Oklahoma has always been my favorite musical. My father used to direct plays, and this is one I'll never forget! The entire cast was brilliant! The dancing was out of this world! Usually, the dream sequence is my least favorite part of the play, not with this version; it was breathtaking! The actor playing Curly was so amazing, made me feel like I was listening to Gordon McCrea! The actress Laurie has a beautiful voice, a bit operatic for the part but it was still magical. It was especially WONDERFUL to hear the actress who played Ado Annie who could actually sing! I've always wondered what that would sound like and now I know! Wonderful performance from everyone!
I'm from Perú and this musical made me love Oklahoma the time I first listened to it on the radio in a show called "Teatro Musical Norteamericano" in Lima when I could only speak and understand basic English. It was a brand new love for the brand new state!!! May God grant me the miracle to ever visit Oklahoma before I die.
What a sweet testament to OKLAHOMA! I loved it too when my dear Grandmother took to to see it, put on by local townspeople, our "Community Players" in 1955. Roger's, Hammerstein and our local boy Tom Porter who directed our town's group, would LOVE to read what you wrote!
When I was 16 I sang and danced in the chorus of our local theater's production of Oklahoma. I'm 62 now and watching this brought back such wonderful, warm memories. Excellent job!
I've seen a number of productions of Oklahoma! -both professional and amateur - and have been lucky enough to perform in one, and never before have I seen the dream ballet danced by the main cast instead of doubles. My jaw hit the floor!
As someone from the Great state of Oklahoma I love this musical, and let me be the first to say yall are welcome to come to oklahoma anytime we'd love to have yall.
Sorry to burst your bubble: Oklahoma! was shot on location in and around Nogales, Arizona, because in 1955, the state of Oklahoma was so heavily farmed and developed, few suitable areas could be found that resembled the highly-rural and undeveloped Oklahoma of the turn of the century in which the musical is set.
About 1965 in Pecos, Texas High School, my sister, Linda, and I did a short skit from the song, “Cowboys and Farmers Should Be Friends” from Oklahoma. Sadly and tragically , Linda died around the same time that Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, died. My heart breaks with longing to be re-united with Linda , and the rest of my beloved family who’ve have passed on and shed their earthly bodies!!! If I do say so, Linda and I were pretty good in our skit!!!
What a rich production! The full and appropriate singing and surprisingly authentic American dialogue, the full score accompanying such phenomenal true to life choreography and dancing. The authenticity of the costumes and smooth economy of the simple scenic elements were appropriately underplayed by a skillful director and creative team. Splendid orchestra ! We were particularly impressed with Curly and Laurie’s powerful and still sweet voices… and the remarkably real portrayal of Judd as a man who was not only dirty but afflicted with being born with a “difference” that puts so many people on the margins of society. Bravo!, Bill and Suzanne
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone sing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” quite like Nate Hackmann. Likely the reason they chose him as Curly for the new recording!
At the age of 13, I was introduced to Oklahoma in a School Play. Got hooked the first time I saw it, I bought tickets for the three remaining nights. Just turned 60 now and nothing has changed, went to see an amateur Drama group perform Oklahoma last year, Even though I'm male I'm not ashamed to say I was emotional. Just watched this right through, Felt just the same and want to see it again, I like a lot of Musicals, but nothing has ever beaten Oklahoma in my world. Loved it
I'm getting a new appreciation for it this year, seeing this performance, and also last year, rewatching clips of the Hugh Jackman version. It's not my favorite musical, but seeing a good performance of it really makes a difference in how you see it/how you perceive it. This is a good performance. ^___^ Bravo all. ^__^
Greetings and salutations from New Brunswick, Canada. I just stumbled into this marvelous production by accident this evening and had an instant flashback to 62 years ago almost to the day (Nov 24, 1959) when I stood on the stage of my high school and as Curly, belted out "Oh what a beautiful morning" to start our three night sold out run. As I watched and sang along this evening, I could remember all the other cast member's names and for some reason, I can't recall what I had for supper tonight but I remember every lyric to every song. It is certainly a timeless show and kudos to all involved in this production.
The choreography is absolutely stunning!! And I loved the minimalist design of the production!! This is one of the classic musicals where less is more.
What a wonderful performance and such a great cast. The music was wonderful and it was so funny and congratulations to the whole cast and the wondercul orchestra and conductor. ❤❤ xx
It’s not really minimalist, they planned simply to do a concert version, it was only for a few performances, to highlight the orchestra. But they just got into it, the talent was there, so they used it. It’s incredibly rare to stage anything at the Proms.
Today agree, Michael. The songs and choreography are the corner stone of the musical. Ya don't need a bunch of scenery. Your imagination fills in the rest.
@@tommoncrieff1154 It *would have* been minimalist if it had been cut down from a fully staged version, which it wasn't, but which I'd suppose is most likely what some people are thinking. 🤔
Omigoodness I just discovered Proms with John Wilson orchestra and I am moved to tears. Nothing is more enjoyable to hear beautiful music emanating from Broadway and done so fantastic by Wilson…. I am binging on all his performances this afternoon and it is now 11:30 pm. I am moved to tears.
Tears here from this old Oklahoman who has seen the film, the West End production and others. Their Oklahoma Folks speak, grammar and expressions were really great!
I have only just now discovered the BBC Proms & can't get enough of all of you, director, orchestra and singers! I love all the Roger's & Hammerstein musicals, know the words by heart, been singing them since I was little (my mom was a pianist). Listening to your orchestra is like watching the films for the first time. Tap Your Troubles Away is so exciting every time I watch it. You are all just wonderful!
He really is! I’ve seen plenty of excellent Curlys, but I love this actor’s voice the most. In my opinion, his voice has the exact bari-tenor quality that’s perfect for the character :)
This was my first stage musical! I’ve been lucky enough to play Will Parker 3 times since (amateur) but it led to my life time love of the stage, now 40 years later!
From what I've read, 'Oklahoma!' was a HUGE hit when it first played London in 1947. Even the future Queen Elizabeth was a fan. The Curly, Howard Keel was invited to a party at the home of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, a major badge of honor among theatre people at the time.
I had the pleasure and priviledge to be an Okie for one year as a foreign exchange student. I was a Senior in High School - one of the best years in my life!
Words cannot convey how marvelous this performance of "Oklahoma" was. What a breathtaking production at The Round, with an all-star cast of modern theatrical greats. The choreography, music and staging were superb. Nathaniel Hackmann as Curly and Scarlett Strallen as Laurey gave a performance matching their film predecessors, the great Gordon Macrae and legendary Shirley Jones. Ado Annie was marvelously played by Lizzy Connolly with an acerbic wit and naivete. It was equally fantastic to see the great Robbie Fairchild play Will Parker, whose role here can't even begin to compare to what he did as Jerry Mulligan in "An American in Paris," on Broadway and at the The Dominion in the West End in 2017. His full dancing, singing and acting abilities were on another plain and beyond description. David Seadon-Young gave a chilling, riveting performance of Jud and none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary orchestral talents of John Wilson. Bravo to this masterpiece in theatre and many thanks for sharing.
Ado Annie has the cutest Irish-Oklahoman accent I've ever heard. Wonderful performances all around! Absolutely love Nathaniel Hackmann, who came back to the U.S. after this to appear as Quasimodo in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" at the Fulton Theater in Lancaster, PA. He was phenomenal!
Wow! This is the first time I've seen an uncut version of this! Never saw the Broadway production. I played Laurey in an amateur production in Corpus Christi, Texas many years ago. We did it in Theatre-in-the-Round, so it was open like this, with performers making their entrances via the aisles in the audience. This is a fantastic production and I'm so pleased to have found it!
An outstanding version of original Oklahoma, a real masterpiece! BBC's podcasting is still a first class one, hats down! BRAVO from France! Emmanuel from Paris
@@meganomahoney5450 how did it go? Where was your performance? I played Laurey...loved the role. R&H were amazing. It still stuns me that this was the very first American musical - they actually created this genre! And it's SO GOOD!
@@janemiller5396 it’s cool to see this type of inheritance! I played Laurie back in 1963 in a small West Texas town. With any luck maybe one of my granddaughters will get to do a reprise. The town died after the USAF left, but the music lives on!
The Oklahoma Movie of 1955 was the second musical I ever saw. The first is the one which had the biggest impression on me and was the Carousel movie made in 1956. Both of course were by the best of them all - Rogers and Hammerstein.
I first heard Oklahoma when I checked out the LP album from the music library of the college I was attending in 1978, having only been aware of one song ,” Oh what a beautiful morning “ . I fell in love with it and the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein. I finally got to see the stage production of Oklahoma ,but in London of all places , and with Hugh Jackman as Curly , in 1999. This was a terrific production and if I’m not mistaken the Brits have always had a particular love for this musical over most of any that crossed the pond. I believe I read somewhere that the Queen and Prince Philip had adopted one of the songs as their own theme while courting , “People will say we’re in love “. I very much appreciate this production,the wonderful cast and sensational orchestra and all artists and workers involved in this performance at Royal Albert and the broadcast and the TH-cam upload. Thank you 🙏.
Subtitle: The Psycho in the Smokehouse. You never got that bottomless sense of menace from the politely watered-down 1950s film, even from the brilliant Rod Steiger. This Proms production is spectacular, with uniformly lush voices and gifted dancers. Staging the original-length dream ballets was a bold choice that paid off.
A great and delightful performance, badly marred by failure of audio/video sync, at least on TH-cam. I played it on two different platforms and observed the same problem. At the beginning, the A/V sync is perfect, but it drifts as the show progresses. I was noticing it by about 1/3 of the way through, and by my perception, by the end the audio was trailing the video by over one second. I know I'm more sensitive to this than most people (otherwise there would be more comments about it here, though I'm not the first to remark on it), but it's so bad that in the second half I was constantly aware of it and could hardly bear to watch the faces. And that cuts deep into the joy of seeing and hearing it. Of course, this is an unauthorized upload, so I shouldn't blame the BBC. (The uploader is an obvious pseudonym.)
This is a wonderful production. What performances! The dancing is ballet company level (not cowboy typical!) but I loved every minute! Musical are fantasy, which is why we get lost in them. I certainly do.
On opening night of Oklahoma in 1943 they had a third empty seats and so went out on the street and gave soldiers on leave free tickets to fill the house. That was the last time they had an empty seat for Oklahoma for the next two years! The soldiers, many leaving to fight in WWII loved the simple and pure vision of the musical.
Here's another bit of trivia, from "Underfoot in Show Business" by Helene Hanff (who would later write 84 Charing Cross Road). She was interning at the theater during the development of this musical...and the decision to put an exclamation mark after Oklahoma was made at the 11th hour, so she and her fellow intern had pull an all-nighter drawing a "!" on every poster.
poetcomic1 my father was in the Navy during the war and they were in New York, ready to head overseas and he went to see Oklahoma. Wonder if he got one of those free tickets?
Another story is that at the time "Musicals" were expected to be like glamorous Las Vegas show girl extravaganzas. Then the curtain opened and they see a barnyard, bales of hay with a butter churner! The crowd was PO'ed! And many just left and demanded their money back. Only to read raving reviews the next day.
Oklahoma! was the first musical I saw as a little boy in East London, South Africa, in a visiting American production. I think it was 1948. I was absolutely overwhelmed. Since then no musical has dislodged it as my favourite.
Awesome production! I've seen many and this is tops in so many ways. Everyone was great. However, I especially liked Will Parker. I always wanted to be an Oklahoma cowboy like him. I'm an Oklahoman, but more of a city-slicker. Anyway, such a marvelous show which will provide lasting memories. Congratulations to everyone involved!
This was a wonderful production. Nathaniel Hackmann did a wonderful job as Curly and Robert Fairchild excelled in his singing and dancing - my God what was that pirouette-triple jump combination? Interesting that he and David Seadon-Young, who played Judd Frye, went on to star in An American in Paris.
I think this concert was after 'An American in Paris '. Robert Fairchild and David Seadon-Young were both in that production and were selected for the John Wilson prom. But where did the menace come from in David Season-Young after his charming performance in 'An American in Paris '? It might just be called acting!
If you Love this musical you should see the excellent recreation of the 1943 production done by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. They reproduced the actual scenery, costumes etc an amazing feat. It's like seeing the original production.
It was a masterpiece! I think that it had the best Ali Hakim, ever. He was hilarious.! I also loved Caroline Kava as Aunt Eller. As Joan Roberts, the original Laurie, then 93 years old in 2011, pointed out, the only thing they got wrong was that Alfred Drake as Curly, did not wear his hat in Act 1. Amazing performance by all. It was far superior to the desecration Fish put on in 2019!
You might like this, David Seadon-Young singing at a John Wilson Orchestra Bernstein Prom with his Brother Matthew th-cam.com/video/L514Zv8Q4_4/w-d-xo.html
I watched the 2012 Proms Broadway last night. It was fantastic. Here we are 5 years later. The orchestra looks so much smaller, and different players. Maestro Wilson appears slower and a little more tired than he did back then. This proms is great too. Thanks.
A larger Orchestra would overpower the production, a large number of the players are still there from 2012 but some are different, They are all handpicked from other Orchestras, some may not be available due to other concerts/rehearsals
Can't help but love this presentation. The singing, dancing, musicians, are amazing. The composers are among the greatest. Who can watch these songs without out having your heart strings from pulsing when you hear "Poor Judd is Dead."
Lo Yep.pretty generic...A little more to point. ..its KENTUCKY..but related..Watch SISSY SPACEK ..from TEXAS btw..portray LORETTA LYNN..since they're kinda basic dialect wise ..hey why not.. you sound like ole BAR A GRELLEN!
Las peliculas MUSICALES son EXTRAORDINARIAS !!!! esta de Oklahoma , Freedom, wethsay histoyi etc. etc. son geniales, son como OPERAS americanas contemporaneas, reitero son muy BUENAS !!!! saludos de Peru.
I love this. I've seen Oklahoma several times but it never gets old. I'm in Boston and I'm wondering what this early 20th Century Western American English does to the British ear. Seems to be received quite well.
Gee. I thought the British hate the whole genre of American musicals. Of course apart from these spectacular classics (Brigadoon, West Side Story, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Carousel, My Fair Lady) of R&H, L&L, Sondheim & Bernstein - the original wave, and very few since (Godspell, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) who can blame them. After the overture and before receiving the first wave of applause, the conductor looked a bit terrified. FANTASTIC production -- thank you.
Oh my goodness. What a wonderful production. No idea how I missed this. Only 2017. Isn’t Scarlett Strallen beautiful. I’m now watching this at Wyndham’s Theatre in London. Seen it many times and it’s fabulous.
I did not know BBC Proms had such a nice opening (for the TV presentation of itself). I love when the lights turn into jellyfish. ^____^ The way she introduces it is like the way I in America might introduce something English or European. It's a foreign story to her. ^____^ Oklahoma in London. It's different but it's cute. ^____^
Opening night was big success. But Rodgers and Hammerstein still weren't sure that it was a hit. The notices in the morning papers were all rave reviews. When Rodgers and Hammerstein went to the theater that afternoon they looked out the windows of the cab and saw a line of people starting at the box office, stretching down the block, and around the corner down the side street. Hammerstein turned to Rodgers and said, "I think that we have a hit!" I read that it was a true story.
@@rjlev I read a little book about the trials and tribulations of bringing Oklahoma! to Broadway. It was so different for its time. Agnes DeMille had a battle for her choice of costumes, the dancers were all professionals instead of just chorus girls, the winter was miserably cold and wet and there was a lot of sickness going around -- it's a wonder it ever got to Broadway. Seeing this production makes me feel that I'm watching something very close to the original staging. It's great!
The star here is the Hall itself. Built in 1871 it is still in use 150 years later, still functional and fashionable in this time of disposable buildings!
This production has to compete with the best production of a musical ever, the Royal National Theatre production that premiered on July 15, 1998. We saw it live and still get goosebumps remembering how incredible it was. You can view clips from it on TH-cam but the best way is to get the DVD. This production was a staged concert version and couldn't match a fully staged production. But it was really well done and captured the heart of the show. The Orchestra was sized to fit in a Broadway pit and they were excellent, as was the conductor. The cast was constrained to a small stage but the director and choreographer made it work. I think it is the second best production we've ever seen.
Nathaniel Hackmann & Scarlett Strallen Made An Awesome Couple As Curly & Laurey. Being A Musical Freak They Were Just As Good As Gordon Mcrae & Shirley Jones. So Were Lizzy Connelly & Robbie Fairchild As Will Parker & Ado Arnie As Gene Nelson & Gloria Graham. The choreography was well arranged too!!!
My first 78RPM album (two 10.inch discs, 12 minutes) when I was a 12yo n 1949 was OKLAHOMA! Years later I would see the movie with Rod Steiger This is a delightful new view. Thank you, Gertrude Cummins.
Benedict Joseph Miller you are right, he has a wonderful voice, better than Mr Jackman in my opinion, but if you don’t mind me respectfully correcting you, he is called Nathanial Hackmann.
Look at the university of North Carolina's School of the Arts production. They reproduced everything in the original down to a T. It's like watching the original 1943,production. You can see it here on TH-cam
R and H are the American guys who put the Operetta Age into the history bin. This was the first of their string of amazing hits that changed the London and Broadway scene. Although my favorite by far is Carousel, you can see its DNA in Oklahoma. Some of the most beautiful music ever scored in the English language, IMO.
It's interesting to hear the explanation about the plot and history in the introduction. I know the story and play but I always learn something new. Thank you for uploading this.
Very nice production, although the audio/video is not quite synched. There is also a wonderful DVD of the Broadway production with Hugh Jackman. John Wilson just released a CD Audio recording of Oklahoma with Nathaniel Hackmann and Sierra Boggess, an acclaimed Broadway actress/singer.
Robbie Fairchild is a wonder. I'm beginning to think he can do anything. Someone please put that man on the big screen in a musical! He's the closest thing we have to Gene Kelly.
I'm here from the future, and, well. They heard you. Unfortunately, it seems like he'll be one of the best parts of a not great show. I'm sure his Munkustrap will be great, it's just the version where we're getting it.....
I really wish they sold this in DVD format. I can’t find anything online for a copy. I just love this production so much that I’m so worried about it getting taken off TH-cam
Watching it on my iPad the sound gets progressively out of sync as the performance goes on - but still eminently watchable. Come on BBC Commercial Section, release a DVD please!
2021: As a pianist I accompanied High School Vocal Major and any Musicians Students when they would audition for a Scholarship to Juilliard in NYC. They need #3- songs of different genres/periods. I would have down a monologue from play: “ Our Town” or “Invictus” for a 4YR. Drama Scholarship!!!
Thanks for posting! Love almost everything about this, the staging , the cast, the fact that John Wilson and company have respect for the piece and the author's intentions. Aunt Eller can be a little hard to take after a while, that voice can get obnoxious.
Oklahoma has always been my favorite musical. My father used to direct plays, and this is one I'll never forget! The entire cast was brilliant! The dancing was out of this world! Usually, the dream sequence is my least favorite part of the play, not with this version; it was breathtaking! The actor playing Curly was so amazing, made me feel like I was listening to Gordon McCrea! The actress Laurie has a beautiful voice, a bit operatic for the part but it was still magical. It was especially WONDERFUL to hear the actress who played Ado Annie who could actually sing! I've always wondered what that would sound like and now I know! Wonderful performance from everyone!
I'm from Perú and this musical made me love Oklahoma the time I first listened to it on the radio in a show called "Teatro Musical Norteamericano" in Lima when I could only speak and understand basic English. It was a brand new love for the brand new state!!! May God grant me the miracle to ever visit Oklahoma before I die.
Come for a visit. As my mom used to say, we'll treat you so many ways, you're bound to like one of them.
Wonderful show
What a sweet testament to OKLAHOMA! I loved it too when my dear Grandmother took to to see it, put on by local townspeople, our "Community Players" in 1955. Roger's, Hammerstein and our local boy Tom Porter who directed our town's group, would LOVE to read what you wrote!
When I was 16 I sang and danced in the chorus of our local theater's production of Oklahoma. I'm 62 now and watching this brought back such wonderful, warm memories. Excellent job!
My eldest was in a few musicals for the jarrow operettas I miss him so much he loved these
Brother sunny
I've seen a number of productions of Oklahoma! -both professional and amateur - and have been lucky enough to perform in one, and never before have I seen the dream ballet danced by the main cast instead of doubles. My jaw hit the floor!
How can you not like this performance. Beautiful voices and a fabulous orchestra. Dancing and choreography is amazing . Great direction.
I know. Good job, all. ☺️
I love this fellow's voice and he is so cute!
PERFECTION! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
As someone from the Great state of Oklahoma I love this musical, and let me be the first to say yall are welcome to come to oklahoma anytime we'd love to have yall.
We visited New Zealand and when we said we were from Oklahoma, they always sang the song to us.
as someone from Kansas who has visited many times, what's there other than a cool big lake lol
Sorry to burst your bubble: Oklahoma! was shot on location in and around Nogales, Arizona, because in 1955, the state of Oklahoma was so heavily farmed and developed, few suitable areas could be found that resembled the highly-rural and undeveloped Oklahoma of the turn of the century in which the musical is set.
@@marybroderick8265 OI weirdness
@@marybroderick8265 yfffda
About 1965 in Pecos, Texas High School, my sister, Linda, and I did a short skit from the song, “Cowboys and Farmers Should Be Friends” from Oklahoma. Sadly and tragically , Linda died around the same time that Debbie Reynolds and her daughter, Carrie Fisher, died. My heart breaks with longing to be re-united with Linda , and the rest of my beloved family who’ve have passed on and shed their earthly bodies!!! If I do say so, Linda and I were pretty good in our skit!!!
What a rich production! The full and appropriate singing and surprisingly authentic American dialogue, the full score accompanying such phenomenal true to life choreography and dancing.
The authenticity of the costumes and smooth economy of the simple scenic elements were appropriately underplayed by a skillful director and creative team. Splendid orchestra !
We were particularly impressed with Curly and Laurie’s powerful and still sweet voices…
and the remarkably real portrayal of Judd as a man who was not only dirty but afflicted with being born with a “difference” that puts so many people on the margins of society.
Bravo!, Bill and Suzanne
I think Debbie felt the same way about Carrie. (Longing to be reunited, that is.) She got her wish.
I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone sing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” quite like Nate Hackmann. Likely the reason they chose him as Curly for the new recording!
At the age of 13, I was introduced to Oklahoma in a School Play. Got hooked the first time I saw it, I bought tickets for the three remaining nights. Just turned 60 now and nothing has changed, went to see an amateur Drama group perform Oklahoma last year, Even though I'm male I'm not ashamed to say I was emotional. Just watched this right through, Felt just the same and want to see it again, I like a lot of Musicals, but nothing has ever beaten Oklahoma in my world. Loved it
That shows what a great work of art can do for you. Rodgers and Hammerstein knew what they were doing.
Similar to me, Derek... I was around 20... I've loved R&H since!
I'm getting a new appreciation for it this year, seeing this performance, and also last year, rewatching clips of the Hugh Jackman version.
It's not my favorite musical, but seeing a good performance of it really makes a difference in how you see it/how you perceive it.
This is a good performance. ^___^
Bravo all. ^__^
The first movie I watched in a theater was ‘Oklahoma’. Living in Oklhoma, I loved it at the age of eight. Thank you.
Greetings and salutations from New Brunswick, Canada.
I just stumbled into this marvelous production by accident this evening and had an instant flashback to 62 years ago almost to the day (Nov 24, 1959) when I stood on the stage of my high school and as Curly, belted out "Oh what a beautiful morning" to start our three night sold out run.
As I watched and sang along this evening, I could remember all the other cast member's names and for some reason, I can't recall what I had for supper tonight but I remember every lyric to every song.
It is certainly a timeless show and kudos to all involved in this production.
The choreography is absolutely stunning!! And I loved the minimalist design of the production!! This is one of the classic musicals where less is more.
What a wonderful performance and such a great cast. The music was wonderful and it was so funny and congratulations to the whole cast and the wondercul orchestra and conductor. ❤❤ xx
It’s not really minimalist, they planned simply to do a concert version, it was only for a few performances, to highlight the orchestra. But they just got into it, the talent was there, so they used it. It’s incredibly rare to stage anything at the Proms.
Today agree, Michael. The songs and choreography are the corner stone of the musical. Ya don't need a bunch of scenery. Your imagination fills in the rest.
@@tommoncrieff1154 It *would have* been minimalist if it had been cut down from a fully staged version, which it wasn't, but which I'd suppose is most likely what some people are thinking. 🤔
Our Town is traditionally done very minimalist (of course it's not a musical though).
Omigoodness I just discovered Proms with John Wilson orchestra and I am moved to tears. Nothing is more enjoyable to hear beautiful music emanating from Broadway and done so fantastic by Wilson…. I am binging on all his performances this afternoon and it is now 11:30 pm. I am moved to tears.
Tears here from this old Oklahoman who has seen the film, the West End production and others. Their Oklahoma Folks speak, grammar and expressions were really great!
Wonderful , enjoyed it so much. The singing and dancing was just spectacular and I fell inn love with Will Parker! A wonderful actor and dancer.
I have only just now discovered the BBC Proms & can't get enough of all of you, director, orchestra and singers! I love all the Roger's & Hammerstein musicals, know the words by heart, been singing them since I was little (my mom was a pianist). Listening to your orchestra is like watching the films for the first time. Tap Your Troubles Away is so exciting every time I watch it. You are all just wonderful!
Please put the “d” in Rodgers!
The most romantic Curly I've ever seen. What a treat to see this! Thank you!
Have you seen Rod Steiger?
He really is! I’ve seen plenty of excellent Curlys, but I love this actor’s voice the most. In my opinion, his voice has the exact bari-tenor quality that’s perfect for the character :)
@@Jivanmuktishu Rod Steiger never played Curly; he played Jud Fry. Gordon MacRae played Curly.
@@cynaraslover Thanks for the correction. I'm an ancient Rod Steiger fan, who has seen every movie he made in premiere. Ancient but stupid.
and those chaps !
This was my first stage musical! I’ve been lucky enough to play Will Parker 3 times since (amateur) but it led to my life time love of the stage, now 40 years later!
Wow, lucky. (And good. ☺️)
Can you do any of the roping tricks?
The theater never leaves your blood. I look back to my time with such joy.
From what I've read, 'Oklahoma!' was a HUGE hit when it first played London in 1947. Even the future Queen Elizabeth was a fan. The Curly, Howard Keel was invited to a party at the home of Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, a major badge of honor among theatre people at the time.
"People Will Say We're In Love" was one of Queen Elizabeth II's favorite songs, beginning about that same time period I believe.
And continued to be "their song" for her and Prince Philip, as of many years later.
I don't actually think that I even knew that Howard Keel was who had played that role when it played in London back then. Thank you. ☺️
As homegrown Oklahoman, I loved this amazing production. Its been 30 years since I first watched Oklahoma! as a kid and still love it.
I had the pleasure and priviledge to be an Okie for one year as a foreign exchange student. I was a Senior in High School - one of the best years in my life!
Words cannot convey how marvelous this performance of "Oklahoma" was. What a breathtaking production at The Round, with an all-star cast of modern theatrical greats. The choreography, music and staging were superb. Nathaniel Hackmann as Curly and Scarlett Strallen as Laurey gave a performance matching their film predecessors, the great Gordon Macrae and legendary Shirley Jones. Ado Annie was marvelously played by Lizzy Connolly with an acerbic wit and naivete. It was equally fantastic to see the great Robbie Fairchild play Will Parker, whose role here can't even begin to compare to what he did as Jerry Mulligan in "An American in Paris," on Broadway and at the The Dominion in the West End in 2017. His full dancing, singing and acting abilities were on another plain and beyond description. David Seadon-Young gave a chilling, riveting performance of Jud and none of this would have been possible without the extraordinary orchestral talents of John Wilson. Bravo to this masterpiece in theatre and many thanks for sharing.
Maureen Lipman Aunt Eller -- Wonderful. Thanks for naming the cast members!
❤
This is a British Broadcasting Corporation production. Is the cast all-British?
@@allenjones3130 As far as I know, Curly and Will are American. I think the rest are all British.
@martindooley6380 Aunt Eller was played by Belinda Lang.. although as both are sitcom legends I can understand the confusion 😅
Ado Annie has the cutest Irish-Oklahoman accent I've ever heard. Wonderful performances all around! Absolutely love Nathaniel Hackmann, who came back to the U.S. after this to appear as Quasimodo in "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" at the Fulton Theater in Lancaster, PA. He was phenomenal!
I could listen to Nathaniel Hackmann all day. What a beautiful voice!
Nathaniel Hackmann showed up at Encores in NYC a few years ago to call the wind Maria in Paint Your Wagon. Just the voice you dream of for that song.
Hmmmm
Yep
Cute bloomers
Thanks for posting this wonderful musical! ..I love aunt Eller
Wow! This is the first time I've seen an uncut version of this! Never saw the Broadway production. I played Laurey in an amateur production in Corpus Christi, Texas many years ago. We did it in Theatre-in-the-Round, so it was open like this, with performers making their entrances via the aisles in the audience. This is a fantastic production and I'm so pleased to have found it!
What a delicious treat. Thanks so much . Please keep on showing these kind of musical genre . God bless. 👌😊🙏🏼🌹
An outstanding version of original Oklahoma, a real masterpiece! BBC's podcasting is still a first class one, hats down! BRAVO from France! Emmanuel from Paris
Emmanuel Viala I’m playing laurey in Oklahoma in august wish me good luck
@@meganomahoney5450 how did it go? Where was your performance?
I played Laurey...loved the role.
R&H were amazing. It still stuns me that this was the very first American musical - they actually created this genre! And it's SO GOOD!
@@janemiller5396 it’s cool to see this type of inheritance! I played Laurie back in 1963 in a small West Texas town. With any luck maybe one of my granddaughters will get to do a reprise. The town died after the USAF left, but the music lives on!
The first show I ever saw; Aged 4. Fell in love with Rogers & Hammerstein. Still in love...
The Oklahoma Movie of 1955 was the second musical I ever saw. The first is the one which had the biggest impression on me and was the Carousel movie made in 1956. Both of course were by the best of them all - Rogers and Hammerstein.
Look
I first heard Oklahoma when I checked out the LP album from the music library of the college I was attending in 1978, having only been aware of one song ,” Oh what a beautiful morning “ . I fell in love with it and the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein. I finally got to see the stage production of Oklahoma ,but in London of all places , and with Hugh Jackman as Curly , in 1999.
This was a terrific production and if I’m not mistaken the Brits have always had a particular love for this musical over most of any that crossed the pond. I believe I read somewhere that the Queen and Prince Philip had adopted one of the songs as their own theme while courting , “People will say we’re in love “. I very much appreciate this production,the wonderful cast and sensational orchestra and all artists and workers involved in this performance at Royal Albert and the broadcast and the TH-cam upload.
Thank you 🙏.
Found this by accident and i love it. well done, a brilliant performance
I also found this PROMS production by accident and is fantastic ! Way to go PROMS .
Yep, same! I love this! Happy accidents...
Subtitle: The Psycho in the Smokehouse. You never got that bottomless sense of menace from the politely watered-down 1950s film, even from the brilliant Rod Steiger. This Proms production is spectacular, with uniformly lush voices and gifted dancers. Staging the original-length dream ballets was a bold choice that paid off.
A great and delightful performance, badly marred by failure of audio/video sync, at least on TH-cam. I played it on two different platforms and observed the same problem. At the beginning, the A/V sync is perfect, but it drifts as the show progresses. I was noticing it by about 1/3 of the way through, and by my perception, by the end the audio was trailing the video by over one second. I know I'm more sensitive to this than most people (otherwise there would be more comments about it here, though I'm not the first to remark on it), but it's so bad that in the second half I was constantly aware of it and could hardly bear to watch the faces. And that cuts deep into the joy of seeing and hearing it.
Of course, this is an unauthorized upload, so I shouldn't blame the BBC. (The uploader is an obvious pseudonym.)
This is a wonderful production. What performances! The dancing is ballet company level (not cowboy typical!) but I loved every minute! Musical are fantasy, which is why we get lost in them. I certainly do.
On opening night of Oklahoma in 1943 they had a third empty seats and so went out on the street and gave soldiers on leave free tickets to fill the house. That was the last time they had an empty seat for Oklahoma for the next two years! The soldiers, many leaving to fight in WWII loved the simple and pure vision of the musical.
Love that story. I knew they weren't sold out but not about the soldiers. I will share that with my musical theatre students.
Here's another bit of trivia, from "Underfoot in Show Business" by Helene Hanff (who would later write 84 Charing Cross Road). She was interning at the theater during the development of this musical...and the decision to put an exclamation mark after Oklahoma was made at the 11th hour, so she and her fellow intern had pull an all-nighter drawing a "!" on every poster.
poetcomic1 my father was in the Navy during the war and they were in New York, ready to head overseas and he went to see Oklahoma. Wonder if he got one of those free tickets?
Another story is that at the time "Musicals" were expected to be like glamorous Las Vegas show girl extravaganzas. Then the curtain opened and they see a barnyard, bales of hay with a butter churner! The crowd was PO'ed! And many just left and demanded their money back. Only to read raving reviews the next day.
Oklahoma! was the first musical I saw as a little boy in East London, South Africa, in a visiting American production. I think it was 1948. I was absolutely overwhelmed. Since then no musical has dislodged it as my favourite.
Awesome production! I've seen many and this is tops in so many ways. Everyone was great. However, I especially liked Will Parker. I always wanted to be an Oklahoma cowboy like him. I'm an Oklahoman, but more of a city-slicker. Anyway, such a marvelous show which will provide lasting memories. Congratulations to everyone involved!
Tulsan here and I always like the Will Parker character! How did you like their rendition of Oklahoma folks speech. Not bad!
This is so joyful & uplifting and a brilliant all round production, bravo.
Wonderful revival.....Nathaniel Hackmann has a career ahead of him, just you watch! "People Will Say We're in Love" was simply fabulous.
I have got to say that David Seadon-Young did a phenomenal job as Jud Fry and especially with the sequence around Lonely Room.
This was a wonderful production. Nathaniel Hackmann did a wonderful job as Curly and Robert Fairchild excelled in his singing and dancing - my God what was that pirouette-triple jump combination? Interesting that he and David Seadon-Young, who played Judd Frye, went on to star in An American in Paris.
I think this concert was after 'An American in Paris '. Robert Fairchild and David Seadon-Young were both in that production and were selected for the John Wilson prom. But where did the menace come from in David Season-Young after his charming performance in 'An American in Paris '? It might just be called acting!
If you Love this musical you should see the excellent recreation of the 1943 production done by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. They reproduced the actual scenery, costumes etc an amazing feat. It's like seeing the original production.
Absolutely! So glad I came across that.
I did watch it. And thankfully, its my favorite version since it was a recreation of the 1943 B-way production
It was wonderful. Saw it in person
It was a masterpiece! I think that it had the best Ali Hakim, ever. He was hilarious.! I also loved Caroline Kava as Aunt Eller. As Joan Roberts, the original Laurie, then 93 years old in 2011, pointed out, the only thing they got wrong was that Alfred Drake as Curly, did not wear his hat in Act 1. Amazing performance by all. It was far superior to the desecration Fish put on in 2019!
It was great !
This Curly is so lovable.
@Blue Pulse Gaming what’s his name?
What about Will he is fine
What a delight! They are a happy orchestra, a talented cast and wonderful music.
Oklahoma was the first adult musical experience in my life. This performance is spectacular....the acting and the choreography and the singing....
alas, quality has deteriorated since I first found this production......a tech problem but such is life!
15 min's.in and absolutely dumb struck! This is BRILLIANT! This production is glorious!
Really well acted and possibly the best version I have seen. I especially loved the guy that played Judd Fry.
wonderful production. I especially enjoyed Nathaniel Hoffman. Any info on future performances?
David seadon young
You might like this, David Seadon-Young singing at a John Wilson Orchestra Bernstein Prom with his Brother Matthew th-cam.com/video/L514Zv8Q4_4/w-d-xo.html
I watched the 2012 Proms Broadway last night. It was fantastic. Here we are 5 years later. The orchestra looks so much smaller, and different players. Maestro Wilson appears slower and a little more tired than he did back then. This proms is great too. Thanks.
A larger Orchestra would overpower the production, a large number of the players are still there from 2012 but some are different, They are all handpicked from other Orchestras, some may not be available due to other concerts/rehearsals
Can't help but love this presentation. The singing, dancing, musicians, are amazing. The composers are among the greatest. Who can watch these songs without out having your heart strings from pulsing when you hear "Poor Judd is Dead."
Wonderful production of a superb musical. Sincere thanks to the British PROMS.....
This man who plays Curly melts my heart!! OH MY GOSH! He is incredible!!
He is actually pretty good. ☺️
I think Laurey is even better, actually, but they are both very very good. ☺️
SO'S YOU CAN TELL EM APART is such a great addition. Not sure about the other additions as much, but that one made me laugh.
Very charming rendition, but I wonder if any of the cast have heard a southern American native speak?
Lo
Yep.pretty generic...A little more to point. ..its KENTUCKY..but related..Watch SISSY SPACEK ..from TEXAS btw..portray LORETTA LYNN..since they're kinda basic dialect wise ..hey why not.. you sound like ole BAR A GRELLEN!
Right,everyone could benefit from dialect coaching. Argh, what I could get them to sound like.
Curly has a great voice!
Agreed. A stout voice and strong. Perfect for the material
Gorgeous! Who is he!
Las peliculas MUSICALES son EXTRAORDINARIAS !!!! esta de Oklahoma , Freedom, wethsay histoyi etc. etc. son geniales, son como OPERAS americanas contemporaneas, reitero son muy BUENAS !!!! saludos de Peru.
I could listen to this man sing “oh what a beautiful mornin” forever
Ditto.
But he changed the words I believe.
really. he is fantastic.
…at least every morning!
If I had been present at 28:40 I would never have stopped applauding. The pinnacle, the peak
I love love love that everyone is just appreciating this and not comparing it to Hugh, Gabrielle, and co.
I love this. I've seen Oklahoma several times but it never gets old. I'm in Boston and I'm wondering what this early 20th Century Western American English does to the British ear. Seems to be received quite well.
It is Queen Elizabeth II's favorite musical. Especially "People will say we're in Love."
Gee. I thought the British hate the whole genre of American musicals. Of course apart from these spectacular classics (Brigadoon, West Side Story, Oklahoma, South Pacific, Carousel, My Fair Lady) of R&H, L&L, Sondheim & Bernstein - the original wave, and very few since (Godspell, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying) who can blame them. After the overture and before receiving the first wave of applause, the conductor looked a bit terrified. FANTASTIC production -- thank you.
Oh my goodness. What a wonderful production. No idea how I missed this. Only 2017. Isn’t Scarlett Strallen beautiful. I’m now watching this at Wyndham’s Theatre in London. Seen it many times and it’s fabulous.
I did not know BBC Proms had such a nice opening (for the TV presentation of itself).
I love when the lights turn into jellyfish. ^____^
The way she introduces it is like the way I in America might introduce something English or European. It's a foreign story to her. ^____^
Oklahoma in London. It's different but it's cute. ^____^
Opening night was big success. But Rodgers and Hammerstein still weren't sure that it was a hit. The notices in the morning papers were all rave reviews. When Rodgers and Hammerstein went to the theater that afternoon they looked out the windows of the cab and saw a line of people starting at the box office, stretching down the block, and around the corner down the side street. Hammerstein turned to Rodgers and said, "I think that we have a hit!"
I read that it was a true story.
Columnist Walter Winchell wrote a snide review without seeing the show: "No legs, no laughs, no Chance!".....so much for his judgment!
@@rjlev I read a little book about the trials and tribulations of bringing Oklahoma! to Broadway. It was so different for its time. Agnes DeMille had a battle for her choice of costumes, the dancers were all professionals instead of just chorus girls, the winter was miserably cold and wet and there was a lot of sickness going around -- it's a wonder it ever got to Broadway. Seeing this production makes me feel that I'm watching something very close to the original staging. It's great!
The best production of Oklahoma ever!
Never gets old. Watching all over again. Bet I'll watch this again and again.
Brilliant! All American cast, I believe. How about Aunt Ellie? The whole cast is unbelievable!!!
The star here is the Hall itself. Built in 1871 it is still in use 150 years later, still functional and fashionable in this time of disposable buildings!
There is perfection, and then there are the crimson tears of awe and wonder. Ten out of nine you good and gentle heart's. Ten out of nine.
This production has to compete with the best production of a musical ever, the Royal National Theatre production that premiered on July 15, 1998. We saw it live and still get goosebumps remembering how incredible it was. You can view clips from it on TH-cam but the best way is to get the DVD.
This production was a staged concert version and couldn't match a fully staged production. But it was really well done and captured the heart of the show. The Orchestra was sized to fit in a Broadway pit and they were excellent, as was the conductor. The cast was constrained to a small stage but the director and choreographer made it work.
I think it is the second best production we've ever seen.
And now this Curly is BIFF TANNEN in Back to the Future.
Outstanding performances, ... great show from my childhood.
Nathaniel Hackmann & Scarlett Strallen Made An Awesome Couple As Curly & Laurey. Being A Musical Freak They Were Just As Good As Gordon Mcrae & Shirley Jones. So Were Lizzy Connelly & Robbie Fairchild As Will Parker & Ado Arnie As Gene Nelson & Gloria Graham. The choreography was well arranged too!!!
This was brilliant thanks for allowing us to watch it again
I never get over this High School performance. A High School performance!
Everyone looks so happy, especially the orchestra, enjoying the fabulous music. Disproving evolution.
The conductor cracking a big smile after the first music like he was proud of himself was adorable
My first 78RPM album
(two 10.inch discs, 12 minutes)
when I was a 12yo n 1949
was OKLAHOMA!
Years later I would see the movie
with Rod Steiger
This is a delightful new view.
Thank you, Gertrude Cummins.
This guy, Nicholas Hartmann, is just as good, if not better, than Hugh Jackman as Curly. What a beautiful voice, and great acting, too!
Benedict Joseph Miller you are right, he has a wonderful voice, better than Mr Jackman in my opinion, but if you don’t mind me respectfully correcting you, he is called Nathanial Hackmann.
@@MoominJude Gulp!Thanks for the correction!!
Most beautiful moment is when they reprise 'People Will Say We're in Love' at rough 2:30:00 - divine.
Yes so beautiful :)
Joseph Beadle u tube
A true Broadway classic nicely presented. Thanks
Throughly enjoyed this top entertainment. Actors and singers superb. A well directed and staged performance from start to finish. 👍😉😄
Beautifully done and acted I wish I had seen this live Oklahoma is my favorite musical
You should come and visit it's great in the summer. With Frontier City opening and the rodeos, and the farmers market and the state fair.
Look at the university of North Carolina's School of the Arts production. They reproduced everything in the original down to a T. It's like watching the original 1943,production. You can see it here on TH-cam
R and H are the American guys who put the Operetta Age into the history bin. This was the first of their string of amazing hits that changed the London and Broadway scene. Although my favorite by far is Carousel, you can see its DNA in Oklahoma. Some of the most beautiful music ever scored in the English language, IMO.
Thanks!! I love John Wilson. Great conductor.
I could listen to this song all day long not get tired of it
The fist time i saw this was when I was really young and i still remember and i love it❤
It's interesting to hear the explanation about the plot and history in the introduction. I know the story and play but I always learn something new. Thank you for uploading this.
This is so, so beautiful!!! I wish one day to watch in theaters!!!!
I absolutely love the musical Oklahoma!
Very nice production, although the audio/video is not quite synched. There is also a wonderful DVD of the Broadway production with Hugh Jackman. John Wilson just released a CD Audio recording of Oklahoma with Nathaniel Hackmann and Sierra Boggess, an acclaimed Broadway actress/singer.
Beautiful performances ALL ! Best Ado Annie EVER...
Thank you Gertrude for airing this show very enjoyable and thank you TH-cam as well better than some rubbish we have to watch on tv
Robbie Fairchild is a wonder. I'm beginning to think he can do anything. Someone please put that man on the big screen in a musical! He's the closest thing we have to Gene Kelly.
I'm here from the future, and, well. They heard you. Unfortunately, it seems like he'll be one of the best parts of a not great show. I'm sure his Munkustrap will be great, it's just the version where we're getting it.....
He is one of the tolerable performances in Cats.
🐈🐈🐈🎵🎶🎵🎼
I too have visited the great State of Oklahoma [many times] from green Tulsa to the far-out panhandle...
Thank you for you comments--Tulsa Okie here🙂
Possibly the Perfect Stage Musical.
I really wish they sold this in DVD format. I can’t find anything online for a copy. I just love this production so much that I’m so worried about it getting taken off TH-cam
Watching it on my iPad the sound gets progressively out of sync as the performance goes on - but still eminently watchable. Come on BBC Commercial Section, release a DVD please!
Nicola: There is a version "Oklahoma! - John Wilson Orchestra (BBC Proms 2017)" that is in sync.
Nicola Gray The loss of synch is intrinsic to the iPad. The video and sound decode at different rates.
Surrey with the Fringe on the Top is absolutely the best ever!
2021: As a pianist I accompanied High School Vocal Major and any Musicians Students when they would audition for a Scholarship to Juilliard in NYC.
They need #3- songs of different genres/periods. I would have down a monologue from play: “ Our Town” or “Invictus” for a 4YR. Drama Scholarship!!!
Absolutely stunning performance thank you love ❤️ it !
Nathan Hackmann is such a cutie with just a GIANT voice
Thanks for posting! Love almost everything about this, the staging , the cast, the fact that John Wilson and company have respect for the piece and the author's intentions. Aunt Eller can be a little hard to take after a while, that voice can get obnoxious.
Yes, unfortunately she's a kind of one-note actor - no layers to her performance...
That's literally the point
Thankyou from germany… I like so much this event at Royal Albert … so so good. God save the King.
Always loved this musical…cry every time I hear the muscular!