Artist: Original London Cast
Music: Georges Bizet
Book & lyrics: Oscar Hammerstein II
Label: EMI Classics
Catalogue: CDC 7 54351 2 / CD JONES 1
Release: 1991
Format: 1 CD
Genre: Musical Theatre / Stage & Screen
Running time: Approximately 63 minutes
This is the 1991 Original London Cast recording of Oscar Hammerstein II's Carmen Jones, his English-language musical adaptation of Bizet's Carmen. The London production opened at the Old Vic in April 1991, in a production directed by Simon Callow.
The recording features Wilhelmenia Fernandez, Sharon Benson, Damon Evans, Michael Austin, Gregg Baker and Karen Parks, conducted by Henry Lewis. It was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London from 6–9 June 1991.
Track highlights
The 17-track programme includes:
Overture
“Cain't Let You Go”
“Dat's Love”
“You Talk Jus' Like My Maw”
“Dere's a Cafe on de Corner”
“Beat Out Dat Rhythm on a Drum”
“Stan' Up and Fight”
“Whizzin' Away Along de Track”
“Dis Flower”
“If You Would Only Come Away”
“De Cards Don' Lie / Dat Ol' Boy”
“My Joe”
“Dat's Our Man!”
Finale
An interesting feature of this recording is that two different pairs of principal singers alternate as Carmen and Joe. Wilhelmenia Fernandez/Damon Evans and Sharon Benson/Michael Austin share the principal roles, reflecting the demanding vocal requirements of the stage production.
Overall: A historically interesting recording of a major London revival of Carmen Jones, combining Bizet's famous melodies with Hammerstein's distinctly American musical-theatre treatment. It's especially worthwhile for collectors of musical-theatre and cast recordings, and the original 1991 EMI Classics edition is the version to look for if you're cataloguing the CD.