OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II AND THE INVENTION OF THE MUSICAL

An ardent fan of the musical play offers a richly detailed portrait of the complicated lyricist who wrote OKLAHOMA, SHOWBOAT, and other timeless Broadway hits, Oscar Hammerstein. In the rapidly changing social climate he worked in (pre- and post-WWII), he was flawed as a man but created uplifting, socially progressive storylines that made audiences envision a more just and lighthearted future. Tanya Eby's phrasing, pitch, and tonal variety are lovely to hear, embodying the positive and optimistic mood of Hammerstein's work, if not the full pathos of his contradictions. Though difficult and sometimes cruel professionally, his romantic storylines sought to find common ground amid the boiling divides between men and women, Blacks and whites, rich and poor, America's noble experiment and injustice around the world. T.W. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2024]