BWW Album Review: BRIGADOON at New York City Center Is Almost Like Being In Love

When it comes to sweeping, grand romances, the musicals from the "golden age" of the mid-20th century can't be beat. Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe produced a trio of musicals that interrogated the very idea of epic romance. One: the romance-that-isn't My Fair Lady. Two, the tragic love triangle of Camelot. The third is definitely less known than the other two longtime classics, but it's also the most straightforwardly romantic of the bunch: Brigadoon, which most recently received a production at New York City Center in 2017. Starring Kelli O'Hara and Patrick Wilson, the cast album is a lush rendering of the magical musical set in the mists of the Scottish Highlands.

The opening strains of "Brigadoon" are exquisite, with the haunting, precise choral harmonies that Lerner and Loewe did so very well, before launching into the energy of the bustling town square. Contemporary listeners may well assume that this kind of number was the inspiration behind an entire song type: the "welcome to our town" opening number seen from Beauty and the Beast's "Belle" to Anastasia's "A Rumor In St. Petersburg" and more. Moments like this are a reminder of the unity and history of musical theatre: everyone owes a little something to a writer who came before.

Brigadoon's plot picks up with "Waitin' For My Dearie," sung by the incomparable Kelli O'Hara as Fiona. If O'Hara's Scottish accent is a little too close to her quasi-Italian pronunciations circa The Bridges of Madison County, it really doesn't matter much, as her expressive soprano is as enchanted as The Town of Brigadoon itself. Patrick Wilson, as leading man and accidental visitor Tommy, is every bit her equal, with a lovely voice that nonetheless feels - appropriately - more grounded in the "real world" than the voices of Brigadoon's denizens. When Wilson and O'Hara first sing together in "The Heather on the Hill," the connection is palpable, and the show's most recognizable tune, "Almost Like Being In Love," is expertly done and full of joy.

As with most Golden Age romances, Brigadoon includes a couple of sub-plots where supporting players can take a moment in the spotlight. Stephanie J. Block tears it up as the Ado Annie-esque Meg on "The Love of My Life," a hilarious, innuendo-laden recounting of her cheerful misadventures in love. As most "juvenile secondary leads" do, Sara Esty and Ross Lekites don't get much musical time, but Lekites makes the most of "Come To Me, Bend To Me," a gorgeous song perfectly suited for his voice.

This is a fairly dance-heavy show (as one might expect, seeing Esty and fellow ballet and An American in Paris alum Robert Fairchild on the cast list), and the instrumental/dance tracks are every bit as engaging and nuanced as the vocal tracks. The "Sword Dance" in particular blends the expectations and needs of musical theatre with the traditional sounds of Scottish dances, even as the plot takes a darker turn.

There's one thing that sets Brigadoon apart from most of its contemporary romances: a happy ending all around (except, of course, for a predatory villain). Carousel, Camelot, South Pacific - all these Golden Age romances end in tragedy for someone, suggesting that love is not enough to overcome prejudice/anger/fate/etc. Brigadoon, instead, takes a much more optimistic view and even weaves it into the resolution of its plot: "if ye love someone deeply, anythin' is possible." With this exquisite cast recording bringing back a long-dormant classic, it certainly feels like anything is possible after all.

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