CD-Charts Position 1
Average Rating:

South Pacific (1986 London Studio Cast)

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, Jose Carreras

Release Date October 25, 1990
I can't believe anyone would give this a decent review. It's awful. All Music Guide calls it "confused and unsuccessful," TheatreMania Guide to Musical Theatre Recordings dubs this "Not Recommended" and says "this recording is an out-and-out failure," and Musicals101 chimes in with "painfully miscast" and adds "pretentious trash." They're right.
At this point you can pick this "gem" up for less than $3!

CD-Charts Position 2
Average Rating:

Enchanting Melodies of Rodgers and Hammerstein

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Hayman

Release Date March 22, 2005
I was really taken by Richard Hayman's Vintage Broadway album and recently reviewed it, giving it five stars. It had been recorded in 1990 and re-released on the budget Naxos label. Now we get what should be a sister album 'The Sound Music - The Enchanting Melodies of Rodgers and Hammerstein', recorded the year before but with two different producers. From the first track I felt as if I were listening to a different orchestra and certainly to a different arranger of the music. Whereas the Vintage Broadway album was suffused with silken string sound, this album, or at least the first track, seemed to be played by an orchestra which, although it has strings, is dominated by oompah brass and winds. At first, in fact, I thought I might be listening to ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 3
Average Rating:

Great Broadway Shows, Vol. 2

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
from: Avid Records UK

Release Date April 18, 2006
I was really taken by Richard Hayman's Vintage Broadway album and recently reviewed it, giving it five stars. It had been recorded in 1990 and re-released on the budget Naxos label. Now we get what should be a sister album 'The Sound Music - The Enchanting Melodies of Rodgers and Hammerstein', recorded the year before but with two different producers. From the first track I felt as if I were listening to a different orchestra and certainly to a different arranger of the music. Whereas the Vintage Broadway album was suffused with silken string sound, this album, or at least the first track, seemed to be played by an orchestra which, although it has strings, is dominated by oompah brass and winds. At first, in fact, I thought I might be listening to ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 4
Average Rating:

The Sound of Music/South Pacific

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Percy Faith

Release Date July 25, 2000
Percy opens the album, with "Bali Ha'i", classic tune, perfect from the very first note. Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II, set about putting "Tales of the South Pacific" to music, creating a theatrical classic.

Faith's treatment of "Some Enchanted Evening", "Younger Than Springtime" and "A Wonderful Guy", shades of a wonderful and miraculous score. But, the highlight is "This Nearly Was Mine", Faith restores the original freshness and warmth.

Second half of the album: "The Sound Of Music", "My Favorite Things", "Do Re Mi" and "No Way To Stop It", all with Austrian themes and overtones, which Faith spreads evenly through this score. Highlight: "Climb Every Mountain", pure Faith arrangement, as Mother Abbess ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 5
Average Rating:

Bryn Terfel - Something Wonderful (Bryn Terfel sings Rodgers & Hammerstein)

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Bryn Terfel, English Northern Philharmonia, Paul Daniel, Opera North Chorus, Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II

Release Date September 10, 1996
Bryn Terfel has a one-in-a-million voice. Lovely singing. Fine song selection. Maybe a tad too dramatic, but my real complaint centers on the excessive dynamic range between soft passages and loud. It's just too much. One moment, you're turning up the stereo to hear him sing a soft passage, the next he's blasting you out of your car or house. This happens several times per song. Volume compression could smooth out the highs and lows a bit, but purists would no doubt cry foul. In short, make sure your neighbors love Terfel as much as you do!

CD-Charts Position 6
Average Rating:

The Rodgers & Hammerstein Songbook

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Rodgers & Hammerstein

Release Date March 09, 1993
Brings back fond memories of broadway style music and the genius of composers of the pre and post WW2 era.

CD-Charts Position 7
Average Rating:

Reprise Musical Repertory Theatre (Finian's Rainbow, Kiss Me Kate, South Pacific, Guys and Dolls)

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, Sammy Davis Jr.

Release Date September 26, 2000
Wow! I was blown away by this album. I love both broadway showtunes and music from the 40's so this combination was unbelievable. I don't know who came up with the concept, but it's incredible. I've heard all of these musicals in their original version and have enjoyed them for a time. This album did a fresh take on all of those songs, reviving them once again for me. I accidently found this while doing a search for Jo Stafford CDs. Boy, am I glad I did!

CD-Charts Position 8
Average Rating:

Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific (The New Broadway Cast)

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
from: SONY CLASSICS

Release Date May 27, 2008
Before going to NYC in the spring I was least excited to see the musical South Pacific. Remembering only the low-quality film version I had seen as a child I thought the musical would be dull. I could not have been more wrong. The musical echoes of classic Broadway with an outstanding pit orchestra dressed to the nines in tuxedos and black dresses, it was a welcome change from the lax behavior often seen in orchestras with the tubas doing crossword puzzles and absentmindedly listening to the show. The voices of the two leads were absolutely amazing, especially Kelli O'Hara's crystal clear voice. The CD remarkably captures her clarity as well as the beauty of the original sweeping orchestrations. The CD also has a few numbers not included in other cast recordings, ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 9
Average Rating:

South Pacific (1967 Lincoln Center Cast)

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Florence Henderson, Giorgio Tozzi

Release Date August 29, 2006
For many people they only think of Mary Martin or Mitzi Gaynor in "South Pacific" so this should be a new and enjoyable experience. I love getting different performers takes on roles that is why I purchase so many different recordings of the same title. This recording sounds remarkable with all the new technology they use to preserve these recordings. It was really great to listen to this because I have heard so much about this limited production so many years ago. I think Florence Henderson is a natural for Nellie Forbush, I think she is a very underrated stage performer and singer.So many people tend to just think of Ms.Henderson as that famous Mrs.Brady role. One shall be quite surprised. Another surprise on this was Giorgio Tozzi his operetic voice brings such ... Read More:

CD-Charts Position 10
Average Rating:

South Pacific in Concert from Carnegie Hall

Search: There is Nothin Like a Dame
by: Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Reba McEntire, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Alec Baldwin

Release Date April 18, 2006
This concert version of the broadway show is awesome in many respects. The pairing of Reba McEntire and Brian Stokes Mitchell at first seemed so "strange/different" It could not have been a better combination. They were "in" character throughout - not easy in a concert performance. The chorus numbers were outstanding and Alec Baldwin was, well, he was just a hoot!
Finally Brian Stokes Mitchell's rendition of "This Nearly Was Mine" is probably the best, most heartfelt that I have ever heard.