Love Never Dies

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Rating:★★★★
Category:Music
Genre: Other
Artist:Original London Cast Recording
Recently bought this double cd from Fully Booked and transferred it all to my iPod so I can assess if this is a worthy sequel. Composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber (of course) with lyrics by Glenn Slater, this is one cast recording that is truly a joy to listen to.

The magnificence of the the orchestra abound! Especially the strings! This is a far cry from the thrill and suspense of the Phantom of the Opera London Cast Recording. I think 95% of the material is totally new and the remaining is a nod to the original material.

Ramin Karimloo plays the Phantom, a worthy successor to Michael Crawford. Although he sometimes sounds like Michael Ball. Sierra Boggess is Christine, originally played by Sarah Brightman. I still prefer Brightman though.

The 2-cd recording is a treat as it tells the whole story as if you're listening to the radio, complete with sound effects! I got the same experience when I bought the 2-cd Glenn Close-starrer Sunset Boulevard American Premiere Recording.

Is this becoming a trend in cast recordings of sung-through musicals, an almost complete version? I hope so. So we can all sit back, relax and visualize, yes, visualize, as the music of the night unravels.

I can't say that every one who has heard POTO would love this, but I can say that I was totally moved by the music of Andrew Lloyd Webber.

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