Writers’ Christmas Choices: Mary-Ann Connolly

To herald the arrival of the festive season, we’ve invited three of our writers to offer their recommendations for what to enjoy from the comfort of your sofa this Christmas.

• Pacific Overtures:

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pacific-Overtures-Original-London-Recording

‘Pacific Overtures’ is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and it tells the story of the first Americans to visit Japan in 1853. The London premiere by the English National Opera was at the London Coliseum on September 10th, 1987. This studio recording, which was made in December 1987, has been specially re-mastered for this release.  Sondheim at his most diverting.

• Bernstein: West Side Story by Kiri Te Kanawa & José Carreras 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bernstein-Carreras-Tatiana-Troyanos-Orchestra

Check out Bernstein: West Side Story by Kiri Te Kanawa & José Carreras & Tatiana Troyanos & Kurt Ollmann & Marilyn Horne & Leonard Bernstein Orchestra & Leonard Bernstein & Leonard Bernstein Chorus on Amazon Music. Stream ad-free or purchase CD's and MP3s now on Amazon.co.uk

Watch the rehearsals on YouTube – See Jose Carreras taken down by Bernstein – Worst performance of Maria – Poor Carreras just can’t do musical theatre. And I adore him but not this time.

• The Best Christmas Movie ever. Irving Berlin and brilliant direction and choreography from Curtiz Look out for the spoof Martha Grahame ‘Choreography’ routine from Danny Kaye.

‘White Christmas’  is a 1954 American musical film directed by Michael Curtiz and starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen. Filmed in Technicolor, it features the songs of Irving Berlin, including a new version of the title song, ‘White Christmas’, introduced by Crosby in the 1942 film ‘Holiday Inn’.

• Tchaikovsky-The-Sleeping-Beauty

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tchaikovsky-The-Sleeping-Beauty/dp/B00E4V0FAG 30/09/2013 · The DVD comes complete with a 53 minute long documentary entitled 'Imagine-A Beauty is Born: Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty' and it was interesting to learn in the documentary that the vampiric elements in the ballet were inspired by the television series ‘True Blood’ and that Matthew Bourne draws inspiration from a lot of films in his ballet productions.

Marvel at the inventiveness of Bourne. Now you know how the Prince survives one hundred years to awaken his princess!

• Finally, if you want to support a bit of homespun Scottish talent: A Very Strathy Christmas

Search YouTube for "A Very Strathy Christmas"