Florodora

Florodora is considered by most to be "the world's first ever original cast album" (as it says on the CD cover).  Even though this is a UK recording, I've decided to include any time period and location of recording prior to say 1920 or so in my quest to listen to every show written since the beginning of time (which at the rate I'm going should take many of my lifetimes to hear them all).  So this show was quite the hit when it opened in London in 1899  and then in New York in 1900.  In that time period, as big stars entered the show most brought with them a new song to be inserted into the show for them.  This recording was made when all the major new songs had been added, with many of the original singers performing "their" song.  Perhaps the most well known song is "Tell me Pretty Maiden...".  Ah.  A classic.  The rest of the CD is pretty classic turn of the century material.  I enjoy some of the piano solo's played by the composer at the end of the CD.  Also, if anyone out there needs a good cabaret song, I think "Willie Was a Gay Boy" would be perfect.