Search - Maury Yeston, Raul Julia, Karen Akers :: Nine (1982 Original Broadway Cast)

Hold off on purchasing until the remaster comes!

Alfonzo Tyson | Buffalo, NY United States | 08/29/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I absolutely adore Maury Yeston's score for the Tony Award winning musical "Nine". The music is lovely and the lyrics are both funny and poignant, and the score contains such wonderful songs as "Be Italian", "The Grand Canal", "Unusual Way", "A Call from the Vatican", "My Husband Makes Movies", and others too numerous to name. Raul Julia, Karen Akers, Anita Morris especially stand out with dynamic performances.Having said that, I have to advise against getting this CD. The reason? Columbia/Legacy is remastering this CD in the spring of 2003 to coincide with the 2003 revival. The remaster will have TWO CDs, much more music, and bonus tracks! Fans of the show should rejoice! I suggest that you wait until the 2003 remaster to come out to fully appreciate the wonderful score of "Nine"."

Amazing!

Mark Andrew Lawrence | 10/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nine has always been one of my favorite shows. I just bought the Original and London cast recordings and they were both very good, but for some reason I like the Revival much better. Maury Yeston's music and lyrics have never been matched in one of his musicals. This is his ultimate musical. Below are the main characters and the ultimate people who have recorded them.GUIDO CONTINI- ANTONIO BANDERAS: ANTONIO BANDERAS, from the Revival, was very touching and gentle during his beautiful solo "Only With You" where he talks about the three women he loves. His "Guido's Song" and "I Can't Make This Movie" bring out how tortured Guido is and it is phenomenal to listen to. RAUL JULIA, from the Original, is a much rougher Guido. He was still very good, but he was almost a Rex Harrison type of speak-singer. His "I Can't Make This Movie" and his gorgeous "Bells of Saint Sebastian" were his highlights of the album. JONATHON PRYCE, from the London, was the worst. He wasn't as good as the people above, which I can't understand because he was so fantastic in Miss Saigon. The one song where I actually thought he was above average was "Only With You."LUISA CONTINI- MARY STUART MASTERSON: MARY STUART MASTERSON was the anchor of the entire Revival recording. Her Luisa was the one we were waiting for. Everyone knew she was a great actress, but who knew she had such an amazing voice. She is handed the best songs from the score and she makes them her own and are they great. Her strong passion and patience of her husband in "My Husband Makes Movies" comes across beautifully in Act 1, and then her hysterical fury in her Act 2 number "Be On Your Own" is the definitive one, and one of my two favorite songs on the recording. ANN CRUMB, from the London, is also a very good Luisa. Her best song is "Be On Your Own." Her belt and the anger in her voice make it the highlight of that album. KAREN AKERS, from the Original, is very different from the above two. She sounds much older and her voice does not have the strength or belt of Masterson or Crumb. But in two cases that does work. "My Husband Makes Movies" and her lines in the "Overture" are actually very moving because she has a lot of world weariness and pain in her voice, and that makes it move effective.CARLA ALBANESE- ANITA MORRIS: My favorite part and ANITA MORRIS immortalized it on the Original recording. Her incredible phone romp "A Call From the Vatican" is the reason enough to buy the Original recording. She brings so much sexiness and vulgarity and yet so much cuteness to the part that you listen to it over and over again. "Simple", her Act 2 good-bye song, is very tender and heart-wrenching. JANE KRAKOWSKI, the Tony winner from the Revival, makes "Vatican" her own. She takes the cuteness from Morris and puts in her own brand of sexiness. Her breathy voice makes for an excellent Carla. Her "Simple" is amazing in its change from sexy mistress to heart-broken woman. She makes "Simple" a great exit. BECKY NORMAND, from the London, pales to both Morris and Krakowski, but she is definitely a great Carla. She has the sexiness of Morris and her "Vatican" is something special. Her "Simple" is her highlight though.CLAUDIA NARDI- LAURA BENANTI: LAURA BENANTI has the most gorgeous voice on Broadway today. I don't think anybody could have played Claudia as beautifully as she did. Her teasing "A Man Like You" is a perfect lead-in to the best song on the album. "Unusual Way" is the best song Maury Yeston every wrote, as far as I'm concerned. Laura Benanti sings it the best of anybody who's ever even recorded it. Her shimmering soprano makes Claudia sensational. Her loving nature during "Unusual Way" makes an unexpected change to her almost icy good-bye dialogue during "Simple." I can't imagine anybody even touching "Unusual Way" after Laura Benanti has recorded it. SHELLY BURCH, from the Original, is a good Claudia, but not up to Benanti's Her "Unusual Way" must have stunned crowds back in 1982 for she has an unbelievable voice. Her dialogue in "Simple" is very icy as well. ELAINE PAIGE, from the London, has one good thing to her credit, "A Man Like You." Her "Unusual Way" doesn't even begin to compare to Benanti's and Burch's.LILIANE LE FLEUR- LILIANE MONTEVECCHI or CHITA RIVERA: The one part that I just could not make up my mind about. Both women are just phenomenal as the producer who wants a musical. LILIANE MONTEVECCHI is on the Original and London recordings and does Liliane justice. The real reason that Liliane Le Fleur is even a character is because she was originally player by a Liliane (Montevecchi) and she was a former Folies Bergeres star. That brings about the "Folies Bergeres" number. A great piece of singing, costumes, set, dancing, etc. This brings the whole stage into the old time stage of the Folies Bergeres. Montevecchi brings such flair to the French producer that you would have thought that nobody could top her. However, the amazing veteran CHITA RIVERA, has proved that people can always be topped. Chita brings almost even more zest than Montevecchi and she can still kick up her heels higher than almost anybody. Chita is still a star after all these years and she never fails to awe. Granted, the producer is French, and Chita, obviously, is not, but still she can be anything she wants.GUIDO'S MOTHER- TAINA ELG: Having another one of the most beautiful songs in the score, Guido's Mother is in flasbacks. TAINA ELG, from the Original, is the best person. Her "Nine" tops everybody. Her voice and accent make the character very true to the Italian person she portrays. MARY BETH PEIL, from the Revival, and FIONA O'NEILL, from the London, are both fine Mothers and sing great renditions of "Nine."SARAGHINA- MYRA LUCRETIA TYLER: In the part of a whore, Saraghina has one of the best known songs from Nine, "Be Italian." MYRA LUCRETIA TYLER is incedible. Her deep belt and almost rough tenderness to the little boys makes her the best Saraghina. KATHI MOSS and ELLEN O'GRADY from the Orignal and Lonon casts, respectively, make good Saraghina's, but don't even come close to Tyler's.DIERDRE GOODWIN, from the Revival, STEPHANIE COTSIRILOS, from the Original, and CAMERON JOHANN, from the Original, as OUR LADY OF THE SPA, STEPHANIE NECROPHOROUS, and LITTLE GUIDO are the best people in those roles. The ensemble on all three CDs are excellent in the groundbreaking "Overture Delle Donne." If you would like to listen to a complete recording of Nine, get the Original or Revival. If you would like to listen to the best recording over all, get the Revival. If you just love Nine, get all three and find out your opinion."

Impeccable Recording of a Best Musical Tony Winner

Jose R. Perez | Yonkers, NY USA | 01/11/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When "Nine" beat out "Dreamgirls" for the Tony's Best Musical, some were appalled and infuriated. As magical as the Dreams certainly were on stage, especially the Tony Winning Jennifer Holliday, "Nine" deserved the award for its sheer brilliance. As a stage musical, I can think of only "Sweeny Todd" when it comes to the scope and passion it evokes. Every song contributes to the story, and each character is complete, from start to finish. Some songs speak to heartbreak and love, while others are giddy reminders of life as a teenager and young adult. A startling and unforgettable performance by the late great Raul Julia and the high kicking Lilianne Montevecci make this a must own CD for any true love of the Broadway Musical. To be sure, "Dreamgirls" had catchier tunes and more sing-song-y lyrics, but the depth of emotion captured in "Nine" make it an even greater classic. I long for it to return to the New York Stage so it can win Tonys all over again! Pure MAGIC, LAUGHTER, FUN and PASSION. You'll LOVE IT!!"