"REGARDE En Coulisse" Book Review in the original French:
along with the English Translation:
Judy Garland by Lawrence Schulman: behind the whimsical
With Lawrence Schulman, Judy Garland continues to be in the spotlight. The woman who would have been 100 years old last year and who passed away in 1969 is featured in a two-volume book, Garland – That's Beyond Entertainment – Reflections on Judy Garland, as well as a CD, Judy Garland : The Two-a-Day Is Back in Town – Closing Night at the Palace – February 24, 1952 .
Lawrence Schulman, emeritus producer, passionate critic and tireless historian of the unforgettable Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, once again delights his fans. Unlike other works, That's Beyond Entertainment – Reflections on Judy Garland chooses to go beyond the image of music hall fantasist or show business queen to reestablish the full value of the one who was one of the greatest singers of American standards of the 20th century , one of the most talented interpreters of American popular music. With all the analysis he constructs from articles, notes, anecdotes – sometimes funny – and interviews, the author focuses on the recordings and artistic qualities of Garland to examine his talent , without complacency or artifice, thus putting aside all the hype and sometimes sordid rumors surrounding a troubled existence which was brief – only 47 years.
As for the CD, it is a first: the complete remastered recording of the legendary evening of February 24, 1952 at the Palace in New York which concludes a historic series of nineteen weeks of sold-out shows . Judy Garland is accompanied by the RKO Palace Orchestra conducted by Jack Cathcart; Hugh Martin is on piano; eight boyfriends sing and dance around the star; and even the great Wagnerian tenor Lauritz Melchior is also there. More details, including the full program, on the website judygarlandnews.com .
The two-volume book is available on the Fnac website ; just like the CD, published by JSP Records ( it's here ).
Lawrence Schulman was Laurent Valière's guest on his show "42 e Rue" on February 14, 2016. A fascinating interview enhanced with numerous extracts from recordings sung by the glorious Judy. To listen to the podcast show, click here .