Music composed by Frederick Lowe. Lyrics written by Alan Jay Lerner.
Principal cast includes: Rex Harrison (Professor Henry Higgins); Julie Andrews (Eliza Dolittle); Robert Coote (Colonel Pickering); Stanley Holloway (Mr. Dolittle); Philippa Bevans (Mrs. Pearce).
Recorded at Columbia 30th St. Studios, New York, New York on March 25, 1956.
Originally released on Columbia (5090). Includes liner notes by Dick Scanlan.
All tracks have been digitally remastered.
MY FAIR LADY is one of the great musicals of all time, combining a compelling story, magnetic personalities, and a truly mesmerizing score. From the start, Lerner and Loewe's adaptation of Shaw's PYGMALION was a tremendous success both on Broadway and the London stage. And in keeping with the show's phenomenal track record, the original cast recording spent nearly 300 weeks on the Billboard Top 40, for a while even out-grossing the stage production itself.
In a rare stroke of luck or genius--whichever one prefers--everything came together flawlessly on this recording. The score itself is a gem, and the cast that performs it here is perfectly suited to deliver all its charms. Rex Harrison's inimitable talk-singing and Stanley Holloway's music-hall style are at their best, and even just hearing the performers one can almost visualize the scene onstage. But above all, it's the voice of a young Julie Andrews that steals the show, showcasing timeless numbers such as "The Rain in Spain" and "I Could Have Danced All Night."