David Stewart writes:

>Anyway I presume the whole thing was an exercise in irony was it not?  If
>so, Bernstein was very successful.  Does anyone actually find it funny?
>or just wierd?

Well, it's not Benny-Hill funny.  I don't know precisely why you find it
weird, but the plot improbability of it is part of the original.  I prefer
Hellman's book and the lyrics of Wilbur, Parker, Hellman, Bernstein, and
LaTouche to the Voltaire.  It might be Bernstein's finest theater music.

The work underwent several versions.  I'm referring to the published
libretto.  Harold Prince revived it to moderate success by essentially
mutilating the original libretto.  I find it an abomination.  Bernstein
tried at least two "opera" versions (Andrew Porter wrote an article on
the various incarnations of the work, so I refer you to that for details).
Even Bernstein's so-called "final" version (recorded on DGG) differs from
the original.

As far as cast goes, the original cast is the strongest.  The Harold Prince
version was recorded and I haven't heard so much camp since the Cub Scouts.
Of the two opera versions recorded (on New World and DGG, respectively), I
prefer the DGG cast, although it's a bunch of stiffs compared to the
Broadway originals.

Steve Schwartz