Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella first premiered in a 1957 made for TV movie, that presented the story in a three-act format and starred Julie Andrews as Cinderella and Jon Cypher as The Prince. The instantly popular musical was first staged at the London Coliseum in 1958, and began being staged in the United States in 1961.
In 2013, Rodgers + Hammerstein's beloved musical finally found its way to Broadway in a lavish production that includes a new book by Douglas Carter Beane and additional songs from the Rodgers + Hammerstein catalogue that were not present in other incarnations of the musical. Ghostlight Records has captured every ounce of the sweet and ebullient score on its lush recording Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Original Broadway Cast Recording).
Cinderella's official opening night at New York's Broadway Theatre was March 3, 2013. It garnered mostly mixed reviews; however, the score has been heralded for upholding the rich sound audiences associate with the show. Fan favorites, such as "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible," "It's Possible," "Ten Minutes Ago," and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?" are present, but the show and recording seamlessly integrate songs cut from other Rodgers + Hammerstein collaborations, such as "Me, Who Am I?" (cut from Me and Juliet), "Now is the Time" (cut from South Pacific), and "Loneliness of Evening" (also cut from South Pacific). Also included in the show and recording is "There's Music in You" from the 1997 film adaptation that featured Whitney Houston as the Fairy Godmother.
Laura Osnes (2007 Broadway Revival of Grease, 2011 Broadway Revival of Anything Goes, Bonnie & Clyde) sings the role of Cinderella with gorgeous charm and grace. She is stunningly luminous on the imaginative and fanciful "In My Own Little Corner" and radiantly sweet on "He Was Tall" and "A Lovely Night."
Prince Toper is beguilingly sung by Santino Fontana (Billy Elliott the Musical). He brings stirring charisma to the introspective "Me, Who Am I?," the amiable "Ten Minutes Ago," and his fantastically romantic renditions of "Loneliness of Evening" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful?"
Texas native Victoria Clark (Titanic, The Light in the Piazza) is thrillingly energetic as the bubbly and effervescing the Fairy Godmother. Her renditions of "Impossible," "It's Possible" and "There's Music With You" all sparkle with dazzling and abundant life.
Madame sung by Harriet Harris (ABC's Desperate Housewives), Gabrielle sung by Marla Mindelle (Broadway's Sister Act), and Charlotte sung by Ann Harada (Avenue Q, NBC's SMASH) each give clean and fascinating performances as Cinderella's antagonistic stepfamily, shining on songs like "When You're Driving Through the Moonlight." Likewise, the entire company sounds flawless on numbers that feature them, bringing lustrous life to tracks like "Prologue," "The Prince is Giving a Ball," "Ten Minutes Ago (Reprise)," and "The Wedding: 'There's Music in You.'"
Andy Einhorn's wonderous conducting of the 20 piece orchestra ensures that the full and vibrant score written by Richard Rodgers, with music adaptation, supervision, and arrangements by David Chase, is sumptuously gorgeous and gleams with posh and tangible romance.
Kurt Deutsch serves as the album's Executive Producer, and Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Original Broadway Cast Recording) is Produced for Records by David Caddick, David Lai, David Chase, and Bruce Pomahac. The extravagantly luxuriant score was pristinely Recorded and Mixed by Todd Whitelock and Isaiah Abolin at MSR Studios, New York City and Edited by David Lai at Park Avenue Artists Studios, New York City. Moreover, the album was magnificently Mastered by Mark Wilder at Battery Studios. Gohstlight Records 's shimmering and resplendent recording of Rodgers + Hammerstein's Cinderella (Original Broadway Cast Recording) was released digitally on May 7. Digital copies can be purchased at iTunes and Amazon. Physical copies of the album will be released on June 4, and can be purchased anywhere music is sold.
