NEW YORK (Top40 Charts/ CineMedia Promotions) - One of the most lauded musicals ever written, West Side Story is still as relevant and well-loved today as it ever was. In this 50th anniversary year of the musical, Decca has assembled some of the biggest classical crossover stars to record a brand new version of the musical. The new recording will be in stores on
September 25th and features the angelic soprano
Hayley Westenra as
Maria and Italian tenor, Vittorio as Tony with music by Leonard Bernstein.
This new interpretation of West Side Story is one of the only major recordings of this masterpiece to have been made since the 1984 version with Mr. Bernstein himself conducting. This updated project was also authorized by the Bernstein foundation in New York. With a bright young cast and timeless tunes, this is set to become the recording of choice for the 21st Century West Side Story lover. Hayley Westenra and Vittorio have nothing short of great chemistry and their passionate singing brings the characters to life. This modern take promises to reinvigorate the classic and bring it to a whole new audience.
Vittorio's debut album was one of the highest classical chart debuts ever for a new artist in the UK, landing him in the Top 10 cementing his spot as a leading classical solo artist. His self-titled Decca debut featuring a duet with Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussycat Dolls on 'Ill Mio Miracolo (You Are My Miracle) and 'Maria' from West Side Story was released to much fanfare. A media blitz followed including his own PBS Great Performances special, 'Vittorio: Dreams of Rome,' appearances on ABC's smash hit show, Dancing With The Stars, The Bachelor and the Miss Universe pageant. He also was featured on Extra and graced the pages of OK! Magazine and USA Today where he was named one of the four possible heirs to Pavarotti's musical throne.
Hayley Westenra has been said to have the 'voice of an angel' by the New York Times and has sold over three million albums worldwide. With a dizzying array of unprecedented chart and record-breaking sales in the UK and New Zealand, Hayley's overall career is overwhelmingly impressive, particularly for someone barely out of her teens. She just completed a massive U.S. tour with the world-famous ensemble, Celtic Woman and has performed for Her Majesty the Queen of England, President Bush and Tony Blair, Prince Charles, Colin Powell and Condoleeza Rice, as well having sung in some of the most prestigious halls in the world including Carnegie Hall, The Sydney Opera House, Wembley Arena and Royal Albert Hall.
Cast List:
Tony - Vittorio Grigolo
Maria - Hayley Westenra
Riff - Will Martin
Anita - Melanie Marshall
A girl - Connie Fisher
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra/Nick Ingman
Track List
1. Prologue
2. Jet Song - Riff and the Jets
3. Something's Coming - Tony
4. The Dance at The Gym (Blues, Promenade, Mambo, Cha Cha Cha, Jump) - Jets and Sharks
5. Maria - Tony and Maria
6. Tonight (balcony) - Tony and Maria
7. America - Anita, Rosalia and girls
8. Cool - Riff and Jets
9. One Hand, One Heart - Tony and Maria
10. Tonight (ensemble) - Tony and Maria and cast
11. I Feel Pretty - Maria and girls
12. Somewhere - A Girl
13. Gee Officer Krupke - Jets
14. A Boy Like That - Anita and Maria
15. I Have A Love - Maria and Anita
16. Finale - Tony and Maria
For more information please contact: [email protected]
