Original Off-Broadway Cast: The Most Happy Fella, 3CD

There are three Opera masterpieces from Broadway, George Gershwin's Porgy And Bess, Kurt Weill's Street Sceneand Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella. Jay Records are proud to add the second to it's proposed complete recordings of the trilogy.

As with Street Scene, this recording of The Most Happy Fella is absolutely complete. Not only complete but it includes over 30 minutes of cut material not previously heard. The reason for the cut was that the original actress who sang the role of Marie could not sing the music, but with the great opera/musical star, Nancy Shade who sings the role on Jay's complete recording, the glorious music have been recorded to stunning perfection for the first time.

Opera legend Louis Quilico, recognised as one of the world's greatest Rigolettos takes on the taxing lead role of Tony, one which he sang to great acclaim at the New York City Opera a few years back. When the original production first opened on Broadway, Mrs. Loesser (Jo Sullivan) sang the role of Rosabella and now over 45 years later, her daughter, the Broadway star Emily Loesser takes on the same role for the recording. This all star cast recording includes Tony award winners as Karen Ziemba (currently wowing them on Broadway with the smash hit, Contact), Richard Muenz and Don Stephenson (currently starring in the Broadway bound revival of Finian's Rainbow). John Owen Edwards conducted The National Symphony Orchestra.

Although it's sung through (almost), the score is jam packed with hit songs such as Standing On The Corner, Joey Joey Joey, Big D, My Heart Is So Full Of You, Somebody Somewhere, Happy To Make Your Acquaintance, Warm All Over, and Rosabella amongst others.

Recorded in Digital Dolby Surround Sound at Abbey Road Studios in London and Clinton Studios in New York.