Samuel Ramey - Samuel Ramey on Broadway - So in Love

Stick with it, it grows on you

There is definitely an adjustment in store for opera fans used to listening to Mr. Ramey's always sublime opera recordings. Play this a few times, and your ears will adjust, and you will find it just as enjoyable as the rest (not to mention that you'll be humming it to yourself after the disc is done playing). In the first place, there isn't a bad selection on the list, and as stated in the liner notes, consideration has been given in the orchestrations to the fact that Ramey is frankly, "vocally overqualified" to sing some of them. Still, beatiful music + beautiful voice can IN NO WAY = BAD RECORDING. I'd take an overqualified Sam Ramey "crossing over" to Broadway before an underqualified Boccelli "crossing over" to opera ANY DAY! So purchase and enjoy! December 9, 2001

Worst opera/Broadway cross over ever.

I love Sam Ramey doing opera, having seen him do The Ring live and Don Giovanni on TV and love his voice. When he does opera he has an incredible warmth and presence, as well as a way with the text that I thought would carry over to Broadway music.

Unfortunately, this is not the case and his renditions rival the Three Tenors in terms of being horrible interpretations of classic showtunes. He sings everything in an overblown manner without a trace of subtlety or lyric sensibility. The arrangements do a disservice to the numbers as well. All in all, this is one of the worst albums I have ever purchased, and I instantly gave it away after my first listening.

If you want to hear opera folk sing Broadway and do it well, buy Dawn Upshaw's I Wish It So or one of Jerry Hadley's cross over albums. Avoid this one at all costs. February 21, 2001

An immense talent - perhaps wrong vehicle

Sam Ramey has a beautiful voice and is such a wonderful actor, (anyone who has seen him perform opera knows he's a great presence on stage - he also was great in the pseudo-staged production of "On the Town"), that it is so disappointing not to like this album. However, if you're choosing between this album and anything by (Church, Bocelli, Watson, Garrett or Brightman),then PLEASE buy this instead. A great voice is still a great voice even if I feel Mr. Ramey doesnt seem particularly comfortable here.
Sorry, just feel this one is left better sitting on the shelf. January 13, 2001

Thank you Sam, for this command performance

I have known about Mr. Ramey for several years. I had wanted to buy one of his cds for all this time and finally took the plunge. Sam surely has been all that I tought he would be. He is definately the premier bass singer that people have suggested.

For this project Sams' voice was excellent. He really gave what I would call a "command performance". I would like to mention two songs that really showed through the most. These songs are "The Impossible Dream" and "Ol' Man River". I don't ever recall hearing such a terrific performance of these evergreens. The pruchase of this cd for these two tunes alone would be worth it. However, there are many more good songs that you will enjoy from this cd.

Please do yourself a favor and buy this cd! December 9, 2000

Sam shows how it should be done!

After years of cringing hearing opera singers tackling musical numbers, it's great to finally hear someone get it right! Sam Ramey's voice is perfectly suited to this music, and the excellent musicianship, diction, good taste and respect he gives these songs are a model for any singer attempting to tackle this genre. (Bryn Terfel take note!) There are to many highlights to list, but my favourites on this disk are "So in Love", "Night and Day", "Impossible Dream", "Johanna" and listen out for the wonderful pianissimo top D in "Lost in the Stars"! BUY IT! August 17, 1999

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