Another Phantom of the Opera question

[clarky]

Posted: 1/23/05 at 11:40am

Ok, I know this is a stupid one, but I have to ask it anyway:

Does anyone know, why they changed the cadenza in Think of Me in the London Production?

I know that in the London and Canadian Production the Christines did a different Cadenza at the end. Is was a more classical one. But now in the London Production they sing the same one as in any other production.

The London Cast recording has the normal one, which is the same on Broadway. The Canadian Cast Recording has a different one.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 1/23/05 at 11:47am

Perhaps it was up to the music director

[sassypanz]

Posted: 1/23/05 at 12:24pm

I think its up to the Christine...(If I know what your talking about) ??

[InTheMoney]

Posted: 1/23/05 at 1:25pm

A cadenza is "a flourish (properly, improvised) inserted into the final cadence of any section of a vocal aria".

In other words, there is no such thing as a "normal" cadenza. The one in the sheet music and on the OLC is the original - but different actresses will do their own cadenzas. Different actresses in London have done different cadenzas. Stephanie Lawrence's springs to mind - longer & more elaborate than the original and more impressive. The original is easy for a soprano (more impressive for a mezzo with that Bb at the end, though). The reason many actresses stick with the original is because they either don't have faith in their improv; they don't want to push it all the way in their first number of the night; or they've had very little time to rehearse and are sticking with what's in the sheet music because it's easier.

Of course, with the film having come out, if Emmy Rossum sings the original Sarah Brightman cadenza, they may well have inserted that into the London production assuming it's what people seeing the stage version cos they liked the film are familiar with and what they want to hear (just hope they don't insert the cuts & electric guitar into the title number if that's the case!).

[ashley0139]

Posted: 1/23/05 at 3:38pm

I think that it's basically up to what the Christine CAN sing.

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 1/23/05 at 3:54pm

oh, please the original demo version of the title song had the electric guitar. that was not an invention for the movie... and even the notion of them changing the stage show to more closely match the film is absolutely ridiculous. For a revival, maybe, unlikely but a possibility. Did they cut all 9 songs from the current CHICAGO revival that weren't used in the film? No. Updated On: 1/23/05 at 03:54 PM

[Mr. TN]

Posted: 1/23/05 at 4:49pm

Cadenzas don't have to be vocal. They frequently appear in classical concertos and symphonies where a solo instrument will have "ad libium" (ad lib) written above the notes on the page. That means at liberty or basically do what you want within reason. The notes serve as a guideline by the composer but in no way have to be followed exactly. Usually the tempo stops at the candenza point and consequently the orchestra (or accompaniment) stops and lets the soloist have their own way. Near the end the singer/soloist will give a cue to the orchestra that he/she is done (or by the 20th rehearsal they can anticipate the cadenza) and the music will end on the final chord or playoff.
ALW has another famous cadenza in the Woman in White. Fosco's "You can get away with anything" has a large cadenza question at the end where Michael Crawford uses a traditional italian flare cadenza probably close to what ALW wrote on the page. But that doesn't stop the next guy from coming in and doing something very different. BUT untimately, the music director can tell a singer that the cadenza they chose needs to be refined or changed to suit the overall musical style and context.

[InTheMoney]

Posted: 1/24/05 at 3:24pm

Cats, I am fully aware that the electric guitar was used on the demo - I have a copy. Doesn't stop me thinking it is utterly dire.

And there have been stage shows altered to fit the films which have come out. I've seen several productions of WEST SIDE STORY where the songs/who sings them have been altered to recreate the film. Just as some versions of CAMELOT and CABARET contain the songs which were in the films but not the stage shows.

Trust me - NOTHING is too ridiculous for the West End!