Manic LuPone
Manic LuPone
#1Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 4:41pm
Listen to this recording of Rainbow High from Patti's final Evita performance. It goes at lightning speed. Musicians, how do you account for the sped up tempo here? Is the orchestra doing that, or are they just keeping up with Patti?
BTW she is absolutely fantastic here. She IS Evita. A demented insane wonderful Evita!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7XFmgypyLE
Updated On: 5/30/13 at 04:41 PM
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#2Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 4:48pm
Well, yeah, that's what puzzles me. I can see her speeding though performances in the middle of the run, but I would think for your final show you'd want to savor it. I'm sure there were friends and luminaries in the audience too.
That said, it's still a fantastic performance. She manages to cut 20 seconds off it, from the other recordings of her doing it.
morosco
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/10/04
#3Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 4:51pmThere's also a youtube of her singing it on Merv Griffin and she sang it just as fast there. I don't like that tempo but she apparently did.
#4Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 4:54pmI've seen that but she doesn't sing it this fast. It's shorter because there is no "Hair, makeup, Diamonds, excitement, imagine" chorus parts.
broadway guy
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/5/11
#5Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:03pmIt's not her fault the tempo was too fast. She fought with the music guy all the time about how fast the songs were. But HOLY MOTHER OF GOD she is freaking AMAZING in this clip. I honestly can't think of another broadway performer who reaches the star quality and sheer powerfullness of THE LUPONE. Okay Liza and her are tied...
broadway guy
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/5/11
#9Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:12pm
It's not her fault the tempo was too fast. She fought with the music guy all the time about how fast the songs were. But HOLY MOTHER OF GOD she is freaking AMAZING in this clip. I honestly can't think of another broadway performer who reaches the star quality and sheer powerfullness of THE LUPONE. Okay Liza and her are tied...
Actually, it WAS her fault the tempo was too fast. She and Paul Gemignani wanted to take the entire score faster than ALW and Hal Prince did. I think she takes it too fast here, but she was smart in realizing that the whole show (but especially Rainbow High) needs to have a lot of energy and pop to it. Most other versions of Rainbow High are far too slow and don't capture the frenzy of Eva dressing and getting ready for her European tour.
When I see the phrase "the ____ estate", I imagine a vast mansion in the country full of monocled men and high-collared women receiving letters about productions across the country and doing spit-takes at whatever they contain.
-Kad
#10Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:14pmThis is why I can't listen to the OBC. It makes me so damn nervous I want to climb the walls.
broadway guy
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/5/11
#11Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:15pm
"Actually, it WAS her fault the tempo was too fast. She and Paul Gemignani wanted to take the entire score faster than ALW and Hal Prince did. I think she takes it too fast here, but she was smart in realizing that the whole show (but especially Rainbow High) needs to have a lot of energy and pop to it. Most other versions of Rainbow High are far too slow and don't capture the frenzy of Eva dressing and getting ready for her European tour."
I don't really think you can call it anyone's fault when you see a performance like that. I loved this tempo for the song it was exhilarating!
#12Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:23pm
It's friggin' annoying...the tempo is off, she's off...she sounds like she's rushing through it because she has to run to the toilet.
#14Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:28pmI'm still not convinced that the audio hasn't simply been sped up over time. I can't imagine her being able to get dressed so quickly and do everything she was required to do in that number with the tempo being that fast. And if it was that fast then the only person to blame, in my opinion, is the conductor. It's his responsibility to set tempos and keep the singers and orchestra in sync with each other.
#15Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:28pm
I guess I've heard that toward the end of the run she upped the tempo to several songs and cut parts of other ones in an effort to get out earlier.
I hear Barbara Streisand did the same thing toward the end of her Broadway Funny Girl run.
Even speeded up, it's a fantastic performance. Here it is at the "normal" speed:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epg3PzY0gzM
#16Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:29pmThe audio has NOT been sped up. There are other recordings from later in run where they do it as the same tempo. And eyewitness accounts confirm this.
#17Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:30pmHow is that a "fantastic performance"? Just because it's Patti LuPone? It's an annoying sped-up-to-get-the-fvck-out-of-the-theater performance. Just because you like someone doesn't mean they ALWAYS give fantastic performances.
broadway guy
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/5/11
#18Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:33pm
"It's friggin' annoying...the tempo is off, she's off...she sounds like she's rushing through it because she has to run to the toilet"
Are you freaking deaf? Its not annoying at all and she is completely on. Yeah it seems a bit rushed but i honestly could care less because its so exhilarating and the passion shines through at this speed. Its honestly remarkable
#20Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:35pm
I think it's a fantastic performance because I have ears. Listen- the audience begins to applaud about 20 seconds before the song even ends. At the "DRESSED UP somewhere to go" part. The woman is TOTALLY in the zone here.
I ADORE this lady.
Updated On: 5/30/13 at 05:35 PM
#21Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:35pm
Check out La Paige doing it. I love her, but it's waaaaaaay too slow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FfNL-32o9Rk
Updated On: 5/30/13 at 05:35 PM
broadway guy
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/5/11
#22Manic LuPone
Posted: 5/30/13 at 5:40pm
Pshh watevs jordan this performance is freakin amazing. The woman is giving it everything she has and she is completely in the zone. The audience is eating it up and you can feel the electricity in this clip! If you Can't hear how Incredible she is then that is your problem, fool.
Updated On: 5/30/13 at 05:40 PM
broadway guy
Broadway Legend Joined: 8/5/11
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