{"product_id":"sondheim-tonight-live-from-barbican-centre-london","title":"Sondheim Tonight: Live from Barbican Centre London","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e \u003ch3\u003e \u003cspan\u003eProduct Description\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan\u003eThe Barbican Centre paid a tribute to the world's greatest living musical composer, STEPHEN SONDHEIM recently with a concert entitled SONDHEIM TONIGHT. The star studded evening was a sell out event and generated such excitement that this live recording is eagerly awaited.The stars appearing included CLEO LAINE, JULIA McKENZIE, JULIA MIGENES, MICHAEL BALL, MARIA FRIEDMAN, JONATHAN PRYCE, MILLICENT MARTIN, DAME EDNA EVERAGE and others.Some of the greatest Sondheim songs were represented in the concert and therefore will be included on this 2CD set. However, because of the World premiere recordings of two Sondheim pieces, A VERY SHORT VIOLIN PIECE and A PIANO SONATA, this 2CDs is a must for all Sondheim collectors the World over.Although this is a live recording, it was recorded by the very special JAY team and the resultant recording sounds very much like a great studio recording with the live essence being the feature. All the details in the 65 piece orchestra and the voices are perfectly recorded in Digital Dolby Surround Sound.\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003ch3\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAmazon.com\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/h3\u003e \u003cp\u003e \u003cspan\u003eAs Stephen Sondheim's new shows become fewer and further between, tribute concerts have become a popular way to fill the gaps. Among others, there was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSondheim: A Celebration at Carnegie Hall\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in 1993. There was \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSondheim: A Celebration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e in 1997. Now there's \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSondheim: Tonight's Celebration\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--err, make that \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSondheim Tonight\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, a live London concert, and a mixed bag it is. Longtime Sondheim followers will enjoy Len Cariou's brief return as Sweeney Todd, the reunion of the cast of \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSide by Side by Sondheim\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e, and the appearance of British singers Cleo Laine, Maria Friedman, and Michael Ball. On the other hand, Dame Edna Everage (a.k.a. Barry Humphries) provides a revised \"Ladies Who Lunch\" that is best skipped. Most notable are the recorded premieres of two instrumental works Sondheim wrote as a student, \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eA Very Short Violin Piece\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e and the more interesting \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eVariations on a Theme (Katie Malone)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e for solo piano. This two-CD set clocks in at a generous 139 minutes, but over a half-hour is monologues and reminiscences (all separately tracked, thankfully), and another 16 minutes is pleasant but undistinguished orchestral arrangements. No doubt the concert was more entertaining to attend than to listen to on CD, but the Sondheim completist should find something of interest here--or at least get a fix while waiting for \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWise Guys\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e. \u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e--David Horiuchi\u003c\/span\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e \u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books Prime","offers":[{"title":"Audio Cd, Double Cd, September 14, 1999","offer_id":45916036661439,"sku":"5855dfad-0cda-4718-880d-55be6b576bee","price":37.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0761\/7550\/7647\/files\/6e028934c8ea5456605844bc6cfb12ce.jpg?v=1785086856","url":"https:\/\/books-prime.com\/products\/sondheim-tonight-live-from-barbican-centre-london","provider":"Books Prime","version":"1.0","type":"link"}