BETTY BUCKLEY
As previously announced, Betty Buckley's upcoming recording on the Sterling Records label, Much More, is due for a fall release to coincide with her return to the Broadway stage in Triumph of Love. The recording boasts orchestrations by both the Tony-winning Jonathan Tunick and Buckley's long-time musical director Kenny Werner and includes many of the songs she debuted at her last stint at Maxim's cabaret in New York. I know many of BB's fans, myself included, have been anxiously awaiting the song list for her fifth release from Sterling, which joins Children Will Listen, With One Look, The London Concert and An Evening at Carnegie Hall. And here it is. . . * "Much More" (Schmidt/Jones from The Fantasticks)
* "The Man That Got Away" (Arlen/Gershwin from A Star Is Born)
* "Come Rain or Come Shine" (Arlen/Mercer from St. Louis Woman)
* "Pretty Women" (Sondheim from Sweeney Todd)
* "Laura" (Raksin/Mercer from Laura)
* "Cry Me a River" (Hamilton)
* "Lush Life" (Strayhorn)
* "Autumn Leaves" (Kozma/Mercer/Prevert)
* "Flight" (Carnelia)
* "It Must Be So" (Bernstein/Wilbur from Candide)
* Medley: "When I Look in Your Eyes" (Bricusse from Doctor Dolittle) / "If I Never Knew You" (Menken/Schwartz from Pocahontas) / "Why Did I Choose You" (Leonard/Martin from The Yearling)
* "Skylark" (Carmichael/Mercer)
There seems to be a bit of confusion regarding the preview and opening dates for Triumph of Love, which have changed a few times. I spoke with the press rep for this new musical, starring Buckley, F. Murray Abraham, Elayne Boosler and Susan Egan, and was informed that the dates are September 23 (first preview) and October 23 (opening night). Tickets are available by phone beginning this Sunday, August 17 (212-432-7250 or 1 800-677-1164) and may be purchased at the box office of the Royale Theatre starting Monday, September 8. The Royale Theatre is located at 242 W. 45th Street.
SARAH BRIGHTMAN
I received many requests this week regarding Sarah Brightman's upcoming album, Time To Say Goodbye, which will be released on Angel Records, following its smash success in Europe (where it was titled Timeless). Brightman's newest recording, featuring the London Symphony Orchestra, will be available in record stores beginning September 16. The song list follows:
* "No One Like You"- Jerry Goldsmith/David Zippel
* "Just Show Me How To Love You" featuring José Cura-D.B. Bembo/A. Cassella, F. Peterson, Laisa
* "Tu quieres volver"-Gipsy Kings
* "In Pace"-Patrick Doyle
* "There For Me" featuring José Cura-Angelo La Bionda, Carmelo La Bionda, Charly Ricanek, Richard Palmer, James Ferrau
* "Bilitis-Gènèrique"-Francis Lai
* "Who Wants to Live Forever"-Brian May
* "La Wally"-Catalani
* "Naturaleza Muerta"-J.M. Cano
* "En aranjuez con tu amor"-Joaquin Rodrigo/Alfredo Garcia Segura
* "In Trutina"-Carl Orff
* "Time To Say Goodbye" featuring Andrea Bocelli-L. Quarantotto, F. Sartori, F. Peterson
* "O mio babbino caro"-Gianni Shicci
* "Alleluja"-Mozart
PATTI LuPONE
I received word from composer Stephen (Once On This Island, Ragtime) Flaherty this week that Patti LuPone will sing one of his (and lyricist Lynn Ahrens') great ballads from Ragtime in her upcoming concert at the Hollywood Bowl, where she will be joined onstage by Davis Gaines and Rebecca Luker. La LuPone will get the chance to sing "Back To Before," which was recorded on the Toronto cast album of Ragtime by Marin (Passion) Mazzie. It should be a thrill to hear Patti deliver the beautiful song and to hear her belt the climactic lines, "There was a time/When you were the person in motion/I was your wife/It never occurred to want more/You were my sky/My moon and my stars and my ocean/We can never go back to before." The orchestra for the Bowl performance, under the direction of John Mauceri, will also perform Flaherty's Orchestral Suite, which is based on the themes of Ragtime and was premiered at the Bowl during the Fourth of July weekend. For information and tickets, call 213 850-2000.
In related news, another concert featuring the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra will take place on September 19, spotlighting the music of 20th Century Fox. Stephen Flaherty's Suite from Anastasia, the upcoming animated film starring the voice of Bernadette Peters (Peters sings a song called "Paris Holds the Key To Your Heart"), will be performed during this evening, and Liz (Baby, Miss Saigon) Callaway will premiere a song from the score entitled "Once Upon a December."
BERNADETTE PETERS
Last week's announcement of the tenth-anniversary reunion concert of Into the Woods generated perhaps the most e-mail I've received since I started the diva column. It seems there are even more Bernadette Peters/Stephen Sondheim fans out there than I had imagined! I spoke with someone at Friends in Deed this week, the organization that will benefit from the concert of the Sondheim/Lapine musical on November 9 at the Broadway Theatre, and was informed that tickets will not be available for sale until late September. At this time the price structure has yet to be determined, but I will post that information as well as a number for tickets as soon as I receive word. . .
REMINDERS:
KAREN AKERS
Karen Akers will be the featured vocalist for two upcoming concerts at the Hollywood Bowl (August 22 and 23) when the City of Lights comes to the Bowl in August (conducted by John Mauceri). Tickets for Vive La France! can be purchased by calling Ticketmaster at 213-480-3232.
FLORENCE LACEY
Florence Lacey, Lee Roy Reams and Jerry Herman in An Evening with Jerry Herman will continue at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Ogunquit, ME through August 16. You can also catch the threesome at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, MA (August 18-30).
MAUREEN McGOVERN
A host of singing dates are lined up for the multi-talented McGovern. MM will take part in a benefit at Carnegie Hall on September 29, sing with the Arkansas Symphony on October 4 and then return to Carnegie Hall on October 24 for the New York Pop's season opener. . .
ELAINE PAIGE
The Boston Pops concert featuring our English diva continues to play on PBS stations across the country. Be sure to catch EP's thrilling renditions of "As If We Never Said Goodbye," "Memory," "If You Love Me" and more. . . Exciting EP news coming soon!
That's all for now. Happy diva-watching!
-- By Andrew Gans
e-mail me at [email protected]
