Tag Archives: Oscar Hammerstein II

“Discouraging Words”: Lyrics for Musical Theatre

Posted on October 1, 2009 by David Fick

In 1998, Steven Winn wrote an article about lyric writing in contemporary musical theatre for the San Francisco Chronicle: Discouraging Words. The general thrust of his article is that “Broadway lyrics, with a few exceptions, have lost the wit and … Continue reading →

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SOUTH PACIFIC: Revisiting the Film

Posted on July 10, 2009 by David Fick

Watching the film version of South Pacific again after a while is always a surprise. I always enjoy it more than I think I will and today I probably like it more than I ever have. Some things I liked: … Continue reading →

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The Best CAROUSEL Recording

Posted on June 11, 2009 by David Fick

Where to begin? Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II’s Carousel, which first premiered in 1945, has been recorded several times over: both the original Broadway and London cast performances were preserved, and since then we’ve had numerous revival and studio … Continue reading →

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SOUTH PACIFIC Review Roundup

Posted on April 14, 2008 by David Fick

Broadway’s revival of South Pacific has opened to a set of excellent reviews. Here’s a roundup of what the critics are saying about the show: Raves Ben Brantley at The New York Times: For this South Pacific recreates the unabashed, … Continue reading →

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SOUTH PACIFIC: the Next Generation

Posted on April 7, 2008 by David Fick

Lillian Ross has written a super article in The New Yorker about watching the revival with the daughters of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, Mary Rodgers Guettel and Alice Hammerstein Mathias. Some of the highlights: About the Orchestra in … Continue reading →

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The Legacy of Alan Jay Lerner

Posted on December 24, 2005 by David Fick

Where does Alan Jay Lerner fit into the history of musicals? A prolific librettist and lyricist, Lerner had moments of genius (most of My Fair Lady and the film version of Gigi and parts of Camelot, On a Clear Day … Continue reading →

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THE BEAUTIFUL GAME: 2000 OCR Track by Track

Posted on November 27, 2000 by David Fick

The original cast recording of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Ben Elton’s new musical The Beautiful Game was released this past weekend. The production opened recently in London to mixed reviews, with many critics saving the most negative comments for Elton’s … Continue reading →

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