Audios
Aida (Elaborate Lives: The Legend Of Aida)
1997 READING CAST
Simone (Aida), Hank Stratton (Radames), Sherie Renee Scott (Amneris), Neal Benar
SOUNDBOARD. Nearly perfect quality. The barest hint of analog hiss from a possible transfer, only noticible if you jack up the volume. Some skipping in "Written In The Stars", likely from a scratched CD. Sadly, whoever ripped this used a very low bitrate, so while it sounds fine at the moment, I know constant low bitrate rips cause generation loss. It’s interesting to hear the differences in this pre-Broadway version. Runs about 82 minutes. Originally titled "Elaborate Lives: The Legend Of Aida".
A
Aida
Atlanta, September 16, 1998
Heather Headley, Hank Stratton, Sherie Renee Scott
From the one of the pre-Broadway tryouts. If the date is indeed correct, this is the first preview performance. The only reason I say that is there's a recording of the 18th as well that's been mislabeled over the years, and I'm unsure which this is. Great sound quality for it's age. Some differences from the show that eventually made it to Broadway. The show played Atlanta from September 16 - November 8. Originally titled "Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida"
*Side note.* I have discovered, since another trader asked this question of me, that my copy of this audio is missing track 3 from Act One. At first I thought to myself, "Did I track this audio at some point" because there have been audios I've tracked where there looks like a track is missing but it's not, it's merely a cut of dead space (IE, flip points from an audio that was originally on cassette that may have gone untracked for ages). But nope. There's definitely something missing here. Now I'm gonna have to eventually hunt down a new copy *Sigh* - if I ever have time to do so!
A
Aida
Broadway, February 25, 2001
Heather Headley, Adam Pascal, Sherie Rene Scott
Heavy bass and muffled sound, possibly an analog recording. At least I'm not hearing a lot of hiss though which would have made me think it was an HSD victim (I don't think it is, I think it's just too much mic overload and not great recording equipment went into making this audio.)
First anniversary of the show on Broadway and Sherie Rene Scott's final performance with the production. Speeches included after curtain call.
The bass and muffled sound make it close to unlistenable - I've got the volume jacked ALL the way up and I can't make out what is being said in the speech file, and even though I know the lyrics they're pretty indistinct in a lot of places - this one is probably for hard-core fans only really.
C
Aida:
Broadway, September 13, 2001
Maya Days, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel
Maya’s and Idina's first night.
Another note about this performance, it was right after 9-11, and I noted that there is a speech at the end of the show, and then I think it’s the cast singing "God Bless America." The tracks aren't numbered, so of course Windows has them in alphabetical order - not a huge deal if you know the show.
I first had this recording YEARS ago during my first trading run, and at the time I tended to listen to audios on a portable CD player. My original notes tell me that I had trouble understanding everything said in the speech back then ... well, I still have some trouble understanding everything in the speech more than 15 years after hearing it the first time *sigh*. Yeah, sound is a little low, some mild hiss (originally analog?) and some heavy bass. But as memory reminds me that was the case with a LOT of the early Aida audios.
B
Aida
Broadway, January 27, 2002
Maya Days, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel
Idina's last show. Very mild hiss. But very good sound otherwise.
A-
Aida
Broadway, August 6, 2003
Toni Braxton, Will Chase, Mandy Gonzalez
Some mild overload, but hands above some of the earlier audios in terms of sound quality - this was almost certainly a digital audio, at the advent of digital vs analog.
A
Aida
Broadway, January 4, 2004?
Michelle Williams, Will Chase, Mandy Gonzalez, Donnie Kehr
SOUNDBOARD. Mandy Gonzalez and Donnie Kehr's final performances.
Far and away one of the best quality Aida audios from this period, likely due to the fact it's a soundboard. No hiss, no contact noise, and most importantly, no overload! Lyrics and speech are crystal clear.
*THE DATE! Just as I finished writing that review out, I noticed that I already had an audio with this description, with the date of April 1 … I'm convinced they're the same audio because they both say they're Mandy and Donnie's final. *Sigh* I know how that happened too. Someone somewhere traded this overseas and the date got mixed up …
So now I don't know which one is the correct date. Anyone have proof of a definitive answer?
A+
Aida
Broadway, April 1, 2004 ?
Michelle T. Williams, Will Chase, Mandy Gonzalez, Donnie Kehr
SOUNDBOARD. Mandy Gonzalez and Donnie Kehr's Final Performance. PERFECT quality, practically cast-recording quality.
*THE DATE! I've recently traded for this audio a second time So now I don't know which one is the correct date. Anyone have proof of a definitive answer?
A+
Aida
Broadway, May 4, 2004
Saycon Sengblogh? (s/b), Cheyenne Jackson (s/b), Lisa Brescia, Mickey Dolenz?
Came to me listed as a soundboard and with the question marks by Saycon and Mickey's names. This is definitely NOT a soundboard. At the beginning of Written in the Stars there's mic contact noise. Also a fair bit of overload in some of the loud bits. Tons of analog hiss over the audio. As far as the question marks, not sure if someone along the way decided to question whether it's Saycon and Mickey or not. I don't know either's voice well enough to pass judgment, just throwing out there what I do know. Anyone who can identify either of them for me, I'd be appreciative!
B-
Aida
Broadway, September 5, 2004
Deborah Cox, Adam Pascal, Lisa Brescia
Slightly muffled, but otherwise a nice solid audio. Closing night of the Broadway production. Includes speeches.
A-
Aida (Elaborate Lives: The Legend Of Aida)
1997 READING CAST
Simone (Aida), Hank Stratton (Radames), Sherie Renee Scott (Amneris), Neal Benar
SOUNDBOARD. Nearly perfect quality. The barest hint of analog hiss from a possible transfer, only noticible if you jack up the volume. Some skipping in "Written In The Stars", likely from a scratched CD. Sadly, whoever ripped this used a very low bitrate, so while it sounds fine at the moment, I know constant low bitrate rips cause generation loss. It’s interesting to hear the differences in this pre-Broadway version. Runs about 82 minutes. Originally titled "Elaborate Lives: The Legend Of Aida".
A
Aida
Atlanta, September 16, 1998
Heather Headley, Hank Stratton, Sherie Renee Scott
From the one of the pre-Broadway tryouts. If the date is indeed correct, this is the first preview performance. The only reason I say that is there's a recording of the 18th as well that's been mislabeled over the years, and I'm unsure which this is. Great sound quality for it's age. Some differences from the show that eventually made it to Broadway. The show played Atlanta from September 16 - November 8. Originally titled "Elaborate Lives: The Legend of Aida"
*Side note.* I have discovered, since another trader asked this question of me, that my copy of this audio is missing track 3 from Act One. At first I thought to myself, "Did I track this audio at some point" because there have been audios I've tracked where there looks like a track is missing but it's not, it's merely a cut of dead space (IE, flip points from an audio that was originally on cassette that may have gone untracked for ages). But nope. There's definitely something missing here. Now I'm gonna have to eventually hunt down a new copy *Sigh* - if I ever have time to do so!
A
Aida
Broadway, February 25, 2001
Heather Headley, Adam Pascal, Sherie Rene Scott
Heavy bass and muffled sound, possibly an analog recording. At least I'm not hearing a lot of hiss though which would have made me think it was an HSD victim (I don't think it is, I think it's just too much mic overload and not great recording equipment went into making this audio.)
First anniversary of the show on Broadway and Sherie Rene Scott's final performance with the production. Speeches included after curtain call.
The bass and muffled sound make it close to unlistenable - I've got the volume jacked ALL the way up and I can't make out what is being said in the speech file, and even though I know the lyrics they're pretty indistinct in a lot of places - this one is probably for hard-core fans only really.
C
Aida:
Broadway, September 13, 2001
Maya Days, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel
Maya’s and Idina's first night.
Another note about this performance, it was right after 9-11, and I noted that there is a speech at the end of the show, and then I think it’s the cast singing "God Bless America." The tracks aren't numbered, so of course Windows has them in alphabetical order - not a huge deal if you know the show.
I first had this recording YEARS ago during my first trading run, and at the time I tended to listen to audios on a portable CD player. My original notes tell me that I had trouble understanding everything said in the speech back then ... well, I still have some trouble understanding everything in the speech more than 15 years after hearing it the first time *sigh*. Yeah, sound is a little low, some mild hiss (originally analog?) and some heavy bass. But as memory reminds me that was the case with a LOT of the early Aida audios.
B
Aida
Broadway, January 27, 2002
Maya Days, Adam Pascal, Idina Menzel
Idina's last show. Very mild hiss. But very good sound otherwise.
A-
Aida
Broadway, August 6, 2003
Toni Braxton, Will Chase, Mandy Gonzalez
Some mild overload, but hands above some of the earlier audios in terms of sound quality - this was almost certainly a digital audio, at the advent of digital vs analog.
A
Aida
Broadway, January 4, 2004?
Michelle Williams, Will Chase, Mandy Gonzalez, Donnie Kehr
SOUNDBOARD. Mandy Gonzalez and Donnie Kehr's final performances.
Far and away one of the best quality Aida audios from this period, likely due to the fact it's a soundboard. No hiss, no contact noise, and most importantly, no overload! Lyrics and speech are crystal clear.
*THE DATE! Just as I finished writing that review out, I noticed that I already had an audio with this description, with the date of April 1 … I'm convinced they're the same audio because they both say they're Mandy and Donnie's final. *Sigh* I know how that happened too. Someone somewhere traded this overseas and the date got mixed up …
So now I don't know which one is the correct date. Anyone have proof of a definitive answer?
A+
Aida
Broadway, April 1, 2004 ?
Michelle T. Williams, Will Chase, Mandy Gonzalez, Donnie Kehr
SOUNDBOARD. Mandy Gonzalez and Donnie Kehr's Final Performance. PERFECT quality, practically cast-recording quality.
*THE DATE! I've recently traded for this audio a second time So now I don't know which one is the correct date. Anyone have proof of a definitive answer?
A+
Aida
Broadway, May 4, 2004
Saycon Sengblogh? (s/b), Cheyenne Jackson (s/b), Lisa Brescia, Mickey Dolenz?
Came to me listed as a soundboard and with the question marks by Saycon and Mickey's names. This is definitely NOT a soundboard. At the beginning of Written in the Stars there's mic contact noise. Also a fair bit of overload in some of the loud bits. Tons of analog hiss over the audio. As far as the question marks, not sure if someone along the way decided to question whether it's Saycon and Mickey or not. I don't know either's voice well enough to pass judgment, just throwing out there what I do know. Anyone who can identify either of them for me, I'd be appreciative!
B-
Aida
Broadway, September 5, 2004
Deborah Cox, Adam Pascal, Lisa Brescia
Slightly muffled, but otherwise a nice solid audio. Closing night of the Broadway production. Includes speeches.
A-