Miss Saigon (Original 1989 London Cast)

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It's probably best known for raising the stakes for 1980s blockbuster shows by landing a helicopter on stage, but Miss Saigon is also a good show with good music. As a follow-up to their international smash Les Misérables, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg (with an assist from Richard Maltby Jr.) adapted the tale of Madame Butterfly to the Vietnam War, realized here by the original 1989 London cast. While it may seem overheated at times, the despair and passion fit the tragic story, and Schönberg's pop-flavored style receives its most appropriate setting. Leading the cast are Jonathan Pryce as the Engineer (a Eurasian character whose casting generated some controversy when the producers wanted to have Pryce, a Caucasian, reprise the role on Broadway), Lea Salonga (in her first major role) as the young Vietnamese bride, Simon Bowman as her lover, and Claire Moore as his American wife (and a young Ruthie Henshall as one of the sweaty bargirls). The songs include the bawdy opener "The Heat Is on in Saigon," "The Movie in My Mind," "Why God Why," the romantic duet "The Last Night of the World," the female duet "I Still Believe," the male chorus number "Bui-Doi," and the Engineer's mocking "The American Dream." The booklet includes photographs and full lyrics. It's also available in a 58-minute highlights version. --David Horiuchi
Product Details
  • Artist: Alain Boublil
  • Binding: Audio CD
  • EAN: 0720642427125
  • Format: Cast Recording
  • Label: Decca U.S.
  • Manufacturer: Decca U.S.
  • MPN: 24271
  • NumberOfDiscs: 2
  • OriginalReleaseDate: 1990-02-13
  • ProductGroup: Music
  • ProductTypeName: ABIS_MUSIC
  • Publisher: Decca U.S.
  • ReleaseDate: 1990-02-02
  • Studio: Decca U.S.
  • UPC: 720642427125

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Customer Reviews

A Moving, Continental Love Story2008-08-24
Following the huge success of their grand masterpiece, LES MISERABLES, Alain Boubil & Claude-Michel Schonberg came out with MISS SAIGON. For those looking for the best version of the show on CD, this is the one you want. The show is basically a love story between an American G.I., Chris (Simon Bowman) and a young Vietnamese girl, Kim (Lea Salonga) just before the American departure from Saigon in 1975. The show attempts to address some similar issues from LES MISERABLE, such as the cruelty and injustice of unfair working conditions and timeless love, but these are basically camouflage for an ill-fated love story. My favorite songs from the album and show include:

"Why God Why"
"I Still Believe"
"This Is the Hour"
"Bui-Doi"
"The Fall of Saigon"
"The American Dream"

The performances by the actors are very well done, especially Simon Bowman, Lea Salonga, and Jonathan Pryce (as The Engineer). LES MISERABLE, with a central story about the life-changing power of grace, is a stronger show than MISS SAIGON. However, MISS SAIGON does have its moments and is a grand musical story of tragic love.
Great CD, just a little disappointed2008-04-16
I love Miss Saigon, but I bought this CD just because of Lea Salonga. I really love her, but I was a little disappointed in this performance. I watched her in Miss Saigon in 2001 and thought she was amazing. She sung the songs with much more power. I thought she was good in the CD, but not great. She was only 18 when she recorded this CD. I guess it was a mistake thinking she sung as well as she does now. I did love the CD, though, and I'm happy I bought it. The reason I keep listening to it is for the great songs and story. They lyrics really are amazing.
Service from Amazon2008-01-26
Great service. Product arrived 8 days earlier than promised. Well packaged and postage costs were reasonable. would buy from Amazon again. Cast not as good as the original Taped Set which features some of the original Australian Cast. This one was produced by Festival Records in Australia in 1995, Featuring Joanna Amphil and Peter Cousens, and is the best version I have heard. If anyone has a CD of this version I would love to purchase. Patricia
i wish i could go back2007-10-08
The 1989 Original London Cast Recording of Miss Saigon is absolutely amazing!!! I have never seen the show, but I have wanted to for a long time - I was actually supposed to see it with my family when I was about 12, but I ended up being sick so they went without me (and unfortunately, it is now no longer on broadway). Listening to this soundtrack, however, I feel like I am there. The music is so powerful and captivating. (And thankfully, the cd insert provides the storyline with the lyrics so I was able to understand what was going on when things were not exactly clear - I listened once through without looking at the cd insert and it was amazing, but then I listened again following along and it was even more amazing.) The storyline is heart-wrenching and powerful (very classic of Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schonberg (at least in my opinion)), and it is brought home with the passion in the voices of the cast. It made me wish I could take a time machine to London in 1989 so I could see this live. I am now still praying that there will be a revival on broadway (and I can only hope that there will be a cast even half as amazing as the original london cast).
One for my generation2007-08-20
When I was a kid, Mom used to put on the soundtrack of Oklahoma!, turn it up loud, and clean house while she sang along. Eventually, my brother replaced her music with West Side Story... and then one day my daughter introduced me to the music of Miss Saigon and Les Miserables. I love both equally, though I can't say I'd ever clean house while listening; the music here is so deeply moving in terms of subject and lyric that I usually end up just sitting, staring, listening. And I've never even seen the actual production....
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