Kiri Te Kanawa (soprano)-Nellie Forbush; José Carreras (tenor)-Emile De Becque; Sarah Vaughn (mezzo-soprano)-Bloody Mary; Mandy Patinkin (tenor)-Lt. Cable; Ambrosian Singers, London Symphony Orchestra, cond. Jonathan Tunick. CBS Masterworks SM 42205.

Doesn't this look like something that a group of tipsy record producers and promoters might dream up? What a grand idea! Take one of America's greatest, most idiomatic musicals, add a soprano from New Zealand, a jazz singer, a Spanish tenor (in the role originally written for a bass-baritone)-and put them all together with a British chorus. Mix with one real American musical-theater star, blend well with the London Symphony Orchestra; and see what happens. Will it give a new meaning to the word "crossover?" Will it entertain? Will it be recognizable as "South Pacific"? The answer to all these questions is a very definite "Sort of."

The notes that accompany this gloriously produced album include the following statement: "If you are already a fan of "South Pacific", then try to put the original cast album out of your mind." This strikes me as very good advice; indeed, we are dealing with the old apples/oranges problem. Don't try to compare. Judge this, if you can, on its own merits.

The greatest praise must go to Jonathan Tunick, the London Symphony Orchestra and John McCarthy's Ambrosian Singers. The orchestra-fifty-five strong-sounds wonderful. The brass are bright and punchy, the strings right on the mark. There isn't a hint of a score being overblown. The Ambrosian Singers are miraculous as well: they have captured the idiom perfectly, with great swagger to the men's chorus and great spunk to the women's.

The soloists are a different story. Beginning with the one who has the least to do, Mandy Patinkin we have a winner. He uses his beautiful, light voice with great poise and delivers the finest "Younger than Springtime" I've heard. His is a totally committed performance, full of passion. Sarah Vaughn sings the role of Bloody Mary and she is a law unto herself.

She never attempts to be anyone other than Sarah Vaughn, and at this she succeeds. The sinuous strains of "Bali Ha'i" begin, and suddenly you're not on an island in the South Pacific, you're in a smoky nightclub, listening to one of the world's great jazz stylists at her peak. "Happy Talk" is even more offbeat, despite its being a great piece of singing qua singing. It's not as if the jury's still out with regard to Miss Vaughan; they're simply trying an entirely different case.

José Carreras sings the role of Emile De Becque, made famous by Ezio Pinza. Vocally, these are the largest shoes to fill, and Carreras comes through well. All of his music has been transposed up, and his singing of "Some Enchanted Evening" can stand alongside Pinza's. There is a remarkable lack of pretense in everything he does here, and if his work in the "Twin Soliloquies" is not as successful as his two solos, some of the blame must be placed on the music, and some on his partner.

This brings us to Dame Kiri Te Kanawa, singing Nellie Forbush (also transposed up). This beautiful- voiced singer does her best here, but it simply isn't good enough. She has a great deal to do, but even if one takes the advice offered in the album notes mentioned above, her portrayal cannot be called successful. In addition to varying wildly from pitch at times, she simply sounds wrong too often: and not having made the decision taken by Miss Vaughn to just be herself, the results are uncomfortable. Her American diction (with the exception of "whippoorwill" which is unpronounceable no matter where you come from), is excellent throughout, and she gets through some of the raunchier music well-both " I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Out of My Hair" and "I'm in Love With a Wonderful Guy" are sturdy and fun, but "Cockeyed Optimist" is dreadful, as are her duets with Carreras and "Honey Bun". Even without any pre-judgement, Dame Kiri is not particularly convincing.

In a funny way though. I can't not recommend this album. The music itself has never sounded better and the chorus, Patinkin and Carreras are definite plusses. And for Sarah Vaughn fans.... well they'll get some undiluted Sarah Vaughn. "South Pacific", as we know it, this definitely is not-but it's not a write-off or a bad dream, and should be heard. Caveat emptor. But you might really have a good time.

Copyright © 1987 Ovation Magazine