October 9, 2013 | Theatre,

CHECK OUT THESE FILMS, BOOKS, AND MUSIC RELATED TO BARITONES UNBOUND

FILMS

Broadway — The Golden Age, by the Legends Who Were There (2004)

“This is my favorite Broadway DVD.” Jeff Mattsey

An oral history of the Broadway community and culture from the 1940s – 1960s told through a collection of interviews with the legends of the era. Their stories are classic and moving depictions of cast parties at Sardi’s, Second Acting (sneaking into a theater after intermission), and the stand out performances that defined American Theater in the century. The featured artists include: Jerry Orbach, Robert Goulet, John Raitt, Chita Rivera, Carol Channing, Stephen Sondheim, and Angela Lansbury. There’s even a special appearance from Merwin Foard, co-creator of Baritones Unbound in the Mame segment.

 

Broadway: The American Musical (2004)

Perhaps the most expansive Broadway documentary ever created, PBS’s Broadway: The American Musical spans from the days of the vaudeville and the Ziegfeld Follies to the opening night of Wicked. The comprehensive history highlights the performers, composers, librettists, lyricists, and producers that progressed, shifted, and re-imagined musical theater. Hosted by Julie Andrews from the stage of the New Amsterdam Theater, the photographs, interviews, and samples of recordings capture the breadth of the Great White Way.

 

The Standbys

The Standbys is a rare look at the unnoticed, talented, and prepared performers who are often left waiting in the Broadway theater wings every night. However, with only a moments notice these men and women are prepared to jump into a role and perform for the audience. Baritones… co-creator Merwin Foard is featured as one of the performers the documentary follows. “It is probably the hardest job in the theater, and this touching documentary reveals the ups and downs of three gifted performers.” – Nathan Lane.

MUSIC

Four Famous Italian Baritones (1997)

A compilation of four Italian masters singing selections of opera’s quintessential baritone music. Mario Basiola, Carlo Tagliabue, Gino Bechi, and Tito Gobbi are featured singing various tracks showing their range and ability. The music comes from multiple operas including classics such as, The Barber of Seville, Rigoletto, Don Giovanni, and Otello.

 

The Ultimate Show Boat (1928 – 1947)

Rare and legendary recordings of the musical that many consider to be the first of its kind. The fact that Al Jolson, Bing Crosby, Jules Bledsoe, and Paul Robeson are all featured singing their radically different takes on “Ol’ Man River” is enough to earn a listen from any musical theater fan or popular music aficionado.

My Way: The Best of Frank Sinatra

There are a lot of reasons to sit back and take a listen to a Sinatra compilation. His smooth baritone croon needs no further description or explanation. He represents the hay-day of baritones on the radio waves that are now classics and standards of great music. Let Sinatra be your entry point to other great compilations from Dean Martin, Bing Crosby, and the dreamy ballads of that rascal Elvis Presley.

 

 

BOOKS

A Short History of Opera by Donald Grout and Hermine Weigel Williams

Since it splashed on the scene in 1947 A Short History of Opera has been a classic among opera lovers all over the world. As time has passed the book has been added to and reorganized to continue its status as the go-to book for opera history. The book goes beyond the classics and delves into the cultural context of opera across Europe through the centuries and its influence on the development of musical theater in the United States.

 

 

Stephen Sondheim: A Life by Meryle Secrest

A look at the life of Stephen Sondheim from his youth as a pianist to his status as a musical theater legend. Secrest, known as the biographer of Frank Lloyd Wright and Leonard Bernstein, paints a fascinating picture of the formative events in Sondheim’s life including his parents’ divorce, his years in Hollywood, and a chance meeting with Arthur Laurents that lead to their work together creating West Side Story and Gypsy.

 

 

A Most Remarkable Fella: Frank Loesser and the Guys and Dolls in His Life. A Portrait by His Daughter by Susan Loesser

A champion of the baritone, Frank Loesser’s contributions to the American musical theater cannon were few but hugely important. In A Most Remarkable Fella, Loesser’s daughter Susan tells the story of her father through personal memories and interviews with the artists, friends, and family that knew him best.

 

List Compiled by Shari Malyn, Assistant Director