Lady in the Dark / Down in the Valley (SEPIA 1052)

Tracklisting:

LADY IN THE DARK (1954 TELEVISION CAST)
1. Introduction / Oh Fabulous One - Ensemble 2:55 LISTEN
2. One Life To Live - Ann Sothern 3:58 LISTEN
3. Girl Of The Moment - Ensemble 2:07 LISTEN
4. What Is Liza Really Like - Ensemble 2:57 LISTEN
5. This Is New - Ann Sothern 5:45 LISTEN
6. The Greatest Show On Earth - Carleton Carpenter 3:00 LISTEN
7. The Trial Of Liza Elliott - Ann Sothern & Carleton Carpenter 5:28 LISTEN
8. Tchaikovsky - Carleton Carpenter 0:56 LISTEN
9. The Saga Of Jenny - Ann Sothern 4:37 LISTEN
10. Make Up Your Mind - Ensemble 1:10 LISTEN
11. My Ship - Ann Sothern 2:57 LISTEN
12. Ballet - Orchestra 4:46 LISTEN
13. Finale - Ensemble 1:16 LISTEN

DOWN IN THE VALLEY (1950 TELEVISION CAST)
14. Down In The Valley Part 1 - Marion Bell, William Mcgraw 14:00 LISTEN
15. Down In The Valley Part 2 - Marion Bell, William Mcgraw 14:39 LISTEN

BONUS TRACKS
16. If I Loved You - Marion Bell 3:24 LISTEN
17. They Say It’s Wonderful - Marion Bell & Jimmy Carroll 3:12 LISTEN

Title: Lady in the Dark / Down in the Valley
Artist: Original Television Cast (Ann Sothern / Marion Bell)
Catalogue No: SEPIA 1052
Barcode: 5055122110521
Release Date: 6 June 2005

Two of composer Kurt Weill’s works were presented by NBC in the early days of American television - Down in the Valley was aired in 1950 as the first of the NBC Opera Theatre productions, followed by Lady in the Dark, televised as an NBC colour spectacular in 1954.
Billed as “An American Folk Opera”, Down in the Valley starred Marion Bell, who had recently won acclaim on Broadway starring in Brigadoon. Bell played Jennie and the piece tells, with the help of flashbacks, the story of the love between the lead characters Jennie and Brack played here by William McGraw. Brack is imprisoned for the murder of Jennie’s other suitor but manages to escape from prison on the evening before his execution. He proves that Jennie still loves him and returns to jail for his execution.

For Lady in the Dark - Hollywood star Ann Sothern played Liza Elliott, the highly successful women’s magazine editor who tells her readers with conviction how to be feminine, but lacks the belief that she herself fits the bill. This insecurity results in her having psychoanalysis which helps bring the piece to a satisfactory end. Prior to this TV production, Lady in the Dark had been presented on Broadway, starring Gertrude Lawrence, to great success.

It is these two TV productions, recorded with the cast, that are featured here. Appearing on CD for the first time all tracks have been re-mastered, including two very rare bonus Marion Bell tracks.

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