Masterpiece: Live From the Great Hall of the People

by Neil ShurleyThis overblown tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber suffers from over-familiarity and pretensions of size. These works, created for specific characters and theatrical situations, may work beautifully on-stage, but they can seem almost silly when delivered aria-like from a concert stage. Not surprisingly, the orchestral pieces come off the best, while the singers fail to bring needed acting and interpretive skills to the lyrics. There's just not enough there to support these songs as being treated like operatic highlights. If you really loved the video concert that spawned this CD, you may enjoy having this disc as a keepsake. Webber fans will find better performances elsewhere, however, while casual listeners might do better with a Sarah Brightman collection or a compilation of actual Broadway cast performances. Also included is a two-song DVD from the concert video.