Editorial Review:

Album Description:
The landmark musical's first-ever Broadway revival! The curtain rang down on Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific in 1954 after five years of extraordinary acclaim and countless awards including nine Tonys and a Pulitzer. Based on James Michener's Pulitzer Prize winning book Tales of the South Pacific, the musical is set on a tropical island during World War II and tells the sweeping romantic story of two couples - U.S. Navy nurse Nellie Forbush and French plantation owner Emile de Becque and Marine Joe Cable and a young local native girl Liat - and how their happiness is threatened by the realities of the war and by their own prejudices. Considered by many the finest musical ever written, the score's songs include such musical theater classics as 'Some Enchanted Evening,' 'Younger Than Springtime,' 'Bali Ha'i,' 'There is Nothin' Like a Dame' and 'A Wonderful Guy.'









Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours

---

Related Items:
     see more

Related Items:

• In The Heights
• A Catered Affair (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
• Gypsy - 2008 Original Broadway Cast
• Company
• Disney's The Little Mermaid (2008 Original Broadway Cast)
• see more

---

Disc 1:

1. Overture
2. Dites-Moi
3. A Cockeyed Optimist
4. Twin Soliloquies
5. Some Enchanted Evening
6. Bloody Mary
7. There is Nothin' Like a Dame
8. Bali Ha'i
9. My Girl Back Home
10. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair
11. Reprise: Some Enchanted Evening
12. Wonderful Guy
13. Reprise: Bali Ha'i
14. Younger Than Springtime
15. Reprise: a Wonderful Guy
16. This is How It Feels
17. Finale Act I
18. Entr'acte
19. Happy Talk
20. Reprise: Younger Than Springtime
21. Honey Bun
22. You've Got To Be Carefully Taught
23. This Nearly Was Mine
24. Reprise: Some Enchanted Evening
25. Reprise: Honey Bun
26. Finale Ultimo

Rating: - South Pacific
If you saw the Broadway production you must own this soundtrack! Even if you didn't see the show it's a great CD to own!

---

Rating: - Perfect! Can't play it too many times!
This is what Broadway used to be. My goal is to see this wonderful presentation in New York very soon!

---

Rating: - Wonderful recording
It has been a long time since Ezio Pinza made the first recording of this wonderful show. This is a great recording and I am hoping to see this production soon.

---

Rating: - great value .....
This CD is a GREAT value! The sound qualiiy is excellent ..... and there is nothing I can say about the music that has not been said .....

---

Rating: - thrilling new "South Pacific"
It's hard to believe that SOUTH PACIFIC has never received a Broadway revival since the original 1949 production (not counting a well-received 1967 Music Theater of Lincoln Center staging which starred Florence Henderson). Happily Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical masterpiece returned to the stage this year in an all-new, acclaimed revival. The cast album captures all the magic and excitement which is dazzling audiences nightly at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre.

Set on the islands during the tail-end of World War II and based on two story fragments from James A. Michener's "Tales of the South Pacific", the musical follows the romance of naval nurse Nellie Forbush (Kelli O'Hara) and French plantation owner Emile (Paulo Szot). Their relationship is tempered by Nellie's prejudices which are awakened when it's discovered that Emile fathered two children with a Polynesian wife. Meanwhile, handsome young Lt. Joe Cable (Matthew Morrison) finds himself questioning his own small-town American values when he's charmed by Bali Ha'i beauty Liat (Li Jun Li). Adding their own comical hijinks to the story are quick-witted island wheeler-dealer Bloody Mary (Loretta Ables Sayre) and her arch-nemesis, Luther Billis (Danny Burstein), a grounded seabee intent on discovering the delights which can only be found on her wondrous island of Bali Ha'i...

Playing the role of navy nurse Nellie, Kelli O'Hara gamely rises to the challenge, climbing out from under the imposing shadows of Mary Martin and Mitzi Gaynor to provide her own unique spin of the young woman suddenly forced to confront and conquer her racial prejudices if she ever wants to find true love. Ms O'Hara has previously enjoyed great success in the celebrated Lincoln Center production of THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA (earning a Tony Award nomination as Clara); and was most recently seen starring opposite Harry Connick Jr. in the Roundabout's revival of THE PAJAMA GAME. With Southern drawl intact she scintillates her way through "A Cockeyed Optimist", "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair", "A Wonderful Guy" and "Honey Bun".

Making his musical theatre debut, talented opera singer Paulo Szot spins magic with "Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine". It must be something of an unofficial tradition to cast classically tranined singers as Emile, following Ezio Pinza (1949) and Giorgio Tozzi (the singing voice for Rossano Brazzi in the film and later the 1967 production opposite Ms. Henderson). He's sensational here.

Matthew Morrison (HAIRSPRAY, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA) has the right amount of youthful zest and longing in his voice to perfectly nail "Younger Than Springtime". Longtime Broadway character actor Danny Burstein (THE DROWSY CHAPERONE) has a field-day as Luther, leading the boistrous seabee chorus in "There is Nothing Like a Dame". Talented Hawaiian singer Loretta Ables Sayre will give you the chills during "Bali Ha'i".

This is one of the most complete recordings of the show to date, including the Entr'acte and many dialogue passages which will help even the most casual listener follow the story. It's great having Nellie and Emile's dramatic scene leading up to the finale of Act One. The orchestra under the direction of Ted Sperling is lush.

Definitely one of this year's "Must Own" titles for show music fans. Excellent! [MASTERWORKS BROADWAY 88697-30457-2]