From the opening of the New Broadway Cast Recording of On the Twentieth Century it's clear to lovers of the show that they have little to worry about. Among many things On the Twentieth Century sits with Candide, Merrily We Roll Along, West Side Story and a few others as having one of the finest overtures in musical theatre. Revival recordings, as they are wont to do, love to show their innovation by establishing themselves as different from their predecessors. But the recording of the Overture presents a key note to this new recording of the entire score. The same overwhelming propulsive music, excellently orchestrated by Larry Hochman, there the main change being the tapping porters entering for the overture creating a new urgency and madness to the already overwhelming overture. At its best, this new recording of On the Twentieth Century works in the same way.

And, at the centre of this new recording is its star Lily Garland manifested in Kristin Chenoweth. There has been no conversation about the revival of On the Twentieth Century which has not taken great pains to point out the excellence of Chenoweth’s performance. Even the digital booklet which accompanies the album on iTunes and Amazon demures at using the cliché that it is a role she was born to play. I won't bury the lead: Chenoweth is fantastic here. She takes the reins on this train turning the show, already partial to its leading lady, into a show where the libretto's subtle feminist aspects ring even stronger.

At the time it premiered in 1978, would the play been as revolutionary in its feminism? Perhaps not. But even above the text the very production of this new revival has been marked by its female qualities. This New Broadway Cast recording of On the Twentieth Century emerges as a Kristin Chenoweth vehicle, even though the score is not just about Lily. And it almost strains credulity but it’s arguably the most leading vehicle Chenoweth has had recorded. (Would that her turn in the brief revival of The Apple Tree had been recorded). Even, though she thrilled on recordings of Wicked and Promises, Promises her characters were not the centre of the plays in the same way that Lily commands the attention here. On the Twentieth Century, with the exception of Chenoweth’s solo albums, presents an unencumbered chance for fans of the Broadway soprano to hear her in all her glory. From her entry pre-Lily Garland transformation as a sharp, and frazzled pianist Mildred Plotka, Kristin commands attention. Kudos to PS Classics for striving to bring theatre scores to audiences with bits of dialogue intact. For the constant theatre goer the dialogue scenes might bear no importance but for the millions of musical theatre fans unable to visit New York constantly, and those who were unfortunate to miss this specific show turn, PS Classics' efforts are well appreciated.

Even before her first real number we get to hear Chenoweth in her operatic glory on the Coleman and Comden & Green parody opera number “Indian Maid’s Lament”, it’s the perfect appetizer for a meal of Kristin’s excellence. Kristin's range (which transcends four octaves) is on full display but so is her excellent enunciation and phrasing and impeccable comedy timing. An early highlight sees Mildred Plotka, getting into the life of Lily Garland, debating on how to pronounce the title song for Lily’s first solo, “Veronique”. (VeROHnique, VerunIQUE, VeronEEK, VERinique.) It’s little touches like this which distinguish Kristin’s work here from the excellence of the previous Madeleine Kahn and John Cullum headed original.

Of course, the issue of star as large as Kristin at the centre becomes its own crutch with the aggressive attention she draws. To be fair, and exact, the cast album boasts merit that are not just 4’11" in size...Andy Karl, sadly with only two songs, neither of them a solo is fantastic to listen to and his entry into the delightful “Sexet” (What the hell are you doing?) is a great comedic moment. “Sextet” which sees the show’s six main players all in a six minute madcap number is one of the recording’s highlight (alas, that they did not perform it on the Tonys), and what the recording manages to do well is capture the frenetic jollity of the Twentieth Century train’s machinations. (Kudos too, to veteran Mary Louise Wilson whose madcap “Repent” even trumps Imogene Coca’s excellent rendition on the original cast recording)

Peter Gallagher does all he needs to as Oscar Jaffee, Lily's Svengali, and if he seems to fall short in pivotal duets like “I’ve Got It All” or “Lily Oscar” it’s only because Kristin Chenoweth is so aggressively divalicious that she turns the Lily/Oscar duets into Lily solos with accompaniment. If there’s a flaw in the recording it’s that Lily seems to get off too easily. The set up of the battle between Lily and Oscar is amusing to contemplate but hardly nailbiting when Chenoweth seems so effortlessly poised for success. She overpowers him on each duet, and it's not that he does not try but it's indicative of just how well made this role is for Kristin Chenoweth. It plays not like a revived role, but like a part written for her.

But there are countless flaws much worse to entertain. The recording’s main change is the revival’s decision to use the melody of the song “The Legacy” for an eleven o’clock number “Because of Her” where Oscar realizes how much he owes to Lily. It’s earned some criticism for stopping the comedy in its track but on the recording it works. And it serves to only reemphasize how much this recording owes to its Lily. The 50+ page digital booklet, the clear orchestrations (all of which I don’t love, sometimes the faster pace is just a millimeter too giddy), excellent dialogue choices, well sung voices, this recording is a treasure for any fan of the show. But, this train ride is all about a woman really. And for all its goodness it’s most worthy of being a treasure because of her – here’s to Kristin Chenoweth.