Mary Chase

It’s no surprise that Mary Poppins Returns is a pitch-perfect movie-musical experience: If you had a classic Disney storyline and got Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Emily Mortimer, Angela Lansbury and Meryl Streep together on a soundstage and messed it up, then what are you even doing? Fifty-four years after the first Mary Poppins was released, this casting director’s dream lineup gives the nanny a refresh, in most cases hewing as reverentially close to the original’s spirit as possible.

(Special Publications of the Lilly Library) Paperback – 25 Apr 2018

Why are all the Muses mute?, for the accession of James II in 1685, is not a strong work, but its arias are transfigured by the bright lyrical tenor voice of Charles Daniels (as in ‘O how blest’), and the elegant, decorous countertenor of Iestyn Davies (‘Britain, thou now art great’). Both of these tracks have a more leisurely pace than in the earlier recording. In Now Does the Glorious Day Appearfor Queen Mary’s birthday in 1689 its proximity to Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas can be heard at various points (especially the ritornello following ‘No more shall we’). The robust drama of the aria ‘It was a work’ is nicely captured by bass Edward Grint, though his vocal production can be a little unfocused. Orchestrally, the rich five-part string textures (such as that following the ravishing aria ‘By beauteous softness’) are performed with clarity and style.