5 comments about Disney's The Little Mermaid (2008 Original Broadway Cast).

1. I bought this as a gift for my 7 year old, but I listen to it more than she does. We saw the show in NY in August and this cd transports us back to Broadway each time we listen to it. The songs written to showcase "Prince Eric's" voice are so beautiful they bring tears to my eyes. You will love this music!



2. This CD is even better than the movie! Has 11 new songs not counting the reprises and the ones they rewrote for the better. Listen to it all the time. The storyline is even better than the movie! They are moving and hilarious! Sierra, Sherie, Titus, and Norman are a blast!



3. Saw the play "The Little Mermaid" and my Granddaughter can't get enough of this soundtrack CD. Super!
   Thank You



4. This is a Great Broadway Cast Recording! All of the new songs fit perfectly with the songs that we already know and love. My favorite new song "I Want The Good Times Back". I like that Ursela was given a bigger part and more than one song.



5. As a big fan of the film I was confident I would like this. I was disapointed. Just wasen't like the music in the movie. I'll stick with the original soundtrack.

5 comments about Disney's Greatest Vol. 2.

1. My kids love to dance to this CD...we play it all day! A great mix of Disney songs!



2. I bought this gift for my little cousin and she loved it! She loves to sing and dance and this was the perfect fit for her!
   Shipped very quickly!



3. This is a great CD. I love it, my kids love it, and it worked perfect for our road trip. It is something we can all enjoy and listen to. We have collected all of the volumes. They are great.



4. We recently purchased this cd, after already having Vol. 1. My kids (3 and 1 1/2) love both cds. It can be a real help in the car on extended trips.



5. Nothing brings sweet recollection of Disney movies like hearing the wonderful songs. In an age where there so much music with no redeeming qualities, these Disney CDs are priceless. Wonderful for the entire family to listen to around the house or in the car while traveling. We can't help but sing along. We love that these are the original tracks from the movies! Wonderful! We now have all three volumes.

5 comments about Chicago.

1. The soundtrack arrived within about a week. (I never opt for faster delivery.) It was exactly what I wanted and, as far as I can tell, plays flawlessly.



2. This music is so faithfully performed by the very talented ensemble that it brings back the 1920's vividly. Each song reflects a specific style of the music popular at the time. After listening to this CD I had to see the movie (which was also terrific) and then I had to buy the sheet music. Usually I simply enjoy a CD and move on. This one reached me.



3. The cd is very good. There are only songs, no speaking parts really, even ones that precede certain songs. There are a couple of songs that are not in the movie or that were inspired by the movie. The first time you listen to it if you haven't read the fine print it kind of throws you for a loop. I highly recommend it for all who love the movie!



4. I truly loved the music with the movie is excellent. I was very impressed of the singing of the movie stars.



5. Rob Marshall and company got it exactly right in transferring Chicago to the screen. Though I was not a Renee Zellweiger fan, she changed my opinion with her total tartiness here (and she was terrific in Cold Mountain), she dances competently, and sings the role wonderfully. Katherine Zeta Jones was perfect as Velma Kelly. The rest of the cast are marvelous too....Queen Latifah coudn't have been better cast. Though I have never been conviced of Richard Gere's acting ability, he pulls off the role of Billy Flynn admirably, even his singing and dancing work effectively. They brilliantly wrote a screenplay to encompass most of the stage show, where songs were cut, they needed to be. A well deserved Oscar winner for effectively bringing a musical back to the screen!!

5 comments about The Phantom of the Opera (The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).

1. The music is very soothing and the soundtrack makes you think you are almost there. It is good to listen to and can relax you.



2. I absolutely love this soundtrack. The movie is great and these cd's have all of the music. It's a wonderful buy and I would recommend it over all of the others.



3. Excellent! No more words for this release. The soundtrack is a great souvenir from the motion picture. The Phantom of the Opera was, is and will be a treasure and and heritage for all mankind. This special edition is for a true Phantom's fan and collector. The work-art is so fine. Enjoy the music, the lyrics and the story in itself.



4. I cannot get enough of this soundtrack. I listen to this almost daily and when I am not listening to it, I am humming or whistling or down right belting out the tunes of this most beloved musical of all time!
   
   I was in highschool when the musical debuted with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in 1986. I have been familiar with Weber's music and the voices tied to the characters that became an overnight phenomenon world wide.
   
   However, I did not have an opportunity to see the stage show (until just this year) so was delighted when they had made a movie of it. Thank you, Joel Schumacker! The movie tied the music and the story line together and I have been hooked since. So it was for obvious reasons why I purchased the movie soundtrack.
   
   I am amazed and a little dismayed over the reaction Gerard Butler received as the movie Phantom. I knew nothing of this actor prior to this film. After seeing the movie, I was in love with this man and had to learn who he was and anything else about him. Off to the internet I went in search of this actor who made such an impression on me. I learned that Gerry (as he likes to be called) was not a stage-trained vocalist before he took on this role. Now, some people say that was obvious as they did not like his vocals. Many fans are true to the original London cast. And that's OK. But does that mean you cannot be open minded and realistic enough to know that Michael Crawford is not and will not be the only man to ever portray our beloved Phantom?
   
   It would have been disastrous to have Mr. Crawford portray the Phantom for the movie. It would have been even more disastrous if Sarah Brightman played Christine. The point is these 2 beloved people are past the age where they can realistically play these young roles. It was much more realistic to have younger fresh actors take the roles. Christine was only 16 years old in the original novel. The Phantom was in his very early forties. The actors chosen were spot on age wise. Emmy Rossum was 16 when she signed on. She also trained at the Metropolitan Opera at the age of 7. Gerard Butler was 34. A tad younger, but it didn't really matter yet it was more acceptable that a 34 year old recluse would be sexually attracted to a 16 year old budding diva and vice versa.
   
   I am a trained singer. I have sung in the finest concert halls of Europe. I have heard many, many trained vocalists. BUT NONE OF THEM DO TO ME WHAT GERARD BUTLER'S VOICE DOES TO ME. It doesn't bother me at all that he is not a classically trained vocalist. In fact, after finding out that he wasn't trained when he took on this challenge, made me admire him even more. While I was listening to POTO for the first time, you couldn't tell me that he wasn't trained. I knew his vocals were much different than Michael Crawford's, but I felt his voice fit the role for the film. Gerard has a deeper, richer, fuller voice that is sexy as heck and a voice that I now prefer over Mr. Crawford's tinnier, higher tenor.
   
   Gerard's raw passionate performance knocked me off my feet. I fell in love with Gerry after watching Phantom because of the way he moved me so. His voice is so seductive and rich and sexy and captivating. His "Music of the Night" leaves me breathless. His "Point of No Return" seduces the heck out of me (and the entire female population). His sad, pleading "All I Ask of You" before Christine rips his mask off during "Don Juan Triumphant" is heartbreaking. Heartwrenching, growling "Down Once More" has me crying for his pain. He grips me in the core of my womanhood and won't let go. In this way I feel like I am Christine....drawn to the hypnotic power of his voice and the raw sensuality that draws me to him. I can't explain it, I can only FEEL it. And I can't get enough of him.
   
   Emmy Rossum's Christine was a standout, breakout performance. This young lady CAN SING! Her voice is so clear and vibrant and sexy and she possess an incredible range. This gal has a future in music. I would keep an eye on this one!
   
   I also feel Patrick Wilson's voice is just angelic and beautiful, but he lacks the passion that Gerard seems to have in spades.
   
   Although Minnie Driver did not sing her own vocals, her performance was without a doubt brilliant as La Carlotta. She sings the ending title song "Learn to Be Lonely". She does a beautiful job.
   
   The orchestrations are slightly different than the musical but all in all, it is the same music we all fell in love with back in 1986. The orchestrations are fuller with 110 piece orchestra, 90 voice choir and an added guitar that gives this familiar music a fresh rock n roll edge, but not enough to take away from the classic orchestrations we all love.
   
   I truly admire and LOVE ALL the performances of the movie. Gerard, while not a trained singer, put his entire heart and soul into this role and rose to the challenge and did the best job anybody could have hoped to do. That to me, no matter what the critics say, impresses and amazes me the most and Gerard deserves the credit of a job exceptionally well done.
   
   If you are a fan of Weber's musical - you need to have this soundtrack!



5. I am an avid phantom fan. I have seen the play both in Los Angeles as well as in Las Vegas and then saw the movie when it came out. The soundtrack is just so riveting and powerful. When you hear it, you can see the movie in front of your eyes. It's just as good as watching the movie itself. For those who love musicals, I highly recommend it. You won't regret it.

5 comments about Mary Poppins.

1. This came first in a line of CD's that I ordered for my daughter's birthday. Quick service and great condition.



2. My under three year old grandson in a fit of fever delirium decided that the only thing that would work in his world at the moment (1:00 AM, mid week) was to see Mary Poppins. SO his parents played the old dubbed off cable VHS copy inherited from my daughter's childhood. At that moment it was decided that a new DVD version was mandatory. It doesn't disappoint - at least not him.



3. THIS IS ONE OF THE BEST MOVIES OF ALL TIME! AND THE SOUNDTRACK IS FUN TO LISTEN TO. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TO ANYONE WHO ENJOYS THE MOVIE AS MUCH AS ME :)



4. Great customer service! Sent as a gift and it was received sooner than expected which was wonderful. Thank you for your quick and efficient service.



5. Have waited for years for a Sound track of this movie.
   Finally it has come out. I thoroughly enjoyed it very much.
   So nice to put it on and listen to the music.
   One way to have good music while doing other things.
   If you like the movie as much as I did, you need to get the
   sound track.
   Liked it so much I ordered another one for my granddaughter.

5 comments about The Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975 Film).

1. Like the title says this is the closest you can get to the actual movie. If you love Rocky Horror Picture Show then you need this CD!!



2. This may be heresy, but I've always felt the music for this film was far superior to the film itself. I think the experience of the film is better than the film itself. Truth be told, the film is rather boringly directed, clumsily staged, and if it wasn't for the soundtrack, it would have been forgotten about. Luckily, Richard O'Brien's soundtrack is awesome, tuneful, and never gets tiring on the ear. It's justifably a cult item, and while I've listened to the soundtrack more times than I can remember, I've only seen the film once (on VHS). Even the lesser known songs are still great (like Over at the Frankenstein's Place and Eddie). The classics are awesome, with kudos going to Hot Patootie, Bless My Soul and some tune called The Time Warp.
   
   I still would like to see the film in a theater, mainly for the Rocky Horror experience and to sing along with songs I really dig, not because it's a great film. Get the soundtrack, and once in a while, crossdress and see the film in a theater.



3. i love this movie!!! i have the book,the cd,i know all the words..*sigh* i love tim curry<3



4. I've been a die hard Rocky fan for years. I've taken part in many a midnight showing and I've only just now bought an "offical" soundtrack (many a burned copy has passed through these hands) to the film. Not a negative word has passed my lips except for the absence of one key song. "The Sword of Damoclese" is not on this album. Bummer as this is one rockin' song and I had to resort to piracy to complete my perfect soundtrack. Other than that...Fantastic. That's enough of the downers for me. Rock on!!!



5. The CD captures the soul of the actual film to a tee. Everyone is there, the people are the same, the music is excellent. It is a great way to take the Time Warp with you without the TV!

5 comments about Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street Deluxe - Complete Edition.

1. "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" is in my opinion Sondheim's greatest work and is an indisputable masterpiece. The 2007 Film Soundtrack featuring Johnny Depp as Sweeney Todd and Helena Bohman Carter as Mrs Lovett is a unique, fresh recording which makes the musical more accessible to both theatre and non-theatre fans.
   
   The orchestrations (by the legendary Jonathan Tunick) are haunting, lush and full, exceeding all other recordings; this alone is enough to warrant a purchase. The brilliance of the orchestrations is best demonstrated in the "Opening Title" track and at the end of "My Friends" - the latter (in my opinion) exceedingly replaces "The Ballad of Sweeney Todd". Only the 2000 Concert recording of the ballad in "My Friends" (performed by George Hearn and Company) can match the power of the the film's version, for me. Although I have noticed at times the orchestrations are less powerful on the recording than in the film. This is especially noticeable in the final scene. (see 6:03 minutes on the soundtrack and compare to the corresponding scene in the film).
   
   "No Place Like London" is now a great opening number and Jamie Cambell Bower's range is high enough to contrast Johnny Depp's tenor range to have its intended effect, although it works much better with Tim Burton's stylistic visuals of London and the absence of the Beggar Woman can make it rather uniform at times.
   
   Helana Bohman Carter's voice is definitely a weak spot in the soundtrack, however her voice is a lot easier to swallow than Angela Lansbury and Patti Lupone's giving a new melodic quality to "The Worst Pies in London", "Wait" and "Poor thing". Her voice works very well with Johnny Depp in the duet "My Friends" and is a high point in the soundtrack.
   
   Other lead highlights include "Epiphany", which is surprisingly powerful and the "Final Scene" which becomes with the help of Tunick very moving by the end.
   
   There is also a very strong supporting cast. Jamie Campbell Bower's voice, especially through his high register successfully conveys the naive and innocent Anthony in "Johanna" and Jayne Wisener makes "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" tolerable after Betsy Joslyn's absolutely horrific performance in the 1982 DVD. Although highly trained, Laura Michelle Kelly's performance of the "Beggar Woman" is less operatic than I would have hoped, but considering the new leads maybe it is more appropriate. Sacha Baron Cohen is funny in "The Contest", and Alan Rickman and Ed Sanders give quite moving performances in "Pretty Women" and "Not While I'm Around" respectively, making up for the disposable performance of Timothy Spall in "Ladies in their sensitivities" (a number that could have easily been cut).
   
   A must buy for any Sweeney or Sondheim fan and a good first experience for non-theatre fans to Sondheim. Purist theatre fans should buy the 1979 OBC album first.



2. While the music itself is quite pleasant, the bass part of the sound is weak in the MP3 version of this album. This gives the otherwise tragic and warm prelude and introduction to the musical a sterile, synthetic feeling, especially when it starts cutting out from 1:39-1:42 of the first track.
   
   Another possible issue is that the MP3 version of the CD is completely missing three of the tracks. While the track list indicates this on the purchase page, it isn't pointed out very well if you find the MP3 version by following the link from the Complete CD's page.
   
   Though the instant convenience of being able to purchase online is usually an excellent alternative to ordering the compact disc, in this case I was somewhat disappointed.



3. If you are a fan of the story of Sweeney Todd, or a fan of Tim Burton or Johnny Depp, this is for you. I was very impressed on the vocals of Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Alan Rickman. They brought something very special to Stephen Sondheim's music. Who would of known all these actors could sing!!! I give this CD 5 stars GREAT music!!!



4. This cd is the exact soundtrack from the movie. When I first saw the movie I was a little iffie about the music, but I saw it again and the music captured me.I love Johnny's voice on here and all the others. The actual music speaks for itself and it plays out just as a Broadway musical would. Go for it and take a mystical trip down Fleetstreet.



5. I have been a fan of musicals all 68 years of my life and so I bought this movie to add to a collection that extends into 3 digits. I use the word movie because I don't think it deserves the title "Musical." Not a single song is performed in a setting that makes it memorable as part of the whole or something you would like to share with others The stars are good singers and great actors, but none of them will be singing concerts tomorrow. To my mind Tim Burton's obsession with creating "Art-Deco" film turned it into a horrific dramatic bloodbath that Stephen King might give rave reviews. It is filled with blood and gratuitious violence from the opening credits to the final scene and there isn't even any suspense leading up to that violence. If you are a fan of sadistic "Friday the 13'th" bloodbath movies enjoy, but don't buy this film because they called it a "Musical." I for one find it hard to beleive that Sondhiem at his age approved such a violent bloodbath within which to exhibit his talent at musical creation. I doubt that Irving Berlin would have cheered him on in presenting this creation as a "Musical."

5 comments about Billy Elliot.

1. I saw the play in London while I was on vacation two years ago and it was fantastic. The film is great but the music from the play is complely different. If you enjoyed the soundtrack from the film you must hear the cast soundtrack.



2. At age 12 I saw the original production of "Oklahoma". Then, yeah God,I saw the orginal "South Pacific, "kiss Me Kate", My Fair Lady", "Mame","Gypsy" AND let me tell you loud and clearly "Billy Elliot, The Musical" is right up there!!! Don't miss it. I saw it in London and can't wait to bring my grandchildren to the N.Y. production.



3. It is charitable to call this show mediocre. The music isn't the usual Sir Elton theatrical music dreck. I guess that's a plus. The lyrics are awful. The same words are repeated over and over and over, so the pointed is quickly made, the song goes nowhere. Most of the lyrics are generic. Most of the songs give the impression of being the same length. I hope the show never makes it to Broadway. Stick with the movie!



4. What a stirring musical! I had heard so much about this musical having seen the film version and knowing a musical adaptation was going to be made. Several people had recommended it after have they had the opportunity to see it on the West End. Also being a huge fan of Elton John, enjoying his pop records as well as his musical ventures, I was really interested in giving this CD a listen...
   
   ...and I'm sure glad I did! Again, I'll say it's absolutely stirring. The chorus numbers are probably the most powerful particularly the opening number "The Stars Look Down" which features as a theme several times throughout the score. You can really imagine them filling an entire auditorium.
   
   Liam Mower as Billy has the sweetest most resonating voice. When he sings "The Letter" and his Mum joins in, you are moved to tears. Other great numbers include "Shine" where Haydn Gwynne gives her character of Mrs Wilkinson such a personality. Her voice isn't particularly outstanding but I love her character. It's nice to see characters like Mr Braithwaite being given some personality and filling out Grandma's back story with her own song "Grandma's Song". Other uplifting numbers include "Merry Christmas Maggie Thatcher" and "Expressing Yourself".
   
   There is mild language but it adds to the mood of the piece. All in all thoroughly entertaining and I can't wait for it to come to Sydney in 2008!



5. A bit different than the movie which was delightful, this soundtrack remains very loyal to the original.

5 comments about Les Miserables (1987 Original Broadway Cast).

1. I adore Les Mis, and the OBC is a nice recording of it. It comes up a little bit short when compared to the OLC, however; Colm Wilkinson and Frances Ruffelle are on both recordings, but they are much stronger on the OLC.
   
   Michael Maguire is a clear advantage, in my opinion, over David Burt as Enjolras, but the favorable comparison ends after that. I like Patti Lupone more than Randi Graff as Fantine, although Ruthie Henshall is far better than both of them. I love Judy Kuhn and I think her Cosette was good, but Rebecca Caine's voice was potentially better suited to the role.
   
   David Bryant's Marius was very, very poor, especially when compared to Michael Ball's. His head voice is very thin and seems to be on the verge of cracking often, although his belt is decent. I also very much dislike Terrence Mann's Javert; he always seems to crop up on people's lists of greatest Javert actors, and I cannot for the life of me understand why. He doesn't even make my Top 5. His rhythms are odd, his enunciation is just strange, and his voice is far too light. Not as good as Roger Allam on the OLC, and not even in the same league as Philip Quast (CSR and TAC).
   
   In all, I suppose, it's a good recording, and a valuable part of a historical musical.



2. I am personally not one to give 1 star reviews, but this really deserves it. I am pretty picky about the Broadways I listen to, and this just didn't make the cut. Firs of all, it's amazing that on amazon it says to buy it together with The Phantom of the Opera, just don't. Buy the Phantom and skip this. I must admit that when I first put it into my car's cd player I was pretty much stunned. It started with booming bad keyboard music and some guy singing almost a slavery sort song. I hoped the next track would get better and it didn't. I'm not saying the singers can't sing, but not all of them were that good. The music itself was bad, the keyboards killed it for me. None of them were memorable like other Broadways I have heard. Come to think of it, I can't remember any of the songs as of right now. Some of the lyrics were rather dirty, the other half seemed rather meaningless. It sounded like they were almost talking really fast to the music and not even singing. Overall, I am glad this only cost me $2 to own and I will be passing it on for sure.



3. I opened the tape and noticed that there were two of the same discs. both disc 2. Since i had already mailed back the duplicate which I received in error I got disgusted. I kept disc 2 and threw the other disc 2 out. I will probably not be using amazon again.



4. I LOVE this musical. The complete recording is so much better than the highlights, too. I've listened to it nearly every day and still love singing along. And with the complete recording, you get the whole story and understand it so much better than if you just get the highlights. It's fabulous.



5. Les Miserables (1987 Original Broadway Cast)
   
   This 2 disc set is great. This original cast is spectacular. These are the voices I remember. I had a cassette from the 80's which is so worn out that I can no longer play it so I finally looked on Amazon and purchased this CD online not knowing whether the seller was reputable or not.
   
   My CD arrived carefully boxed and wrapped bubble wrap so it would not be damaged in shipping. There was an extremely nice note from the seller about their shipping practices, additionally asking me to let them know if the CD was damaged in any way. I appreciated this very much. Of course the CD arrived in perfect condition because this seller took such thoughtful care in their packaging prior to shipping.
   
   This seller is small and wants repeat business. I can assure you that any future music purchases I make through Amazon will be made through this seller!
   
   Way to go!

5 comments about Les Miserables Original London Cast.

1. I agree with most of the reviews - the London staging is the very best of the English language versions of 'Les Miserables'. Forget the New York (Broadway) production, much too polished (sanitized ?). It pales in comparison. The American version benefits from greater sophistication but at the cost of the original book.
   
   HOWEVER, for the first production of this musical, go to the recording on the 'Anthology' (French) label, issued by FGL Productions (the complete 1980 version). It has the cast of the premier, with 'guest appearances' by some big names in yesterday's French popular music, Michel Sardou, Salvatore Adamo, and Michel Delpech. And a list of superb actor-sings, like Maurice Barrier (Valjean), Rose Laurens (Fantine), Yvan Dautin (Thenardier), and Richard Dewitte (Marius), the list is long.
   
   Of course, it is all in French, but this IS a French musical, and this is what the composer, Claude-Michel Schonberg, and the librettists, Alain Boublil and Jean-Marc Natel, created. Here you have it, without embellishments added to please 'Anglo-American' tastes. A much more raw interpretation, closer to Victor Hugo's very thick novel (interestingly written in France, and in England, when the author was in self-imposed exile). The words in the French production are quite different from the English-language versions. The recording on two cds comes without a text, but the actors enunciate perfectly. Every word is audible, if you understand the language. Great stuff !
   



2. Beautiful Music, Beautiful Voices. I have thouroughly enjoyed it. We saw the show when it came to Atlanta several years ago and it also was wonderful.
   NKG



3. We have owned the Les Miserable music book for quite a while and play them on the piano ourselves. Some of those songs are so grand and emotional that I was looking for a great treat from the "Original London Cast". We also bought the Les Miz movie and loved Liam Neeson in it. After watching it, I was really excited to listen to the London CD. I should have saved my money and time.
   
   The singing was like a high school musical -- Shallow, immature, Broadway Imitation voices; too rapid delivery; lacking in emotion and expression. Cosette's song, which should be a tear-jerking, plaintive plea sounded like a kindergarten kid rushing to get it over with. Jauvert's song should have been passionate and deeply emotional. Instead it had all of the emotional depth and expression of a junior high-school rock band's home-grown rant. Wait for someone to do it right.



4. This isn't every single musical note from the show, but it's the full cast recording from the 1985 London version, spanning 2 discs. It includes more of the songs than the Broadway highlights album and is similarly priced.
   
   This London production was the first English-language version of Les Mis and some songs have been tweaked for the later Broadway productions.
   
   My first exposure to the wonderful music of Les Misérables was through the Broadway cast highlights CD, so I am a little biased toward that version (although this is the original).
   
   This version is a little different from the Broadway version. "Who Am I?" is sung a little slower and seems more thoughtful. "A Heart Full Of Love" has differnt lyrics and is incorporated into a three-song "Love Montage".
   
   This cast includes Colm Wilkinson as Valjean (he also played that role on Broadway and in the Tenth Anniversary Concert), Roger Allam as Javert, Patti LuPone as Fantine, Rebecca Caine as Cosette, Michael Ball as Marius, Frances Ruffelle as Eponine, David Burt as Enjolras, and Alun Armstrong as Thénardier.
   
   I prefer Terrence Mann's rendition of "Stars" (from the Broadway cast) to Roger Allam's version on this CD. I really do. Maybe it's because I'm used to that one.
   
   And Thénardier has a strong British-type accent on this CD, so "Master Of The House" will sound a little weird if you're used to the American version.
   
   The actress who plays Eponine in the London cast is the same one from the Broadway cast (Frances Ruffelle). But for the people who were annoyed by her whiney performance on the Broadway CD, she sounds a little better on this recording.
   
   CONCLUSION:
   This is a pretty good recording of Les Mis and is available for a reasonable price. The Complete Symphonic Recordings includes even MORE of the show's music, but the cast is different (no Colm Wilkinson!). If you are used to the Broadway (American) version, I'd recommend you stick with that (although the Broadway equivalent of this 2-disc recording is a lot more expensive). The Broadway highlights CD is cheaper, but has only about half of the songs.
   
   I'd also recommend you check out the Tenth Anniversary Concert CD. It features an all-star cast of Les Mis alums (plucked from the London, Broadway, and other casts). The recording spans 2 discs, so it includes songs that the highlights CD doesn't (similar to this London recording), AND it's about the same price as the London disc or the highlights disc. If you're looking for more music than the highlights CD offers, but you're not familiar with the London cast and you don't want to shell out $30-something, the Tenth Anniversary Concert CD may be the way to go.



5. Les Miserables is my absolute favorite musical, and this is my favorite recording. I have spent a long time with this recording, the original Broadway cast, the 10th Anniversary Cast Recording, and the Complete Symphonic Cast Recording, and this is still the one I put on first when I just want to hear the show. The only true exception is Javert, which is epitomized by Philip Quast on the CSR (his best recording) and the 10th Anniversary. This is also the only recording to include Patti LuPone, as Fantine. While she neither reprised her role on Broadway or ten years later in concert, I still prefer hers to any other recording; "I Dreamed a Dream" is my favorite song. This recording also restores the absolutely beautiful melody "I Saw Him Once," giving a much deeper understanding to the character of Cosette.
   
   When people ask me what recording of Les Miserables to buy, I tell them to buy the Original London Cast for Fantine, Jean Valjean, Marius, Cosette, Eponine and to buy the Complete Symphonic Cast Recording for Javert and Enjolras, as well as for its completeness and for my favorite version of "One Day More" [which it should be noted is done in a completely different counterpoint for all four major english language recordings].