Andrew Lloyd Webber: The Royal Albert Hall Celebration

Audiences adore him, critics hate him, but when Family Feud 2066 rolls around, I predict the survey will say that composer Andrew Lloyd Webber ranks with Lerner & Loewe and Rodgers & Hammerstein as one of the 20th century's musical theatre greats. In this 1998 tribute, Donny Osmond, Antonio Banderas, Glenn Close, Elaine Paige, Michael Ball, Julian Lloyd Webber (looking a bit ridiculous at this black tie affair wearing an Acclaim videogame t-shirt), and Andrew Lloyd Webber, among others, are backed by a full orchestra for nicely choreographed renditions of the elfin composer's greatest hits from Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Jesus Christ Superstar, Evita, Cats, Phantom of the Opera, Sunset Boulevard and Whistle Down the Wind. While I would have gladly listened to more Cats or Jesus Christ Superstar over the selections from Starlight Express and the unnecessary encore of the title tune from Whistle Down the Wind, this Dolby Digital 5.1 backed career retrospective is still a superb collection, with standouts including Close's rendition of "With One Look" (from Sunset Boulevard), Ball's (and cast) "Love Changes Everything" (from Aspects of Love), and Paige's luminous performance of "Memory" (from Cats). Brief interview clips with some of the principal performers are included in the DVD's special features. Sure to be very popular, this rousing tribute is highly recommended. Aud: P. (R. Pitman)