I wanted to ask the list if anybody saw the Sweeney Todd
which was broadcast on PBS on Halloween, and if so, what did
you think about the singing?
Of course I have my own opinions....so I might as well state
them now, as I'm off again on business Monday and Tuesday.
First, most of the roles do not require an opera vocal
technique, and that's fine with me. The two roles that can
benefit from an opera technique, Beadle Banford and Pirelli,
were taken by two of my favorite lyric tenors, whom I hear
mostly now doing oratorio and art song: John Aler and
Stanford Olsen. I love their voices, so I welcome any
chance I have to hear them, and they didn't disappoint me.
They didn't chew the scenery the way a Broadway performer
might, but since this was a concert production, and
Pirelli's part in particular was cut down, I found their
portrayals just right.
The other performers all sounded to me like singers with
very good Broadway techniques, with the notable and
disappointing exception of Neil Patrick Harris (formerly
Doogie Houser on TV) as Tobias. He was obviously body miked
and if the others were also miked (they didn't appear to be
body-miked), his miking was at a much higher level than the
others. Also, he was the only singer to use pop-singing
stylistic mannerisms and a pop vocal style, which is not the
type of voice Sondheim wrote the role for. Also, I think as
an actor, Harris was too tall and sturdy-looking to be
convincing as the timid Tobias. In addition, they cut most
of the character's dialogue. I suppose it was to save time,
but since some of Tobias's cut lines were important to the
drama, I wonder whether a different actor's being cast would
have caused different choices to be made by the producers.
George Hearn as Sweeney has done the role many times - Bryn
Terfel was originally to take the role, but had to withdraw
due to his back injury, so Hearn was tapped. I've seen him
do the role in the theater twice, and many times on video,
and he gave his usual solid performance, vocally and
acting.
Patti Lupone I have very mixed feelings about. She's a
marvelous performer, but I don't think she convinced me in
the role, vocally or acting. I am partial to Angela
Lansbury's interpretation of Mrs. Lovett: a cheerful,
likable, practical, amoral person who does whatever seems
convenient at a given time with no consideration to the
right or wrong of it. A person any of us might know.
Lupone's portrayal seemed more "stagy" to me, as in a horror
movie. Also, while she clearly knows how to use her voice,
I thought she made some odd vocal choices. Such as strange
vowels that stuck out from the vocal texture for no apparent
artistic reason (particularly on "ing" syllables), and
uncomfortable sounding breaks and timbre changes from chest
register to belt to an opera-sounding tone. Again, with no
apparent artistic purpose, as if she were choosing the vocal
production that she thought would project best on a given
syllable. I prefer Angela Lansbury's less proficient but
more consistent vocal production in the role.
I loved the Davis Gaines' performance of Anthony in every
way. He sings in a Broadway style but with an assured
technique and artistry that made me enjoy him every minute.
I liked very much the acting of the Johanna, Lisa Vroman,
but I disliked her distinct drops into loud chest voice for
low notes, and a full and forte opera sound for the rest. I
have in my ear the sound of the original Joanna, a lighter
coloratura sound with no difference in timbre between low
and high notes, and a lighter, younger, more
innocent-sounding tone throughout the range.
I was disappointed in Victoria Clark's Beggar Woman.
Acting, she seemed not pitiful enough - more annoying and
knowing than damaged. And vocally, she yelled and growled
too much and didn't use a good singing tone enough. Again, I
have the sound of the original beggar-woman in my ear, who
had distinctly different timbres for her "alms, alms" and
street-walker sections, but it always sounded like singing,
not yelling.
Timothy Nolen's Judge Turpin was the scariest guy in the
cast, and deserved cheerful boos and hisses for his
character's dastardly deeds. He was terrific, vocally and
acting. He was SO creepy, and with such a deep, beautiful,
yet evil-sounding singing voice.
For those who might have missed it or want to know more, PBS
has a great web site. If you click on Part IV, and then on
the character's names, you'll get bios of the performers,
and other information about the characters.
http://www.pbs.org/demonbarber/play/index.html
--
Margaret Harrison, Alexandria, Virginia, USA
"Music for a While Shall All Your Cares Beguile"
mailto:peggyh@i...
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