Sondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall / Liza Minnelli, Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Glenn Close (1993)

This program features the music of Broadway composer Stephen Sondheim in a 1992 performance at Carnegie Hall. An American Musical Theatre writer for over 40 years, Stephen Sondheim has created the scores for hits such as Passion, Assassins, Bounce, Into The Woods, Sunday In The Park With George, Merrily We Roll Along, Sweeney Todd and Pacific Overtures.

In this entertaining musical celebration Paul Gemignani conducts the American Theatre Orchestra.

PROGRAM

1. Sweeney Todd Suite: Orchestra, Jerry Hadley (Johanna), Eugene Perry, Herbert Perry (Pretty Women)

2. Evening Introduction: Bill Irwin

3. Loveland: Ensemble

4. Getting Married Today: Jeanne Lehman, Mark Jacoby, Madeline Kahn

5. Back in Business: Liza Minnelli, Billy Stritch, Ensemble

6. Good Thing Going: The Tonics

7. Losing My Mind / You Could Drive a Person Crazy: Dorothy Loudon

8. Our Time: Boys Choir of Harlem

9. Children Will Listen: Betty Buckley

10. Being Alive: Patti LuPone

11. Sooner or Later: Karen Ziemba, Bill Irwin

12. The Ballad of Booth: Patrick Cassidy, Victor Garber

13. Broadway Baby: Daisy Eagan

14. Not a Day Goes By: Bernadette Peters

15. Green Finch and Linnet Bird: Harolyn Blackwell

16. A Weekend in the Country: Kevin Anderson, George Lee Andrews, Mark Jacoby, Beverly Lambert, Maureen Moore, Susan Terry, Ron Baker, Peter Blanchet, Carol Meyer, Bronwyn Thomas, Blythe Walker

17. Send in the Clowns: Glenn Close

18. Old Friends: Liza Minnelli

19. Sunday: Bernadette Peters, Broadway Chorus

An extraordinary occasion

The Carnegie Hall event celebrating the work of Stephen Sondheim will most likely never have a sequel, nor in some cases, better interpreters. Briefly, the late and underestimated Madeline Kahn blazing through "Getting Married Today", the estimable Dorothy Loudon combining a torch song with a comic response that brings down the house and Bernadette Peters doing full justice to "Not a Day Goes By" from Merrily We Roll Along, one of Sondheim's few commercial failures. But the best is near the last, with Glenn Close giving a beautiful version of the all too overused "Send in the Clowns" (perhaps the best rendition ever) and the closing hymn "Sunday", from Sunday in the Park With George magnificently sung by a choir, nearly as perfect as being able to see the show performed once more. Only missing is Elaine Stritch performing "Ladies Who Lunch" from Company. Had it been included, it would have been absolute perfection. As it is, it is still a joy. April 24, 2008

WARNING! This is not the entire concert!

If you have this soundtrack, or have seen the program on PBS - it's fantastic, but be warned that this DVD does not tell you it's about HALF of the concert as represented in the soundtrack and on TV. What there is - is fabulous - but I was VERY disapointed that this DVD did not represent itself accurately. It should be clearly marked "Selections from..." or something like that, otherwise, it'd decieving. So if you're expecting some of your favorite songs - don't buy it. July 15, 2007

The Master at work

Having only previously owned a VHS copy of this concert(a fast deteriorating one at that) what a pleasure it was to see it again on DVD in all it's digital splendor. This is surely one of the great concerts of our time, showcasing the genius that is Stephen Sondheim! What incredible music and what an amazing cast! The brilliance of the late Madeline Kahn in 'Getting Married'; the understated power of Patti LuPone in 'Being Alive' and the absolute magnificence of Bernadette Peters in 'Not a day goes by' to name just a few! And what a great reminder of the true wonder that is Liza Minnelli! Wow what an evening, and the DVD lets you experience it all so many years down the line! For me it's on a par with the great 'Dream Concert' of 'Les Miserables'! If you're a Sondheim fan or not, this concert is a must have! March 8, 2007

A fantastic show

I bought this show on VHS at the time, because of Liza and other. We don't have so much of it in Switzerland.Watching it, I suddenly discover a Red Bombshell singing. That was the day when I fall in love for the talent and beauty of Bernadette Peters. Just for that I love the show. But the other perfomance are great. Powerfull, the all evening in a magic journey trough the work of Stephen Sondheim. A treat for all musical Lover January 19, 2007

Sondheim Review

The clarity of the picture and sound were both excellent
I thought that the jacket design was a bit drab, hence no fifth star
The only other criticism I have has nothing to do with the product, but relates to the concert program itself - I thought that the selection of which artist sang which song was not always good, e.g., Bernadette Peters did not sing her masterpiece January 10, 2007

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