A Little Night Music Redux- Page 2

[DAME]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 6:19pm

"The only reason anyone goes to a first preview is to rush home to tell everyone how awful it is. I'm glad you got your moneys worth, Clara!"

Not true at all. First performances sometimes have a excitement and vibrancy that are otherwise never there because of the nature of the evening. Maybe she couldn't wait to tell people how wonderful it was? Maybe it is the only night she could fit into her schedule? Maybe you are just bitter that it was not you?

Updated On: 7/14/10 at 06:19 PM

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 6:26pm

We probably won't ever see a commercial Broadway revival of a pre- 1980 musical that uses the same number of orchestra members as its original production. Its too bad - but thems the economics of the days we live in. We won't ever see the price of a subway train be 25 cents again either and that is what truly saddens me.

[DAME]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 6:30pm

Until some show goes the other way and is looked at as re inventive like Chicago was with the bare set and staging. But you are right. Must be the reason I really don't enjoy going to broadway productions that much any more. At least regionally they seem to still be using big orchestras by employing local musicians and members of their city's phillarmonics. Just heard that there is a local production of Hello Dolly with Ruth Williamson playing here. Getting strong word of mouth and guess what.. FULL ORCHESTRA.

Updated On: 7/14/10 at 06:30 PM

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 6:32pm

Boy, there are a lot of idiots around here who can't stand differences of opinion. Leaving at intermission IS an opinion. It says a lot that a big fan of the show, of Peters, and of Send In the Clowns, didn't want to stay another minute.

Many of you need to grow up and stop policing and pouncing on other people's comments as "valid" or "invalid." That's not for you to say. At all.

All you do is show how manipulative you really are. And it's a pathetic and unsuccessful gesture, because it doesn't even work.

Updated On: 7/14/10 at 06:32 PM

[ColorTheHours048]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 6:47pm

musikman - The part of Aunt Clara's post that I'm referring to said the following: "The original lush orchestrations and the opulence of the show are/were the glories of this piece, if you remove those elements from the equation, you may as well just stage this as a play and call it a day!"

I'm fully aware that the original orchestrations are remarkable. I miss them too. The french horns in "Weekend" are absolutely breathtaking. But Aunt Clara makes it a point to basically say that if it doesn't have lush orchestrations, it just shouldn't be done. They knew going into this that the orchestrations are paired down quite a bit. My remark wasn't ridiculous. The glory of this piece is not just the orchestrations. It's the beautiful story, music, and lyrics. The piece itself is glorious.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 7:38pm

I thought we were told on page one that Clara wasn't really there. Isn't that what PalJoey said?

And DAME, when I come to LA we can dine at Costco!

[DAME]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 7:41pm

We can also go to Costco if you'd like.. but honey.. I am rolling out the red carpet for you.

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:13pm

Dame you are a better person than I- or at least a less judgmental one. It's impossible for me to read the original post without anticipating that Clara wanted to see a train wreck.

If I were in NYC I'd have rushed in to see a performance ASAP, but then, I love the show, I like the new cast recording, I love Miss Peters and Ms Strich. So I might go see an early preview but if I did, I'd be predisposed to "cut them some slack" this soon in the run. But then, I almost never go to the theater unless I think the show is going to be good and even in a disappointment, can usually find a reason to stay for Act II.

[Q]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 9:18pm

I just get a kick out of the name Aunt Clara. Don't know if it's the inspiration, but all I can think of is the befuddled aunt on BEWITCHED who barely knew where she was, and could never get a spell right.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 10:35pm

"Aunt Clara" has been a member since August 2009. Before seeing the first act only of A Little Night Music and posting about it without returnin to the scenhe pf the crime, "Aunt Clara" had posted here only once before:

===

re: KRISTINA at Carnegie Hall

Aunt Clara
Sep 24th, 2009 8:52 AM

Did ja evah think in a million years a show called Kristina could be so funny?

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 7/14/10 at 11:46pm

Right. You just restated what I said about what you said.

[Eos]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 12:11am

I appreciate Aunt Clara's explanation of why they didn't like what he/she didn't like as opposed to many threads I've read here where people, in my opinion, thoughtlessly call a show a piece of crap and leave it at that.
I too mourn the disappearance of fuller orchestrations of the older days. To me, reducing the orchestrations in a Sondheim/Tunick creation is a travesty, but I understand that's just the way it is nowadays. I'm just glad I got the chance to see and HEAR OTSL do ALNM with the full compliment of the Saint Louis Symphony.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 12:13am

Regardless, I think Erin Dilly is crazy good in this show.

[ljay889]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 12:19am

Dilly?

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 6:18pm

Has anyone heard from Aunt Clara since she posted this?

I'm worried.