Andy Williams Sings Rodgers and Hammerstein 1", which contains 17 of his studio albums and three compilations and was released on June 26, 2001. In AllMusic, William Ruhlmann wrote that Williams "wasn't really a rocker, even if he sometimes pretended to be one for commercial purposes at the behest of Cadence Records head Archie Bleyer" and that he "was allowed to show his true colors by recording a collection of Rodgers & Hammerstein songs from the musicals "Oklahoma!", "Carousel", "South Pacific", and "The King and I". The result was the birth of the Andy Williams his fans knew from then on." Ruhlmann felt that "Williams revealed
Concept musical by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Defying "virtually all musical theatre conventions" of the time, its Greek chorus frequently interrupts the narrative, and the show focuses on a larger theme of personal struggle in the face of success. Minimalistic in its staging, patterns of light were used to represent both spaces and emotions. However, many critics disagree as to "Allegro"'s status as a concept musical, stating that the linear nature of the plot continues regardless of the choral interludes. The show was a critical failure, which many theatre historians blame on the inexperience of director-choreographer Agnes de Mille. Disheartened, Rodgers and Hammerstein