Curtain Up!

The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Michael Ball, Jose Carreras, Mary Carewe and others.

Warner Classics 2564 61330-2.

IF you enjoy the musicals and your choice of venue would be Broadway or Leicester Square for a night on the town, then this three CD compilation will have you drooling.

The first CD is called Musical Medleys and features some of the best.

It includes Cabaret, Mack and Mabel, Grease, Les Miserables, Miss Saigon, The Lion KIng, Blood Brothers and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang among the many.

The overtures and a medley from each show brings back the smell of the greasepaint and the thrill of the shows. All 15 tracks are conducted by Nick Davies.

The second CD is a symphonic reverence to Andrew Lloyd Webber's most famous shows.

Here, you'll find Evita, Cats, Aspects of Love and Phantom of the Opera being performed with lush strings and a full-on orchestra conducted by Ettore Stratta.

The third CD features the Stars of the Show and among the performers are Jose Carreras singing This Nearly was Mine from South Pacific and Deep in my Heart from The Student Prince.

Korean soprano, Sumi Jo sings Losing My Mind from Follies and Send in the Clowns from a Little Night Music - which here is described as A Little LIGHT Music!

Meanwhile, Michael Ball has a ball belting out a medley of favourited from West Side Story - Something's Coming, Maria and Tonight, among them... and these are only a few from a selection of 13 tracks.

Although I'm sure there will be some favourites missing from this huge compilation, many listeners will have some wonderful memories revived.