Robert Wright, George Forrest - Kismet (1953 Original Broadway Cast)

Using themes by 19th-century Russian composer Alexander Borodin to musicalize a play set in ancient Baghdad seems the kind of harebrained idea only a crazed producer would have. And we should thank him for it. For Kismet is Broadway at its most demented--just the way we like it. Robert Wright and George Forrest reworked Borodin's music so that it would function as the basis for show songs. And what songs: "Stranger in Paradise" and "Baubles, Bangles and Beads" have become classics, and the rest of the score is delightfully kitsch. Alfred Drake equals his performance in Kiss Me, Kate in a bombastic tour-de-force, and to top it all off, Borodin got a posthumous Tony. Fans (you know who you are) will enjoy the bonus interviews with the leads. --Elisabeth Vincentelli Amazon.com

Lush, exotic music & lyrics, glorious singers and orchestrations.

I remember walking into Marx's Radio & Appliance Store in Millburn, N.J. in 1953 and hearing this album, the track where you here Drake in the middle of Arabs chanting was playing. Wow! I was bowled over, stood in my tracks, and listened. It went on and on. All of the music was such a knock-out for those times. Never in Broadway's history had there been such glorious orchestrations and vocal artistry. Drake, Morrow, Deiner, Hackett, and the big sound of Henry Calvin. I was 17 at the time and determined to see this show. I had no problem getting a single ticket for the orchestra for $6.50! The show delivered beautifully. Everyone seemed to be having a good time on stage. You will enjoy hearing Henry Calvin, who himself was having fun singing "Was I Wazir," with those clever lyrics. He was a joy to watch, and that voice! The quartet singing "And This Is My Beloved", blew me away. Appropriately, this music is adapted from Borodin's Quartet No. 2. It is glorious. I now own my scratched-up 55 year-old album, the CD and now the remastered CD. This is great fare.

Not long after I first heard the album there, Marx's was then playing an orchestrated version by Percy Faith. Beautiful indeed and capturing all of the exoticism. I remember hearing one of the owners proclaiming on the beauty of the music. He was right. It is Borodin! November 26, 2008

Was I Wasir?

The product arrived in a timely fashion and it was terrific to hear the original broadway cast sing the Borodin compositions from Kismet. A couple of these pieces didn't make it into the movie so it was nice to hear them. May 31, 2008

Kismet Original Broadway Cast Recording

It is quite good. There are radio interviews at the end of the CD with the leads and they're very interesting. March 26, 2008

Another five star recording

I purchased my first 33 rpm player just about the same time "Kismet" came out, and one of the first records I bought was "Kismet." Unfortunately, I chose the motion picture soundtrack, because it was a dollar cheaper. So it was some time before I experienced the richness of sound the original cast recording provides. None of the movie personnel begins to measure up to the original cast.
Standouts--Richard Kiley, proving that he was a great singer as well as a great actor. Doretta Morrow, exuding the charm and innocence of the poet's daughter. And most of all, Alfred Drake, one of the greatest singer-actors of the Broadway musical. Close your eyes as you listen to "Gesticulate," and you can see his hands move. And my personal favorite, "The Olive Tree."
Despite some unfavorable reviews, "Kismet" has shown its durability, with the continuing availability of this recording after fifty-five years, as well as the numerous studio recording that followed. September 29, 2007

A contemporary Kismet that would be hard to beat

This is a beautiful rendering of this musical. Borodin's music was done a good justice by Robert Wright's arranging and inter-connecting of the tunes. I bought this Original Cast recording at the same time I bought the newer one with Ramey, Svenson, and Hadley. (I did so partly because I just love the music, but also because I wanted to have Richard Kiley's renderings. I first became acquainted and came to admire Richard Kiley's voice through The Man of La Mancha recordings, so I wanted to see what he did in this music.) The soloists and ensemble had a fine feel for the ebb and flow of the musical line, and the Ramey's, Svenson, and Hadley's singing was ravishing - and Dom DeLouise was quite characterful as well. I highly recommend BOTH recordings and would not be able to pick one over the other - YOU must do that (if you choose to purchase only one), and I do not purpose to say anything here that would sway you one way or the other as to which to buy.
September 3, 2007

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