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My Favorite Broadway - The Love Songs

My Favorite Broadway - The Love Songs

List Price: $19.99
Your Price: $17.99
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: has the world gone mad?
Review: oh my gosh! i can't believe the things the other reviewers said about this video! first of all, it is absolutely amazing but where on earth is this criticism of 'elaborate lives' coming from? heather headley and adam pascal's duet is utterly electrifying in every way! it touches raw heart- i rewind it and watch over and over again! how can anyone say anything remotely unpleasant about it? buy this video, if only for that one performance. it's worth it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: come along and listen to...
Review: One of the greatest concerts ever! Even more, its brought right to your home so you can watch it any time! All the classic stars were present at the event so it makes you feel as if you are there. Every act is filled with loads of talent. It seems that the performers are filled with an extra burst of passion becuase they are singing THEIR favorite songs. Listening to such a broad selection of talents such as Julie Andrews, Adam Pascal, Chita Rivera and Nathan Lane makes the concert live up to its name: My Favorite Broadway.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Love songs from Broadway...
Review: Personal taste tends play a role in whether you highly recommend or merely endorse a particular DVD, concert, etc. I might have selected different songs, preferred other or additional performers, but I'm wasn't consulted.

I do have my favorites on this DVD, ranking Linda Eder's medley "I'm Gonna Love You," "I Don't Know How To Love Him," and "What Kind Of Fool Am I?" at the top. Robert Goulet makes two separate appearances, both adding to the program. I must also mention "Lullaby Of Broadway," performed by Tom Wopat and dancers. "I'm A Brass Band" was new to me, and I especially liked Bebe Neuwirth as the "brass band." "Brush Up Your Shakespeare," performed with class by Michael McCormick and Michael Mulheren is followed by an equally impressive "How Lucky Can You Get," by Chita Rivera.

Julie Andrews sings a couple of lines from "The Rain In Spain," with Michael Crawford and they dance across the stage bringing the program to a close.

Watching these performances so beauifully reproduced with DVD technology makes me a little sad. What a shame, being reminded that we can't experience Julie's performances in "My Fair Lady," and "Camelot" on DVD -- among other performances.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Not as big as
Review: Staged in New York's tiny, simple-looking City Center (As opposed to the big, grand old Carnegie Hall of the first "My Favorite Broadway" concert, "The Leading Ladies"), "My Favorite Broadway: THe Love Songs" lacks the glamorous polish of its predecessor, but while there are some misses in the evening's tribute to Broadway's many takes on that great emotion (Especially a rocky start with a somewhat cheesy medley that shows none of the talented singers to good advantage), overall it is a very entertaining 2 hours. What's great about the video version is that it contains the complete concert, with several numbers that were (mostly) stupidly deleted from PBS's TV broadcast. It's unfortunate that neither of the legends, Chita Rivera or Robert GOulet, come off well in their extras ("An English Teacher" and "This Nearly Was Mine"), but Jeffrey Denman and Joan Hess's beautiful dance to "Smoke Gets In Your Eyes," Marin Mazzie's powerful "When DId I Fall In Love" (From the once-a-Pulitzer-Prize-winner, now-long-forgotten musical "Fiorello!"), and the addition of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" to Linda Eder's rousing medley of belted standards are too good to miss. Of the rest of the concert, highlights include Nathan Lane's dead-pan remake of "Sue Me" with a do-wop trio as backup, Three Mo' Tenor's delightful appearence, Ron Raines' wonderful "Gigi," Mazzie's "Not a Day Goes By," Bebe Neuwirth's "I'm a Brass Band," and the incredibly funny "Brush Up YOur Shakespeare." And thankfully, Chita gets to show why she deserves to be a legend with her kicks during "Rosie" and her wonderful "How lucky Can You Get,"a nd Goulet also manages to work some of his old magic in "If Ever I WOuld Leave You." Appearences by Barry Manilow and newcomers Adam Pascal and Heather Headley are unimpressive, but the rest is good enough to make up for it. The event belongs, of course, to host Julie Andrews. Whether she's reciting the lyrics to a cut song from "My Fair Lady" (In a lovely anecdote that was also a PBS casualty), embracing Goulet after he serenades her with "Leave You," or describing how it came down to Rodgers and Hammerstein for what proved to be their biggest bomb, "Pipe Dream," or Lerner and Loewe for MFL, you know this woman is an absolute star and you can't get enough of her. The much-heralded moment in "The Rain In Spain" (And yes, she really DOES sing) is just icing on the cake. While her voice may never reach the spectacular heights it has gone to again, just having her around makes the world a much better place. In spite of those quibbles mentioned earlier and two more(Why are THREE songs in the concert, "Lover," "Too Late Now," and "How Lucky," from MOVIE musicals instead of Broadway shows??? Even "Lullaby of Broadway," originally written for one of the Busby Berkeley movie musicals that provided the inspiration for the Broadway hit "42nd Street," and of course, the OSCAR, as opposed to Tony, winning "Gigi,"-even if the movie was adapted into a failed Broadway show in the 70's-only barely qualify. And if you're going to do Broadway love songs, and include Lerner and Loewe standards, how can you be so stupid as to not include some more of the all-time most incredible Broadway love songs by Rodgers and Hammerstein, overdone or not??), "Love Songs" still provides highly enjoyable entertainment.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Worth the dull stuff for the SPECTACULAR!
Review: Sure The Leading Ladies Broadway was pure delight, but! what great moments there are on this DVD; Heather Headley singing "He Touched Me" was so powerful(my husband and I usually replay this song several times before going forward); then the amazing tenors are so intouch with each other and then to beak into the upbeat stuff was a treat; plus, there is the overwhelming duet of Headley and Pascal (how much would we pay for that moment?); Marin Mazzie and Linda Eder are great to hear again; Pascal's joining with the choir was also an unexpected pleasure; and then there is the awesome Nathan Lane, Robert Goulet, and Michael Crawford are part of this musical soul food; even Barry Manilow singing from his musical was completely stirring--besides, I'm glad to know that someone cares enough to still be writing musicals (could anyone have delivered this moving song any better?); and lastly, the most spectacular event was Michael Crawford with Julie Andrews as she is finally, finally heard again! Judging from the crowd's reaction in the theater, my husband and I were and are not alone in basking in the sound of her voice; it was a moment.

Perhaps I have caused you to get sick to your stomach from too much cotton candy, perhaps you may think this review is too sweet or to upholding and praising for the singers and the wonderful Amercan Orchestra, but what if? Can't we use some more beauty in this world? Wouldn't we be better off if we applauded those who seek to share the overwhelming gifts of their voices and talent? Obviously, I loved it, and if I may speak for my husband, so did he. We have watched this DVD over and over, and we have shared it with many of our friends who have been delighted in this performance. Five stars? You bet!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Worth the dull stuff for the SPECTACULAR!
Review: Sure The Leading Ladies Broadway was pure delight, but! what great moments there are on this DVD; Heather Headley singing "He Touched Me" was so powerful(my husband and I usually replay this song several times before going forward); then the amazing tenors are so intouch with each other and then to beak into the upbeat stuff was a treat; plus, there is the overwhelming duet of Headley and Pascal (how much would we pay for that moment?); Marin Mazzie and Linda Eder are great to hear again; Pascal's joining with the choir was also an unexpected pleasure; and then there is the awesome Nathan Lane, Robert Goulet, and Michael Crawford are part of this musical soul food; even Barry Manilow singing from his musical was completely stirring--besides, I'm glad to know that someone cares enough to still be writing musicals (could anyone have delivered this moving song any better?); and lastly, the most spectacular event was Michael Crawford with Julie Andrews as she is finally, finally heard again! Judging from the crowd's reaction in the theater, my husband and I were and are not alone in basking in the sound of her voice; it was a moment.

Perhaps I have caused you to get sick to your stomach from too much cotton candy, perhaps you may think this review is too sweet or to upholding and praising for the singers and the wonderful Amercan Orchestra, but what if? Can't we use some more beauty in this world? Wouldn't we be better off if we applauded those who seek to share the overwhelming gifts of their voices and talent? Obviously, I loved it, and if I may speak for my husband, so did he. We have watched this DVD over and over, and we have shared it with many of our friends who have been delighted in this performance. Five stars? You bet!

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: What did they do to Broadway?
Review: The musical arrangements used in this show are horrible. It's not the Broadway I love. The predecessor to this show, "The Leading Ladies" is much better, though still not exceptional.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: What did they do to Broadway?
Review: The musical arrangements used in this show are horrible. It's not the Broadway I love. The predecessor to this show, "The Leading Ladies" is much better, though still not exceptional.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: LOVE SONGS
Review: The woman cannot sing, she is trying to sound like striesand and there is only one person that even comes close and that is Barbara herself. Stop trying to be something your NOT !

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: DULL! DULL!! DULL!!!
Review: Well, as is true in the movies and apparantly with Broadway revues, when you have a successful formula, beat it to death until you have exhausted all possiblilites. Well it didn't take long for me to succumb to exhaustion after about 10 minutes watching this rediculous follow up to "My Favorite Broadway-The Leading Ladies." What were they thinking? First of all, how can you keep the pace moving for two hours with just love songs? Obviously it dawned on them, you can't, because how do you explain the inclusion of numbers like "Brush Up Your Shakespeare?" The performers were a hodge-podge of awkwardness. It is pretty sad, when you have to resort to hiring Barry Manilow to sing Broadway songs. As much as I love Chita Rivera, she did not work here. Maybe if Dick Van Dyke had joined her in the Bye Bye Birdie segment, it may have sparkled. Linda Eder was true to form, "singing" with her head cropped to one side. Oh, my dear Michael Crawford, I would rather be imprisoned for life, having to watch you in the movie version of "Hello Dolly" continuously for a month, than watch you sing "Music of the Night." GET A LIFE! Heather Headley's version of "He Touched Me" didn't. The only saving factor to this mess was Julie Andrews. Quality, star quality plus, magical and unmistakable! Why did you allow them to take your voice from us? Why did you consent to do that dreadful stage version of "Victor Victoria" which was the beginning of the end to your singing?


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