Very rarely has the score been bettered than the original 1949 cast album, reissued here on the Columbia Broadway Masterworks label. Patricia Morison plays Lilli, with Alfred Drake (OKLAHOMA!, KISMET, GIGI) as Fred, the feuding, ego-ridden leads. Lisa Kirk (ALLEGRO, MACK AND MABEL) is the sexy young starlet Lois, with Harold Lang (PAL JOEY) as her caddish boyfriend Bill.

KISS ME KATE opened at the New Century Theatre on Broadway in 1949, making history in its run of over 1000 performances. Patricia Morison is perfectly-suited to the role of Lilli. She offers a glowing rendition of "So in Love", whilst her duet with Alfred Drake in the tongue-in-cheek "Wunderbar" is sublime. Lisa Kirk gets three of the big showstoppers ("Why Can't You Behave?", "Tom Dick or Harry" and "Always True to You in My Fashion"), and nails each and every one. Harold Lang was a better dancer than he ever was as a singer, but is quite good on this disc.

A must-own.


The Battle of the Sexes Continues ! ! !   October 27, 2000
Eddie Landsberg (Tokyo, Japan)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Its hard to believe that this musical is over 50 years old. It might take place in the '40s, but as you listen it sounds as fresh and timeless as ever, even if some of the lyrics are a tad bit politically incorrect. Of the three versions (*IMHO* I think the movie lacked the energy of the stage play), The Liner Notes (19 pg. booklet) really bring the CD to life with a lot of interesting information about how the play came to be, including the amazing fact that Fred Graham and Lilli Vanessi's charactor's are actually based on real people ! Its also amazing to find out that at the time Cole Porter was writing it the general buzz was that he was washed out - - finished - - that his best days were behind him, yet the show opened to unanimously rave reviews !

Another thing I like about this version of the CD is that unlike the Revival broadway cast recording (which I like a lot !), it also has two additional versions of the overture, one which was actually recorded 10 years later and fits in well with the CD. Kiss Me Kate afterall is a musical with enough substantive material to make a medley the legnth of the CD itself.

I have one question though : Atleast in the current version Lilli Vanessi sings "From This Moment On" but it appears on neither of the CDs - - I wonder why ?


Beautiful remastering of historic original cast recording   May 24, 2004
Mark Andrew Lawrence (Toronto)
8 out of 9 found this review helpful

Recorded in January 1949, this album of KISS ME KATE has remained in print adn a steady best-seller for over 50 years now.

The sound on this newly remastered CD is crisp and clear and easily surpasses all previous issues. Sony even uses the original artwork from the very first LP release.

The performances remain as fresh as ever. Alfred Drake was Broadway's top leading man and sounds just glorious. Pat Morrison had less of a career but sounds just perfect as Lilli. Lisa Kirk is wonderful as Lois, and Harold Lang makes the most of his few moments on the record as her boyfriend, Bill. In an unusual move these peopel reunited 10 years later to re-record the score for Capitol in true stereo. They still sound great on that recording (on CD as part of the Broadway Angel series) but the performances are fresher on this recording made just 2 weeks after KIS ME KATE had opened on Broadway to rave reviews.

The CD booklet has good info about the show, though curiously, no synopsis. There are, however, a half dozen pictures of the original production. This edition featureds longer takes of "We Open in Venice", "I Hate Men" and "Too Darn Hot" though the total extra music adds but a minute to the album's running time. A bonus track of the Overture dates from a 1958 stereo recording by Lehman Engle.

KISS ME KATE was the first Tony Award winner for Best Musical (1949). The 1999 revival won a Tony for Best Revival.


Wunderbar!   December 17, 2000
Peter Prainito (Lombard, IL USA)
5 out of 6 found this review helpful

I am so impressed by the truly outstanding job that Columbia has been doing on these original cast CDs. This latest purchase, Kiss Me Kate, is still another gem. For being a mono 1949 recording, you would not believe it. I honestly think it sounds as good as stereo. The cast and singing are idiomatic. Kiss Me Kate has been blessed with several excellent recordings, be they Broadway, movie, or new studio recordings. If you love this musical, your library would not be complete without this disc. It bears repeating, I have bought several of these newly remastered Columbia discs and have nothing but praise for their superb quality. Many of the discs also have great fillers. Some other ones include: West Side Story, On the Town, and The Sound of Music. MCA has also been doing a great job with their original Broadway discs. As for Rhino (Turner Soundtracks), it's usually hit or miss....mostly miss, I'm sad to say. Kiss Me Kate gets 5 solid stars!


The best and maybe the last CD of this great musical.   February 19, 2006
J. Gordon Holt
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Now is the perfect time to buy the CD of this.

Sony's transfer engineers used state-of-the-art restoration software to remove the roughness and surface noise from the originals, but (thankfully) they resisted the urge to tart-up the sound with artificial reverb, faux stereo, and thundering bass. This is by far the best-sounding CD of this ever released, and it may be the last.

The age of music ownership in America could be drawing to a close. Five years from now, this music may only be available by download, you might only be "borrowing" it, and it probably won't come with the the authentic cover art or the 26-page booklet.

(See also the original broadway CD of Out of This World.)