West Side Story

[Stephany]

Hi all,

According to HMV[/url] and Play.com[/url], West Side Story's release date has been pushed back to August 18 August 13.
Amazon's page remains unchanged. Not for long?

Stephany

[Dave]

Hi Stephany, and everyone,

You are right, the release date has changed, well spotted!

But according to my UCJ newsletter I received today, the UK release dates are now as follows:

West Side Story is released digitally on 30th July and on CD on 13th August

These dates are likely to be correct because it's UCJ and also because they are both Mondays... which is the normal release day in the UK.

Cheers, Dave

[Stephany]

Hi Dave,

Thanks for the update.
I had meant August 13 but typed 18...sorry!
I edited my previous message to avoid any confusion.

Stephany

[Richard]

Hello Dave and Stephany!

Here is the full text of Universal's newsletter...

West Side Story - 50th Anniversary recording

One of the most lauded musicals ever written, West Side Story is loosely based on Romeo and Juliet. It is one of the few musicals that never age, and is still as relevant and well-loved today as it ever was. In this 50th anniversary year of the musical, UCJ has assembled some of the biggest classical crossover stars to record a brand new glitzy version of the musical.

This is one of the only major recordings of this masterpiece to have been made since the 1984 version with Leonard Bernstein himself conducting, and has been made with the authorisation of the Bernstein foundation in New York. The cast in the seminal 1984 recording included Kiri Te Kanawa and Jose Carreras.

In this version the part of Maria is passed over to fellow Kiwi Hayley Westenra who pairs up with Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo. Other stars include Connie Fisher and Melanie Marshall (currently playing the lead in Porgy and Bess). With a bright young cast (the singers’ ages on this new UCJ recording also more closely resemble the youth of both Romeo and Juliet and Maria and Tony) and timeless tunes, this is set to become the recording of choice for the 21st Century West Side Story lover.

West Side Story is released digitally on 30th July and on CD on 13th August.

Richard

[Stephany]

Thanks for the newsletter, Richard.
I wonder what caused the delay.
The wait is unbearable!

Stephany

[Stephany]

From 'The Mike Mendoza Show'.
Bigger pictures available on Mike's website.
The info was originally posted on Hayley's official forum.

Stephany

18 July 2007
HAYLEY WESTENRA POPS IN

The highly talented Kiwi Hayley Westenra popped in for a chat with Mike on Monday morning. Hayley has just completed recording the 50Th anniversary CD of WEST SIDE STORY. Hayley was very excited about the Cd which is slightly different from the original inasmuch as it has been updated.

This is taken from the press release:
'UCJ Music has recorded a West Side Story for the 21st Century, casting the roles of Tony & Maria in its 50Th Anniversary is no mean feat. The Artists need to be passionate, young and most of all incredibly talented.

In order to do this much loved musical the justice it deserves, millions of fans will remember both the original film and seminal 1984 recording by Jose Carreras and Kiri Te Kanawa, conducted by Bernstein himself, this modern-day version promises to reinvigorate the classic and bring it to a whole new audience.

So who do you get to perform this honour? The two biggest and youngest stars of classical cross-over in the world, with Vittorio Grigolo as Tony and Hayley Westenra as Maria, you have nothing short of great chemistry and beautiful music.

Available at the end of the month via AMAZON

[Stephany]

Hi everyone,

A review for 'West Side Story' has been published by 'The Evening Standard. I'm afraid it's not very positive.
Note that it is listed in the 'Various artists' category.

Stephany

Various Artists - West Side Story
(Universal Classics and Jazz)
Evening Standard - London
July 20, 2007
By Norman Lebrecht

Just when you thought crossover could get no tackier, the company that put together Leonard Bernstein's nightmare cast for West Side Story has outdone itself with a 50th anniversary tribute album for the work's Broadway premiere.

Bernstein's nadir was a 1984 operatic cast led by Kiri Te Kanawa and Jos Carreras, whom the composer drenched in abuse for their inability to bend a street-cred line. The present line-up is drawn from the amplified charm school: Kiri's Maria is sung by Hayley Westenra, while the Carreras role is aped by pop-opera star Vittorio Grigolo. Where he belts, she winsomely tweets; any musical grit gets lost in tooth-gleam. Elsewhere, Connie Fisher, the BBC talent -show winner, sings Somewhere on the dumb side of nave.

The 1961 movie has been refurbished on DVD; it is preferable on every count.

[dutchjoyce]

Lets Say, Norman came with his wrong leg out of his bed!!!
Do you know this saying??
Norman had a bad day!!!, when he wrote this.
Greetz JOYCE.

[graemek]

Hi Joyce,
In English you would say:
"Norman got out of bed on the wrong side today "

Graeme
PS I think German uses the same expression that you quoted too.

[grant]

graemek said:

Hi Joyce,
In English you would say:
"Norman got out of bed on the wrong side today "

Graeme
PS I think German uses the same expression that you quoted too.

Norman is an idiot!!

No manners
No brain
No taste in music
No job if I had my way.

Nuff said
going to bed
Grant

[drew]

I am reminded of the song by Jilted John (1978) - "Gordon is a Moron".

Please change the title.

I sincerely hope that Norman has not been invited to Woburn.

[Stephany]

Hi,
Here is a review of 'West Side Story' from 'The Nothern Echo'.
Stephany

News and reviews : 'West Side Story'
By Matt Westcott
26 July 2007
The Northern Echo
(c) 2007 North of England Newspapers.

Various (UCJ Music) West Side Story is one of the finest of all musicals, so recasting the story to mark its 50th anniversary is a somewhat daunting task. Making it relevant in 2007, while retaining the aspects that made it so well-loved is no mean feat, but on initial listening, it would appear it's been a success and an interpretation Leonard Bernstein would have approved of. Hayley Westenra takes on the role of Maria, joining Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo. Connie Fisher, winner of How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? , also appears, while orchestration comes from the Royal Liverpool Philarmonic.

[Richard]

Thanks Stephany!

How interesting that the Northern Echo review is a complete opposite of the one from the Evening Standard. It's a good job I rarely take press reviews seriously!

Best Wishes,

Richard

[dutchjoyce]

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH......
My copie op West Side Story was posted today from UK,
so it will arrive at Saturday..............Can't wait to listen to it...!!!!
JOYCE.

[Dave]

dutchjoyce said:

AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH......
My copie op West Side Story was posted today from UK,
so it will arrive at Saturday..............Can't wait to listen to it...!!!!
JOYCE.

Hi Joyce,

Well that's interesting as Universal said recently that the CD would be delayed until 13th August with only the download album released on 30th July. Amazon still say 30th July for the CD version though.

Utter confusion reigns - not for the first time and it will be interesting to see what happens when Amazon's ordering department tells their warehouse to physically ship the CD... especially if it isn't yet in stock!

Please let us know how it goes...

Cheers, Dave