinematic, as large as it is personal, as complex as it is simple.

This is one of the best recorded works I have heard in years, and my musical taste is broad. Spend the few dollars, add it to your collection, enrich your life, for it is short.

Christina

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful movie, beautiful music, January 6, 2004

By	Ann (Vancouver, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews

This CD features the debut recording for Salvatore Licitra who proves to be a tenor to look out for in the future. Combined with the powerful voice of Licitra, this CD contains tracks of traditional roma (gypsy) music. Rent/buy the DVD/Video, watch the movie and then buy the CD - you won't regret it.