[.ca] Hansel & Gretel//Alice in Wonderland

Jane Powell in Wonderland:
This is another excellent remastering of early Jane Powell recordings from producer Bernard Taylor and the folks at Britain's FLARE Records (who earlier this year released A SONG IN THE AIR). The new CD is a pairing of an adaptation of Humperdinck's HANSEL AND GRETEL with an original production of ALICE IN WONDERLAND written especially for MGM's splendid young songbird. The only minor caveat is one that applies more to an adult listener than to the original recordings' obvious target audience of children -- the subordinate and fragmentary nature of the vocal music, which plays second fiddle throughout both stories to the narratives. Nevertheless, Miss Powell delivers appealingly as singer, actress, and, in the ALICE, narrator. (In HANSEL AND GRETEL, the narration is provided by the redoubtable Basil Rathbone, who doubles as a surprisingly convincing and malevolent witch). In HANSEL, the soprano's most endearing moment is her dance instructress duet with mezzo Rene Saxon, "Brother, Come and Dance With Me...". In ALICE, her best musical offering is a winsome and lyrical rendition of the Mock Turtle's song, "Will you Walk a Little Faster..." All in all then, another splendid aural reminder (as if one were necessary) that when it came to song and dance and charm and prettiness, nobody on screen ever did it better than Jane Powell.

A VINTAGE TREASURE:
Every once in a while, something absolutely delightful and unexpected comes into our lives. Such is the case with this set of fairy tales sung and acted by a very young and effervescent Jane Powell. She thrilled us in a string of movie musicals in Hollywood's Golden Age and now she charms us again with these two timeless stories that activate the childhood innocence in all of us. Her voice is irrisistible at even this early stage and her characterizations are enchanting. Humperdink's music is retained for "Hansel and Gretel" and Carmen Dragon supplies original music for "Alice in Wonderland." Basil Rathbone leads a well-trained cast to round out the festivities. Originally recorded in 1946 and 1948, it is a joy to have these two archival recordings with us again enhanced by the miracle of modern technology and digital re-mastering. They sound as good as new--maybe better. So gather the children 'round and enjoy the nostalgia of these two perennial favorites. Another musical gem from Flare Records(UK). Vintage performances affectionately preserved for the future.

• General Introduction and Introduction to Muscial Themes
• Story Begins...
• Gretel Teaches Hansel to Dance: 'Brother, Come and Dance With Me...'
• Their Father Returns Home, Learns That the Children Have Gone into the
• Musical Interlude/Hansel and Gretel Pick Berries, Become Lost
• Sandman Appears
• Hansel and Gretel's Prayer/Music of the Angels (Pantomime)
• Hansel and Gretel Awake, See the Gingerbread House
• Witch Appears and Takes Them Prisoner
• Witch Flies Off, Later Returns
• Witch Is Dead, The Spell Is Broken/Finale
• Reprise of the Opera's Themes
• Opening: Alice Sees the White Rabbit
• Alice Goes Down the Rabbit Hole: 'I Was in a Long Hall...'
• Alice Drinks from the Bottle
• 'And Then I Saw It...' (The Cake)
• Alice Sings: 'How Doth the Little Crocodile...'
• Alice Falls into the Lake of Tears, Meets Many Other Creatures
• Caucus Race
• Alice Enters the Garden, Sings 'You Are Old, Father William'
• Alice Goes to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party
• Appearence of the Queen of Hearts
• Introduction to the Mock Turtle/Alice Sings: 'Will You Walk a ...
• Trial/Finale