Man of La Mancha (2002 Broadway Revival Cast)
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Music Reviews of Man of La Mancha (2002 Broadway Revival Cast)
Music Review: An album I wanted to like more than I did
Rating: 3 Stars
I would like to give this album five stars, but it neither does justice to the original nor to the current stage production, which I enjoyed. This is mainly because the CD is poorly directed, produced and recorded--as though it were done in haste. That is unfortunate, as the album does have some wonderful moments, and the stage production deserves a better legacy.First let me say that this is an album you don't want to listen to in headphones--especially really expensive ones--because the flaws in the recording will leap out at you. There is the piccolo in "I, Don Quixote" that is annoyingly shrill, and an obvious edit in one of the numbers (I'll leave it to the listener to discover which). Worst of all, there is distortion from clipping on all of the loud passages (especially during "The Impossible Dream") which is simply inexcusable. It is as if the engineers had no idea how to set the correct level for "belters" like BSM and the woman who so spectacularly opens the show with the Gypsy number.
The poor directorial choices on the album are numerous. "Do it over" must not have been heard any time during the sessions. A dialogue coach was sorely needed, as several of the actors sound like they are reading the script for the first time (delivery ranges from merely stilted to downright amateruish). BSM's stentorian dialogue works well on stage, but is out of place here. And why does Aldonza sound like a modern New Yorker?
Then there is the singing, which is all over the map. Ernie Sabella, a credible Sancho, takes some odd breaths when he belts "I'm Sancho, yes I'm Sancho." The Muleteers sound more like a chorus from "Naked Boys Singing" than lusty vagabonds. And Mark Jacoby, who has one of the most beautiful and distinct voices on Broadway, can't seem to hit the high notes in "I'm Only Thinking of Him." It is painful to hear him reaching for the "der" in the words "I understand" among some other gaffs in the number. This is unfortunate, as the women who accompany him turn in one of the album's best performances. Why wasn't his part done over? And the choral harmony at the end of "Golden Helmet" sounds almost improvised. A couple other performances on the album are better left unmentioned.
Despite its faults, this album is not without its charms. Mastrantonio, whose singing voice can be uneven, gives a stirring and impassioned rendition of "Aldonza" that I have come to prefer to the original. Mitchell, whose glorious singing almost makes the distortion on the album forgivable, gives us a truly beautiful "Dulcinea." He also sings the hell out of "The Impossible Dream," breathing new fire into a song that had nearly gone stale. Other standouts include "Little Bird, Little Bird," and Jacoby's dirge during the final sequence. There are also some nice instrumental performances sprinkled throughout (especially the guitar).
While I certainly wouldn't give this album five stars or even four, it does have moments that redeem it from garnering two stars. It's just a pity that it doesn't fully reflect the stage production, which I'd give a solid four stars.
Music Review: A Meager La Mancha
Rating: 1 Stars
It should have been a perfect revival, this "Man of La Mancha." All the elements of success are in place: a vocally-gifted, well-respected leading man, an attractive and established dramatic leading lady, and a funny character actor playing the lovable sidekick. But, as evidenced by this anemic recording, many things went terribly wrong in the execution of this show. Most of the blame belongs to the leads, however, there were miscues from the folks behind the scenes including a distractingly large set, sloppy choreography, and numerous instances where the only objective of the proceedings on stage seems to be to get as many standing ovations and prolonged sessions of zealous applause from the audience as possible. As an example, witness the bombastic "Impossible Dream" as performed by Brian Stokes Mitchell. The interpretation - as if Don Quixote is performing on "Star Search" - is totally out-of-character for the idealistic, delusional knight. Contrast this rendering to some of Mitchell's spoken dialogue and it is as if this revered leading man of the Great White Way cannot figure out which character he is playing. Is Quixote a pop-infused, sleek hero? A befuddled dreamer? Both? Neither? Who knows? Certainly not anyone listening to this recording, or, for that matter, anyone involved in its production. Worse still is the Aldonza of Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. Her voice is ill-equipped to handle the demands of the role. Her acting is inconsistent, ranging from brassy and shrill to disconnected and bored to melodramatic and campy. Aside from the fact that Mastrantonio cannot competently utter the appropriate vocals for the role, at times she seems to think that she's auditioning for HBO's "The Sopranos." The central theme of the show, that being the realization of Quixote's cockeyed optimism through the transformation of Aldonza the whore into Dulcinea the Lady, is lost in this confusion. How can Aldonza transform if her character is never presented coherently in the first place? How can Quixote's message be clearly relayed if his character is presented in such an inconsistent manner? Ernie Sabella's vocals on the recording offer more disappointment. He is not a legitimate singer, and he offers nothing in the comedy department despite his Borsht-belt delivery rendering his casting in the role of Sancho a mistake. The minor characters are pleasant and get the job done when performing the score's less exceptional numbers like "I'm Only Thinking of Him" and a host of others. Nothing here ever rises above the level of satisfactory which is ironic considering the show's frequent reprise of the idea of "dreaming the impossible dream" and "reaching the unreachable star." This cast has a long way to go in realizing the dream of presenting a credible revival of this celebrated show.Music Review: Engineering Does Not Do Justice to the Performers or Band
Rating: 4 Stars
I have to agree with several of the comments that the engineering of the album is not great. The band and actors are a magnificent group of seasoned professionals who play cohesively and beautifully in the live production. The editing, balance and mixing on this recording do not do them justice, but it is not fair or reasonable to blame the performers for that. The producers also omitted the overture, which I think is unfortunate. Nonetheless, this is still a fine recording. If you are only going to get one recording, though, I think the best choice is the original London cast -- which has the best collective singing as well as substantial chunks of dialogue that surround the musical numbers.
As to criticism of the revival itself, I can say that the live show is far better than many critics will allow -- beating up on this show is a sport that goes back to the original. The show is too upbeat, optimistic, and idealistic, and dismissed as lowbrow entertainment for pollyannaish saps. If it is, then I am one, as I love the show, and like this production and recording just fine.
Brian Stokes Mitchell is a wonderful Don, and his acting is terrific - especially during the death scene. He has a wonderful, expressive voice and is every bit as affecting as Richard Kiley.
Ernie Sabella's Sancho has a Lou Costello quality that may work better live than on the recording. (Both he and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio employ New York accents). All in all, he is a delightful Sancho, capturing his zest for life, peasant wisdom, and touching devotion to the Don.
Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio has the toughest job as Aldonza/Dulcinea in this production because she is not a classically trained singer. She is a terrific actress, however, and she does fine work here. She tends to improvise more than other players, I am told. Another choice the producers made that I think was unfortunate was to jettison the dual-layered transformation of the original production, in which the woman who played Aldonza was plucked by Cervantes as she cowered in the shadows of the prison -- so that as Aldonza was transformed by the idealism of the Don into Dulcinea, so too was the prisoner who played her.
If you are really interested in this production, I recommend that you go see it live. The recording is an imperfect and lesser reflection of the wonderment, magic and professionalism of the real thing.
Music Review: Brian Stokes Mitchell heads the Broadway revival cast
Rating: 4 Stars
Since the original Broadway cast album of "Man of La Mancha" is one of my all time favorites it was probably impossible for the 2002 Broadway Revival Cast to even come close and while it has its moments, due mostly to the performance of Brian Stokes Mitchell, it is just not in the same league. My verdict is not based on "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)," because I actually like what Mitchell does with the Broadway classic, but rather on "Aldonza" and the "Final Sequence: The Death of Alonso Quijana." Those two tracks on the original cast album are two of he most powerful moments I have ever heard on such albums; I am not talking about seeing them in performance on stage, but the effect they had on my just listening to them on the record (and then on the cassette and then on CD). Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio does a nice job on "What Does He Want of Me?" but does not capture the raw rage of Joan Diener's "Aldonza," an amazingly adult song for a 1960s musical. Nor is the tearful chemistry there as Aldonza tries to will Don Quixote back to life. All the live performances of "Man of La Mancha" I have seen have suffered in comparison as well, so I am pretty consistent (and, yes, I usually enjoy traveling companies and community theater musical productions, so I am not being elitist here). But those two tracks are the heart and soul of this musical so they really do make all the difference in the world as far as I am concerned.
Apart from those two critical points in the production, the rest of the songs are fine. We do get all of the music this time around, which includes the "Opening," "The Knight of the Mirrors," "I'm Only Thinking of Him (reprise)," as well as more of the dialogue from the "Final Sequence" and "Finale." But the chief attraction remains Mitchell's vocals as he infuses new power into all of his songs. The story remains interesting because Dale Wasserman manages to take the two quite different parts of Cervantes "Don Quixtoe" and make them work together, which is one of the reason that whenever I taught the classic novel I made a point of playing the original cast album for the class.
Music Review: It Grows On You
Rating: 4 Stars
This new Broadway Cast Recording of "Man of La Mancha" is actually a bit better than one might expect. Though the original score has always been somewhat overrated, it nevertheless provides enough pleasantries for the attuned listener. And while this recording may have its flaws, and they are by no means insignificant, it still offers a fresh take on an old warhorse of a show. To begin with, Brian Stokes Mitchell is really rather wonderful as Don Quixote. As any Broadway afficianado knows, Mitchell has the vocal chops to perform the role ably (he sings the living daylights out of "Impossible Dream"). The marvel here is that his phrasing is so right and in key with the character that the ghost of Richard Kiley never hovers. He makes the role his own. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio may be a bit of a mixed blessing, but she ultimately acquits herself surprisingly well. While her singing is a bit wobbly at times, the rough edges and harsher tones actually fit her character. Aldonza shouldn't be all sweetness and light, and Mastrantonio doesn't sing her that way. The surprise here is that her basic instrument is so supple and technically proficient that she is able to do justice with an extremely demanding role. Her rendition of "What Does He Want of Me" is exquisite. Unfortunately, its her line readings that do damage. Mastrantonio has a habit of interpreting her characters in extremes, and here her line readings have all the subtly of a brickbat. At times she seems to be projecting to the back row of the theatre across the street. As Sancho, Ernie Sabello is an adequate, conservative choice for the role, but the evident deterioration in his voice is a constant distraction, and he sometimes sounds like he got to Spain by way of Flatbush Avenue. The supporting performers are uniformly fine, and though the orchestrations are a bit thin and reedy at times, there's a liveliness to this recording that's hard to resist. Ultimately, the value of this recording will be based on whether or not you enjoyed the musical in the first place. Me? I've listened to the Original Cast Recording with Richard Kiley once. This new cast album hasn't left my CD player in two weeks. Says something, doesn't it?