Lionel Bart's La Strada to Be Released on CD

By Andrew Gans
21 Jul 2004

La Strada — the short-lived 1969 musical starring Bernadette Peters and boasting a score by Oliver!'s Lionel Bart — will be released on the Bayview Records label July 30.

The 12-track disc features Madeline Bell in the role created by two-time Tony winner Bernadette Peters. Bart composed the score in 1967, and the Bayview disc features the studio demonstration recording that was made at the time with Bell and the Michael Sammes Singers. Only two of the disc's songs survived the Broadway rehearsal and tryout process.

The complete track listing for La Strada, which features Ken Moule as musical director, follows:
"Overture"
"The Seashell Game"
"To Be A Performer"
"Belonging"
"Hullo And Goodbye"
"Nothin"
"My Turn To Fall"
"Something Special"
"Tan-tan-ta-ra! Farewell!"
"If Her Mother Only Knew!"
"Zampano The Great" (Reprise)
"Finale"

Adapted from Fellini's motion picture, La Strada opened and closed at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Dec. 14, 1969. The cast, directed by Alan Schneider, featured Bernadette Peters, Larry Kert, Hank Brunjes, Robert Carle, Joe Coe, Peggy Cooper, Betsy Dickerson, Mickey Gunnerson, Anne Hegira, Joyce Maret, Stan Page, Lucille Paton and Stephen Pearlman.

For more information visit www.bayviewrecords.com.