Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! Was first performed in 1943; and was a significant turning point in the history of musical theatre. It was the first musical to put drama and plot to the fore; portrayed by rounded; believable characters. It swept aside traditions that had their roots in vaudeville - star turns; comic sketches; and endless lines of high-kicking chorus girls. Oklahoma! #does feature dance; but in the hands of the choreographer; Agnes de Mille; this was idiomatic to the plot; and revolutionary in terms of the fifteen-minute dream-sequence ballet at the close of Act I. The first collaboration between composer and writer; the show was a hit; running for more than five years on Broadway; and paving the way for their masterpieces to come. John Wilson's long-held fascination for researching original musical theatre scores of this period and bringing them anew to modern audiences reaches a milestone with this world première recording of the original score in it's entirety (no cuts) and in the original orchestrations for twenty-nine-piece orchestra made by Robert Russell Bennett for the original production. His outstanding cast features Nathaniel Hackmann; Sierra Boggess; Jamie Parker; Louise Dearman; Sandra Marvin; Rodney Earl Clarke; Nadim Naaman; and Leo Roberts; ably supported by the 'Oklahoma!' Ensemble - twenty-two artists drawn from London's West End. Wilson comments: 'I love the connective tissue of the piece; the scene-change music; the ballet; the songs that sometimes get cut; the underscoring. And when so many vastly different new versions are appearing on stage; it's more important than ever that we have a document of the actual source material.'

Disc 1

1. Oklahoma!~Overture
2. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 1. Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'
3. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 2. Laurey's Entrance
4. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 3. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top
5. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 4. Kansas City
6. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 5. The Surrey with the Fringe on Top (Reprise)
7. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 6. I Cain't Say No!
8. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 7. I Cain't Say No! (Encore)
9. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 8. Entrance of Ensemble
10. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 9. Many a New Day
11. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 10. Many a New Day (Dance and Reprise)
12. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 11. It's a Scandal! It's a Outrage!
13. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 12. People Will Say We're in Love - New Scene
14. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 13. Change of Scene
15. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 14. Pore Jud Is Daid
16. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 15. Lonely Room

Disc 2

1. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 16. Change of Scene
2. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 17. Dream Sequence. a. Melos
3. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 17. Dream Sequence. b. Out of My Dreams
4. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 17. Dream Sequence. c. Interlude to Ballet
5. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 17. Dream Sequence. d. Dream Ballet
6. Oklahoma!~Opening Act I: 18. Entr'acte
7. Oklahoma!~Act II: 19. The Farmer and the Cowman
8. Oklahoma!~Act II: 20. Farmer Dance
9. Oklahoma!~Act II: 21. Change of Scene
10. Oklahoma!~Act II: 22. All er Nothin
11. Oklahoma!~Act II: 23. Change of Scene
12. Oklahoma!~Act II: 24. People Will Say We're in Love (Reprise)
13. Oklahoma!~Act II: 25. Change of Scene - 26. Change of Scene
14. Oklahoma!~Act II: 27. Oklahoma
15. Oklahoma!~Act II: 28. Oklahoma (Encore)
16. Oklahoma!~Act II: 29. Finale Ultimo: Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' / People Will Say We're in Love
17. Oklahoma!~Act II: 30. Exit Music

Label: Chandos

Catalog: 5322

Genre: Classical