Bernstein: Wonderful Town (1999 Studio Cast)
Leonard Bernstein's collaboration with Betty Comden and Adolph Green onWonderful Townis one of his great Broadway triumphs, filled with memorable music and great lyrics. And the screwball tale of two fish-out-of-water small-town sisters in NYC (based on the playMy Sister Eileenby Joseph Fields and Jerome Chodorov) still sounds comical and fresh, despite the fact that it was written in the '50s and set in the '30s. Up until now, the1958 television cast recordingwas the disc to have: a slightly embellished version of theoriginal cast recordingstarring Rosalind Russell. The strong cast on this 1999 studio recording is every bit as impressive.Audra McDonaldshines as Eileen during "A Little Bit in Love," Kim Criswell is a fine Ruth (though less memorable than Russell), and Thomas Hampson--a baritone best known for his work on the opera stage--is great as Ruth's gruff editor, Bob Baker. Simon Rattle's orchestrations are grand, yet quirky, a perfect match for Bernstein's score. It's easy to recommend a disc that has so many great vocal moments: "Conga!," "My Darlin' Eileen," "Conversation Piece," and "Pass the Football" (sung byBrent Barrett), to name a few.--Jason Verlinde