Sunday in the Park With George (2006 London Revival Cast)
One of Stephen Sondheim's most beautiful and most misunderstood scores,Sunday in the Park with Georgereceived a rare revival, and an even rarer recording with this 2006 London cast recording, which originated as a late-2005 production by the Menier Chocolate Factory just south of London.  Both a fictional representation of French Impressionist painter Georges Seurat and an examination of the process of artistic creation,Sundaywas for years the only Sondheim show available in only one recording.  And why not, considering theoriginal Broadway casthelped Sondheim and James Lapine develop the show in workshop, and the fact that it wasrecorded on videoonly enforced its permanence. And its leads, Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters, both nominated for Tonys, have long had an affinity for Sondheim's music. The 2006 London revival, however, holds up to the challenge extremely well, with stars Daniel Evans and Jenna Russell and the rest of the ensemble capturing the beauty, intricacy, and humor of Sondheim's music.  Evans and Russell fall a bit short in certain dramatic and comedic moments, and their accents are a bit distracting when portraying the French and American characters.  But even if the original Broadway cast will always be definitive, this is an excellent recording that only enforces our appreciation of the show. The 89-minute, two-disc set also benefits from having more music than the OBC (though not, of course, the DVD), including a bonus track: a longer version of "The One on the Left," with the two soldiers and the two Celestes. PS Classics presents their usual first-class production, with an essay, synopsis, and complete libretto.--David Horiuchi