photo provided by Sherri Rase
Night Music CD cover
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Ah, there's nothing like a weekend in the country when you lead a glamorous life, is there? And the current Broadway revival cast album, celebrating the tour de force whirlwind of performances that featured Angela Lansbury as Madame Armfeldt, renowned courtesan whose flower has long faded, and her actress daughter Desiree, played by Catherine Zeta-Jones, reminds us that the dazzle of live theatre sizzles through an excellent recording.

If you had the pleasure of seeing one of the performances of this limited run, you had a treat indeed. These actors, who also include Erin Davie, Leigh-Anne Larkin, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Ramona Mallory and Aaron Lazar as principals, remind us that a truly wonderful vocal instrument provides not only sweet harmonies, but also, to actors, the voice is a musical instrument as well as a vocal one.

All of these voices are well up to the challenges of Stephen Sondheim, who throws us a number of curves via Hugh Wheeler's book. These challenges include trios, quartets, and more, as well as requiring superior musical knowledge and skill to navigate the harmonies and the cadences that even the tuned speech requires. Delicious!

The songs we know like "Weekend in the Country," as it returns in various guises, the wistful waltz while we all wait for the night to smile, and the ones we can sing by heart all have a different presence when taken in context. Especially a familiar chestnut like "Send in the Clowns" has a poignancy that is rarely felt when singing along to a pop version or in a piano bar. This is the serio-comedy that is life and Sondheim manages to bring all the juice and acid of life to the fore. Whether it is the milque-toast Anne, who runs off with Henrik, or Desiree and Frederik's ultimate rekindling, after years of pushing one another and the memory of their love away, it is possible to come away with the sense that Love will out, and the belief in love does too. When Madame Armfeldt recounts the story of "The Wooden Ring," we learn that even the crustiest and fustiest were once young and in love.

Make sure to get your copy of this album-you might have Glynis Johns and Hermione Gingold on vinyl, but this is all 21st century and timeless. Happy 80th Birthday, Stephen, and thank you. Thank you.