The soundtrack to Tim Burton's film of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, first released on Nonesuch Records in 2007, is available here in its first-ever vinyl edition, a two-LP set. The film, which won the Golden Globe for Best Picture, is an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Tony Award–winning musical, starring Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and the late Alan Rickman. "Something close to a masterpiece, a work of extreme—I am tempted to say evil—genius," exclaimed the New York Times' A.O. Scott. "This Sweeney is a bloody wonder," raved Rolling Stone's Peter Travers, "intimate and epic, horrific and heart-rending as it flies on the wings of Sondheim's most thunderously exciting score."
The soundtrack to the Tim Burton–directed film of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, first released on Nonesuch Records in 2007, received its first-ever vinyl edition, also via Nonesuch, on November 13, 2020, in a two-LP set. The film, which won Golden Globe awards for Best Motion Picture and Best Performance by an Actor for Johnny Depp, is an adaptation by John Logan of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s 1979 Tony Award–winning musical. It stars Depp as Sweeney Todd, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, and the late Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin.
"Something close to a masterpiece, a work of extreme—I am tempted to say evil—genius," exclaimed the New York Times' A.O. Scott. "This Sweeney is a bloody wonder," raved Rolling Stone's Peter Travers, "intimate and epic, horrific and heart-rending as it flies on the wings of Sondheim's most thunderously exciting score."
Longtime Sondheim collaborators orchestrator Jonathan Tunick and music supervisor Paul Gemignani also worked on the soundtrack, which was produced by Mike Higham and recorded in London.
Rounding out the cast—all of whom sing their own parts—are Timothy Spall (Beadle Bamford), Sacha Baron Cohen (Adolfo Pirelli), Jayne Wisener (Johanna), Jamie Campbell Bower (Anthony), Laura Michelle Kelly (Beggar Woman), and Edward Sanders (Tobias Ragg).
Sweeney Todd is based on the nineteenth century legend—from an adaptation by Christopher Bond—of a London barber who is driven to crime when a malevolent judge takes his wife and child from him. His plan for revenge includes a cutthroat partnership with Mrs. Lovett, an enterprising businesswoman, who is soon producing the tastiest meat pies in London.
The most recent Broadway production of Sweeney Todd was in 2005, directed by John Doyle. Nonesuch released the cast album for that Tony Award–winning revival, in which the singer/actors also performed the score on musical instruments.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Recording produced by Mike Higham
Orchestra recorded by Jake Jackson and Geoff Foster at Air Lyndhurst Studios, London
Conducted by Paul Gemignani
Orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick
Additional orchestrations by Julian Kershaw
Additional arrangements by Mike Higham and Alex Heffes
Vocals for Mr. Depp produced by Bruce Witkin
Vocals Recorded by Andy Richards and Mike Higham at Out of Eden, London
Rugby School chapel organ played by Andy Richards
Music editors: Sam Southwick, John Warhurst
Mixed by Andy Richards at Out of Eden, London
Mastered by Robert C. Ludwig at Gateway Mastering & DVD, Portland, ME
Laura Michelle Kelly appears courtesy of EMI/Angel Records
Executive soundtrack album producers: Tim Burton and Robert Hurwitz
Executive in charge of music for Warner Bros. Pictures: Doug Frank
All music and lyrics written by Stephen Sondheim
Design by Gabriele Wilson
A TIM BURTON FILM
Johnny Depp is
SWEENEY TODD
The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Directed by TIM BURTON
Music & Lyrics by STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Screenplay by JOHN LOGAN
Based on the Musical by STEPHEN SONDHEIM & HUGH WHEELER
Book by HUGH WHEELER
Originally Staged by HAROLD PRINCE
From an Adaptation by CHRISTOPHER BOND
MUSICIANS
Johnny Depp, Sweeney Todd; vocals
Helena Bonham Carter, Mrs. Lovett; vocals
Alan Rickman, Judge Turpin; vocals
Timothy Spall, Beadle Bamford; vocals
Sacha Baron Cohen, Pirelli; vocals
Jayne Wisener, Johanna; vocals
Jamie Campbell Bower, Anthony; vocals
Laura Michelle Kelly, Beggar Woman; vocals
Edward Sanders, Tobias; vocals