The New York Philharmonics Performance of Rodgers & Hammersteins Carousel (2013) Of all the greatest Broadway musicals, only Carousel gets me every single time, this more so than ever before: It literally drenched me in tears from start to finish. Blythe stands the tallest, and her anthem at the end tore me in twain.. Even though it has been honed down to its essential skeletal structure, the lyrics still succeed in moving one to tears. More than any other semi-staged concert version of a musical, the direction here was so on the mark that the authentic acting permitted one to identify readily with the main characters. The overarching Christ story of sin, contrition, forgiveness and redemption contribute to the tale, which is really an opera. The full glorious orchestration playing this exquisite score, supplemented by a perfect cast with matching voices are sublime. The touching ballet sequence at the end was thrilling, far better than in any other version I have seen. Bravo all round.