Customer Rating:
Summary: The best
Comment: If you want the best recording of Man of la mancha, look no further than this recording. It's the best of them all and it's complete.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Very disappointing.
Comment: I was unfamiliar with this recording until I stumbled across it on Amazon.com and read the reviews. I was familiar, however, with the original Broadway cast recording ( with Richard Kiley, Joan Diener, and Irving Middleton) and with the earlier London version that is largely complete, with dialogue as well as music. Despite the reviews below, this version suffers in comparison to both of these earlier versions. Ultimately, the quality of the voices--both in terms of absolute musicality and in terms of dramatic characterizations--in this version are inferior to the earlier ones. In particular Kim Criswell is wooden, both as an acress and as a singer, so she makes a collosally unimpressive Aldonza/Dulcinea. Ron Raines is functional but insufficiently inspiring when he sings the role of Quijote/Cervantes---his "Impossible Dream" sounds like a well intentioned college freshman. Only the orchestrations and dramatizations of the muleteers' songs are interesting.

Stick to the original Broadway cast recording, or if you want a nearly complete version, go to the earlier London recording. Stay away from this one.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: The best recording of La Mancha
Comment: Thanks to this complete recording, with all the music and dialogue, the full impact of this amazing work is now fully realised. The production of this recording is one of the best I have ever heard in any cast recordings. It is like you are in the theatre listening to a great performance of Man Of La Mancha by the wonderful cast of Ron Raines, Kim Criswell and the rest. I used to have the old London cast recording which purports to be complete but it was not the case because a lot of the music and scenes were not recorded and are missing from the recording. If you want a truly complete and best recording of La Mancha, this is the only recording to get. 5 stars and no less.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: New Recording Is a Mixed Affair
Comment: The new recording of Man of La Mancha is a mixed affair. The songs are beautifully sung with the exception of Kim Criswell. Which was a surprise.

I felt that Criswell under played her role of Aldonza. Although her performance was technically very good, I felt that her characterization of Aldonza was lacking in other performances of the the role that I had heard or seen. I was wondering if she was directed this way. I have her two solo albums and in my opinion she is much better on those two recordings.

Ron Raines is at the top of his game and it is a shame that there is no place for a performer of his stature on Broadway these days. He gives a stunning version of The Impossible Dream.

The other quibble I have is the spoken dialogue. I found the readings to be flat, dull and uninspired. I wonder if the cast was in the studio at one time. The spoken dialogue lacked spark and characterization. I had no idea at times who was speaking as there was no real distinction in the speaking voices.

Thankfully one can program out the dialogue and just lisen to the music. Always critized as a one song show (The Impossible Dream) the score has a lot to recommend. It's a shame the composer and lyricist were never able to follow up with a successful show.

I recommend this recording with 4 stars for its technical excellence, the complete score and for most of the performances. I normally find Jay's complete recordings to be at the top of their game and an important part of any collection. I have nothing but high praises for 110 in the Shade, Cabaret, Nine and Lady in the Dark which are part of my collection. This recording of Man of La Mancha just misses the mark of being perfection.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: A CAST RECORDING AT IT'S BEST
Comment: If you are a fan of this show, if you want to hear it in it's fullest context and if you definetly want your money's worth then this is the recording of "Man of La Mancha" that you should get. The three leads are fabluous, especially Ron Raines(wait to you hear his rendition of "The Impossible Dream"), are excellent and the fact that all the dialogue and underscoring is here makes this like being able to watch the complete show every night. Believe me if you want this show this is the best recording "on a whole" that you can get your hands on.

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