Its view of American innocence tarnished was both sly and wise. And its portrayal of Penelope and Ulysses' loving but troubled relationship provided an honest and moving emotional core. Its methods of theatrical presentation were colorful and imaginative. But most importantly, 'The Golden Apple' flew soaringly aloft, like the hot air balloon in which Paris makes his entrance and escape, on the wings of a gloriously dramatic score marrying sparkling, inventive melody with refreshingly adult humanity and wit. For those who require such definitions, 'The Golden Apple' is an opera.
Song follows song in dizzying abundance, all deftly advancing the play in one way or another.
There are, of course, in addition to simple solos and duets, more elaborate scenes featuring numbers of characters, but all are firmly based in American popular song form. They have finally made commercial what Moross and Latouche invented. Only a little less than half of this ground-breaking score was preserved on disc in 1954, with many of the recorded numbers suffering internal cuts as well. As a result, the album cannot convey the exhilarating way in which the show works as a whole. Nonetheless, the range of the score is amply demonstrated.