West Side Story Leonard Bernstein’s musical update of Romeo and Juliet, with a young Stephen Sondheim’s brilliant lyrics, had already galvanized Broadway with its vivid reinvention as a parable of racial intolerance and generational conflict. But director Robert Wise’s lavish widescreen presentation broke fresh ground by taking the story to its most impressionable audience, the teenagers who could identify directly with Tony and Maria, and opened up Jerome Robbins’s kinetic choreography through bravura camera work. The original soundtrack album was not merely a huge seller but a unique touchstone for an otherwise rock-oriented audience, and its release on CD benefits from an expanded program untenable in its initial LP release, as well as a 20-bit digital transfer. With Richard Beymer, Marni Nixon (Hollywood’s vocal doppelg nger of choice, here standing in for Natalie Wood), and Rita Moreno dominating, the show’s bounty of terrific songs and exciting instrumental pieces remains an ear-filling treat, mixing operatic passions, tart social commentary, and high comedy. From “Tonight” to “One Hand, One Heart,” “America” to “Jet Song,” this is a landmark in American musical theatre and film beautifully realized on disc. –Sam Sutherland
Customer Review: Excellent recording of entire score
It was indeed a pleasure to hear the entire original score. Although there may be better versions of the music, hearing the original score brings to life the vivid images of the motion picture.
Customer Review: A must-have for any lover of musicals
If you, like me, love musicals, then you will definitely enjoy this Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim re-working of the Shakespeare tragedy “Romeo and Juliet”. The movie is wonderful, which prompted me to purchase the soundtrack. If you enjoy high-energy numbers with wonderful, on-the-mark vocals, then this is the CD soundtrack for you. And I still get chills when I hear the song “A Boy Like That/I Love Him”, a heartbreaking yet beautiful declaration of love, no matter what the obstacles or personal cost.
Suffice it to say that I am satisfied with this purchase, which stays as close as possible to the movie version.
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