CD Details
Synopsis
Product DescriptionIn 1990, Bugs Bunny On Broadway, conducted and created by George Daugherty, took the symphony orchestra world by storm, and pioneered the brand new concept of live orchestra and big screen concerts. Since its legendary premiere at The Gershwin Theatre, the original concert has circumnavigated the globe several times over, playing to millions of people worldwide in iconic venues ranging from the Hollywood Bowl to London s Royal Festival Hall, Moscow s Kremlin Palace and the Sydney Opera House, and with the world s greatest orchestras, from the Los Angeles Philharmonic to the Sydney Symphony, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, The Cleveland Orchestra, and The Philadelphia Orchestra, just to name but a few of many. Now, to celebrate this 20-year legacy of Loony Tunes and orchestral music in concert comes a new sequel, Bugs Bunny At The Symphony, also conducted and created by Daugherty. This new version retains the most indelible moments from the original production, including Chuck Jones inspired What s Opera, Doc? and The Rabbit of Seville, while adding in other Warner Bros. classics like Friz Freleng s Rhapsody Rabbit, and the virtuoso orchestral roller coaster of the Road Runner epic Zoom and Bored. Plus a special guest appearance of Tom and Jerry In The Hollywood Bowl, and other guest stars from the larger Warner Bros. animation family. As with the original, the stars are not only Bugs Bunny, Elmer Fudd, Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, and the rest of the Looney Tunes gang, but even more importantly, the masterful genius of composers Carl Stalling and Milt Franklyn. As the composers behind the Looney Tunes, Stalling and Franklyn expertly composed scores that borrowed from classical music icons, as well as the popular songs of the day. They created some of the best-loved and most adventurous -- American symphonic compositions of the 20th century, while at the same time introducing classical music to new generations through their sharp but loving reenactments of Rossini's The Barber of Seville (as "The Rabbit of Seville") and, amazingly, Wagner s entire Ring Cycle (condensed from four nights down to seven minutes in "What's Opera, Doc?"). This live recording captures the excitement of the May 2010 World Premiere of Bugs Bunny At The Symphony at the Sydney Opera House, performed by the Sydney Symphony, conducted by George Daugherty.
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CD Reviews
Looney Tunes Music at its best, Carl Stalling would be proud Looney Lover | 07/24/2010 (5 out of 5 stars) "I've seen the old "Bugs Bunny On Broadway" at least 5 times, so when I heard they were doing a new one I was skeptical. How could it ever be improved upon? Well, it is. I saw it last weekend at The Hollywood Bowl, and bought the CD immediately thereafter. This new version of the concert retained my favorite cartoons from the original, but "Bugs Bunny At The Symphony" takes the whole concept one step further. I also love that it's a live recording from The Sydney Opera House, with the Sydney Symphony. The orchestra sounds fantastic, and the idea of cartoons playing at an iconic Opera House, accompanied by a major international symphony orchestra, makes the whole thing more irresistible. That certainly was the situation at The Hollywood Bowl. The place was packed -- I would guess 20,000 people -- and everybody was enthusiastic beyond belief. I can't imagine the Beatles having evoked more excitement at The Bowl.
But about this CD -- it captures the classic sound of the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies like never before. I have the old CD of "Bugs Bunny On Broadway," and while it was great, the newly recorded material was so brand-spankin'-new-digital, and there was a constant shift between that and the original old audio and voice elements -- some of which are 60 or 70 years old. For me, it constantly took me out of the moment, I was always thinking "Oh, this is old," and "This is new." The new recording of "Bugs Bunny At The Symphony," however, has such a beautiful rounded and consistent sound, and it achieves a beautiful and warm consistency between the old and the new. Everything is so beautifully matched together, it's a very cohesive listening experience. The addition of live audience reaction really puts the fact that this is a LIVE CONCERT into beautiful context.
George Daugherty and the Sydney Symphony sound remarkable. Daugherty obviously knows more about conducting these cartoon scores than any other conductor in the world, and his passion, expertise, and attention to detail -- musical and otherwise -- are obvious and infectious. The classical music lifts are treated with great respect for the original composers, but the "Looney Tunes-isms" are carried off with remarkable skill and abandon. Daugherty and his musicians treat this material with great care, and yet obviously had a smile on their face. Tracks like "What's Opera Doc" and "The Rabbit of Seville" are still fantastic, although I like them better on this new recording than even on the last one. But my favorite new addition is "Tom and Jerry In The Hollywood Bowl," which left me breathless in the end, in the best possible way. A real tour de force for Daugherty and the orchestra, and as a fan of the original "Die Fledermaus," it never occurred to me that this music could be played THIS CRAZY-FAST and still be so brilliantly evocative. I also loved the overture to "The Beautiful Galathea," which also turned up later on the CD as a snippet in "Long Haired Hare." But this original overture, played in full length, is a rarity and I loved it. Such beautiful playing from the Sydney Symphony, and some really sensitive interpretation by Daugherty, who obviously knows who to carry off a von Suppe overture with class and elegance, and a real lilt. (At the Hollywood Bowl, Daugherty said to the audience that this overture was a favorite of Carl Stalling himself. One can see why!)
Some of the quirkiest moments on this CD come from the archival material. A montage called "I Love To Singa" is really charming, and totally lovable. It illustrates the use of songs in the Looney Tunes and Merrie Melodies canon, and several of the songs spotlighted, including the title "I Love To Singa" (presumably a Looney salute to "The Jazz Singer) and a completely irresistible Porky Pig love duet, made me have to play this medley several times over in a row. The addition of Pepe Le Pew was most welcome, as well. This one was a winner!
It's been a long time since lovers of Looney Tunes music and Carl Stalling and Milton Franklin have had a new CD to listen to. So this is a welcome new addition to the Stalling Project I, Stalling Project II, and the old "Bugs Bunny On Broadway." Listening to this CD several times now, I am amazed how complete an experience it is to just LISTEN to these cartoons, rather than to see them. That's a real compliment to the way Carl Stalling and Milton Franklin composed this music, but even more so, it's a real compliment to the way Daugherty and the Sydney Symphony performed this material. Now, all we need is for Warner Bros. to release these new tracks with visuals on a DVD! Please!" Fabulous Rabbit! annie | 07/24/2010 (5 out of 5 stars) "George Daugherty and David Wong and the Sydney Symphony have created a fabulous tribute to Bugs Bunny and some of his Warner Brothers friends. A must buy. Second best to hearing and seeing the concert in person!"
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Track Listings (15) - Disc #1