Loiseau Posted April 14, 2016 Share Posted April 14, 2016 SIGH...Just finished watching "South Pacific", discovered this afternoon on the DVD shelf of the local HyperU for less than 3€!They don't make 'em like that any more...AngelaAnd a darn sight better than another DVD that I bought this week on the recommendation of SOMEONE ON THIS FORUM! (Yes, you know who you are!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 I love those old musicals - my favourite is West Side Story that Dance to "America!" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qy6wo2wpT2kt Then Carmen Jones.And the old Fred and Ginger films.You can sometimes get them on Film 4 or ?TMN. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 Ooh yes, Patf, West Side Story would have been a good one too! I shall have to keep an eye on that bargain display in HyperU!The thing with musicals is that one can watch those that one has enjoyed many times and never tire of them. ???The wooly one and I were tunelessly bawling out the songs, while the dogs had their paws covering their ears. ?Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 The first time I saw it was in 1958-9 when it first came on tour to London (stage version.) That dates me! I was living and working in London at the time. And the last time, only a few years ago I saw another stage version.I'll keep an eye out for it , we don't have a HyperU though.Another musical I like is the one based on Damon Runyon's stories - Guys and Dolls. With Frank Sinatra and Marlon Brando.Glad to know that Woolly can sing (I had my doubts.) [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 Great Bobo in a bucket, PatF, but you'm old. Must be the daddy of the forum!! Always thout it were Normie!By the way, 'er was drizzling away as well as singering, and slogging back the wine and choklit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 [:D] Cheeky B.....Yes well, with age comes wisdom (I hope.)And mummy if you please not daddy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 So you did have the op, then. It seems to have been a success. Do tell Norman about it as he has been thinking of having it done! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted April 15, 2016 Author Share Posted April 15, 2016 Now, now, children, this is veering off-topic!And as this is a French forum, I will mention the sweet little kids singing "Dites-moi, pourquoi, la vie est belle"...I last saw a production of "West Side Story" in Wandsworth prison - performed by some of the inmates in the "gang" roles, plus professional soloists, and of course female parts. It was incredibly moving.Did you ever see the arts programme - was it a South Bank Show? - when they made a recording of WSS with Leonard Bernstein conducting Kiri Te Kanawa and José Carreras as Maria and Tony? That was wonderful.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 Now I am not a fan of musicals but I do remember that TV programme with Leonard Bernstein.OH's favourite is There's a Place for Us and I think mine is Maria (song titles may not be spot on).Other thing is, I had a hell of a shock when I saw a music programme fairly recently on TV and saw LB chain-smoking..............I mean, practically lighting a new cig from the stub of the previous one.If only he didn't smoke, he might have gone on to write more beautiful music[:(]As for Te Kanawa's voice when she was in her prime, it dripped liquid honey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted April 15, 2016 Share Posted April 15, 2016 I saw that programme too. But to be honest, it was too operatic for the role for me, I prefer the film version. I don't think it was Nathalie Woods singing Maria's songs, I think someone was singing for her.Looked it up - someone called Marnie Nixon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NormanH Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Back in the distant past I was involved with productions of West Side Story, Guys and Dolls, the Boyfriend, Carousel and Cabaret Musical snob that I am I got more sustenance from Carmen and Acis and Galatea, but those musicals gave more pleasure to all involved.I rate the music of WSS and the book of Guys and Dolls very highly. My icon is me in Shaw's rather dated Candida [blink] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted April 16, 2016 Author Share Posted April 16, 2016 I agree, Patf, that those voices were really way too operatic for a musical, but it was fascinating to see the composer able to say exactly how HE wanted it sung. In fact, I remember Kiri saying, at the end of the programme, that it had been like having Mozart there in front of them.Mint, I am with your OH in his choice. In fact, in the prison production I mentioned, that number was not sung by Tony and Maria but by the prisoners' chorus, who were standing up high above the stage. It was the most tear-jerking thing to listen to those words in the mouths of those particular performers.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 My goodness, Angela, I can hear it in my head and the goose bumps are standing up and it's quite a warm day here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Wasn't Shaw the director chappie who produced those public health films in the '50s, Norman. Candida seems ti have been an appropriate topic! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted April 16, 2016 Share Posted April 16, 2016 Pat and Angela, I understand what you say about voices being too "operatic".I don't like these "crossovers"; don't like Domingo singing pop songs and equally don't like people like Streisand singing operatic type arias.One of my favourite sopranos is Renee Fleming and I bought a CD called love something or other and it was so awful that I gave it to some charity after listening to a couple of tracks.Some things just don't work but I did like Kiri te Kanawa in the Bernstein programme. But like her even better singing in the Marriage of Figaro![:D]Pat, I think you will find that Marnie Nixon has sung in lots of these musicals, in Breakfast at Tiffany, for example and, I believe, in My Fair Lady Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.