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Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Royal Albert Hall Celebration

Andrew Lloyd Webber - The Royal Albert Hall Celebration

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $14.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: You'll watch it over and over again
Review: This is the best video I've ever bought. Never have I watched the same video repeatedly - so much so that I bought an extra copy in case the first one wears out. I am a big fan of musicals, and this performance did not let me down (unlike the Cameron MacKintosh tribute video). The way this video flowed was really nice - an excellent production! Tina Arena's opening song - WOW! Donny Osmond did a wonderful job. Antonio Banderas and Elaine Page with the Evita songs - excellent! Antonio is perfect for the role of Che - the video of 'Evita' was also incredible - who knew Madonna could act that well? I was disappointed with the Starlight Express piece - full costume would have been perfect and I thought there were better songs they could have used (maybe the medley would have been a good choice). The Requiem wasn't bad. Nice cello playing by Julian also - thought he would have dressed up for his brother's birthday party :). Michael Ball was PERFECT! All his songs were incredible. Wow, what a rendition of Vaults of Heaven. Incredible Gethsamane! The Phantom pieces were okay - Michael Crawford really should have been there. Bonnie Tyler's rendition of Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts was great! All of the songs from Whistle on Down the Wind were incredible on this video - soooo much better than the original soundtrack! Boyzone did a better version of No Matter What here than on their own album. Glen Close was spectacular on Sunset Blvd's songs! The dancers and the orchestra were also fabulous! Buy this! If you have liked any of Webber's work, you must have this video. When will it ever get on DVD? Or a CD soundtrack?

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Good, but...
Review: This video is really, very good. My personal faves are Pie Jesu--Sarah Brightman and some kid--Don't Cry for Me, Argentina--Elaine Paige--All I Ask of You--Sarah Brightman and Michael Ball--Music of the Night--Sarah Brightman--The Phantom of the Opera Overture, and Memory--Elaine Paige. I WOULD have like The Phantom of the Opera title song, BUT, WHERE WAS MICHAEL CRAWFORD? Antonio Banderas does NOT have the correct voice to sing Phantom. Sarah Brightman did a beautiful job with Music of the Night, but, once again, WHERE WAS MICHAEL CRAWFORD? He created the role of the Phantom, so why was he not there singing it? That is my only complaint. P.S. I reeeally liked Sarah Brightman in this video. Oh, and that song that's supposed to be for a sequel for The Phantom of the Opera (a sequel is a bad idea in my opinion) is nothing compared to the songs in the original.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Almost Perfect
Review: A great performance. It is very rare that you see so much talent on stage at any given performance. Michael Crawford's absence however was very conspicuous, especially when Antonio Banderas joined Sarah Brightman in singing The Phantom of the Opera. Antonio may be a great singer, but he definitely is NOT the angel of music. Overall, a great performance

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A Night Of A Thousand Stars!
Review: Just as the box (and the song) says, this is truly a night of a thousand stars. The video contains... Whistle Down The Wind ~ Tina Arena; Joseph Fanfare ~ the Orchestra; Any Dream Will Do & Close Every Door ~ Donny Osmond; Variations On A Theme By Paganini ~ Julian Lloyd Webber; Requiem For Evita ~ National Youth Choir; Oh What A Circus & High Flying Adored ~ Antonio Banderas; Don't Cry For Me Argentina ~ Elaine Paige; Light At The End Of The Tunnel ~ Ray Shell; Hosana (from Jesus Christ Superstar) ~ National Youth Choir; Hosana (from Requiem) ~ Dennis O'Neill; Pie Jesu ~ Sarah Brightman & Ben De'Ath; Jesus Christ Superstar ~ Marcus Lovett; Gethsemane ~ Michael Ball; Phantom Overture ~ the Orchestra; Phantom Of The Opera ~ Sarah Brightman & Antonio Banderas; All I Ask Of You ~ Sarah Brightman & Michael Ball; Music Of The Night ~ Sarah Brightman; Tire Tracks And Broken Hearts ~ Bonnie Tyler; No Matter What ~ Boyzone; Vaults Of Heaven ~ Michael Ball; Car Chase On Sunset Boulevard ~ the Orchestra; Once Upon A Time ~ Glenn Close & Marcus Lovett; With One Look & As If We Never Said Goodbye ~ Glenn Close; Love Changes Everything ~ Michael Ball & the Cast; Memory ~ Elaine Paige; The Heart Is Slow To Learn ~ Kiri Te Kanawa; Happy Birthday ~ the Cast; Whistle Down The Wind ~ Lottie Mayor & Andrew Lloyd Webber, and The Jellicle Ball ~ the Orchestra. You absolutely can't go wrong with this video. There is something for everyone, and you'll find yourself watching it repeatedly. The performances by Antonio Banderas, Sarah Brightman, Michael Ball, Glenn Close, Boyzone & Bonnie Tyler are all definitely highlights, but there isn't a disappointing performance in the entire 2 hour+ show.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: A tribute to ALW and a gift for his fans
Review: There isn't much I can say that hasn't been said by other reviewers, but it is a great video. The scope of songs is wide and it is fun to have different talented people congregated together to perform them. The high point is definitely Michael Ball's "Vaults of Heaven", Boyzone's "No Matter What" and Lottie Mayer's sweet and vocally adept version of "Whistle Down the Wind." The low points were Bonnie Tyler's "Tire Tracks and Broken Hearts." That segment completely lowered the quality of the overall performance. Other flaws were the lack of Placido Domingo during "Hallelujah" and that wacky ballet troupe dancing around Julian Lloyd Webber and his cello. What was up with that? Antonio Banderas was an interesting surprise during the Evita sequence, especially on "High Flying Above." However, Michael Crawford's absence was very notable during the "Phantom" segment. Overall a terrific video. Elaine Page has a voice from heaven. Now if they would just create a soundtrack on CD! If anyone knows about one, please let me know!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: I first saw this video on PBS and loved it so much I had to buy my own copy. Then I bought copies for all my friends. It is wonderful. Everyone does a great job, but I fell in love with Michael Ball's voice. It is amazing. But, it is not just his voice. He puts such feeling into it as well. His rendition of Gesemene makes me cry. Vaults of Heaven is an inspiration. And so on and so on. I just keep watching it over and over. If you like Andrew Lloyd Webber you'll love this video. If you don't know if you like him, this video is a wonderful way to find out.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Amazing! I love this video!
Review: I love this video! I bought it three weeks ago and I have watched it over twenty times! If you like ALW you will love this video! It is worth every penny! You won't regret buying it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Great entertainment!
Review: The first time I saw this video was at a friends. She wasn't sure if I would like it but when I listened to ALW's Cd's all day she firgured I might. I watched this video three times in two days! I love it and recommd it. If you like ALW's stuff, you'll love this!

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Great music from the greatest composer, but...
Review: I need not say much about Andrew Lloyd Webber - his talent at composing great music is well known to everyone. In this video, you will hear some of his greates melodies. However, there are a few flaws in the concert - mostly involving the Phantom segment. I will outline them here. Most are pretty minor but keep them in mind when deciding on whether to purchase this video. Remember, there is a lot of other great Broadway and Andrew Lloyd Webber stuff out there.

1. The Phantom of the Opera overture - It was a bold decision to use a real organ instead of a synthesizer to perform the overture. It was also a bad one - the organism lost track of the tempo and went out of sync with the orchestra.

2. The Phantom of the Opera title theme - First thing - why isn't Michael Crawford singing it? Antonio Banderas did on OK job with it, but he is by far NOT the best to sing the title theme with Sara Brightman. Furthermore, his rough voice and heavy Spanish accent do not allow the song ot have that magical flow that other renditions have. He acts it out nicely, though.

3. Music of the Night - Again, Where is Crawford? Music of the night is HIS song. Many sang it, but no one did it the way he did. Why not Crawford? Why a woman? Music of the Night (unlike the rest of Phantom) was not written for a soprano!

4. Memory - The rendition was not bad for an ordinary singer. But considering the fact that Elaine Paige was singing the song, it could have been delivered a lot better. She must have had a problem with her voice or something.

Now for some good qualities of the video.

Sunset Boulevard segment - A wonderful performance by Glenn Close - she is a great singer and a great actor, and she shows both those traits in this concert.

Evita segment - Great performances by Antonio Banderas and Elaine Paige. Both are perfect for their roles, dramatically and vocally.

Love Changes everything - Great (as always) performance by Michael Ball.

Tire tracks and Broken hearts - Bonnie Tyler is perfect for that song. Listen yourself and you'll understand why.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A. L. WEBER CELEBRATION
Review: THE VIDEO GAVE MY FAMILY WONDERFUL HIGHLIGHTS OF HIS MUSIC. THE PERFORMANCE OF ALL THE ARTISTS WERE OUTSTANDING. WE WANT TO SEE EVERY ONE OF HIS MUSICALS. THANK GOODNESS HE NEVER BECAME A HISTORY PROFESSOR. HIS MUSIC GAVE JOY AND EXCITMENT TO THE MUSICAL WORLD.


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