Alice Ripley: Her Voice- Page 3

[jordangirl]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 8:31pm

Hanna ~ No, I don't think you're attacking. But the Kennedy Center concert was last year and Raw was what two and a half years ago or more? I'm saying that the stamina thing seems to have been overcome.

[Auggie27]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 9:21pm

Does anyone have evidence of the smoking attributed to Ripley in the initial post? I've never heard of her smoking cigarettes, or seen it, or heard anyone discuss it before (as opposed to say, Norbert Leo Butz ... who chain smokes, as many of us have observed ... or Esparza, who used to...)

This thread title still amuses me. Not because there's anything wrong with it. It just reminds me of a junior high friend who wrote a term paper the night before it was due, what we used to call an "Ed Sullivan Show Paper", this one called JOAN OF ARC: HER CAREER. I've never forgotten it. Joan of Arc, her career.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 9:23pm

Norbert and Raul CHAIN smoke!!!!! (Or used to) Holy crap! Is that what explains their fast vibrato. I want that vibrato... I want to sing like that, but I don't wanna chain smoke.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 9:24pm

Aw, Norbert smokes? He just got bumped down on my list of Broadway Idols.

[AndAllThatJazz22]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 9:25pm

To me... it's starting to look like chain smoking creates fast vibrato. Sh*t man!!! I've ALWAYS wanted fast vibrato, but I don't want to break the law to do it.

[KChenowethfan]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 9:28pm

I've seen Alice perform many times over the years including the Raw concert and the Kennedy Center one in more recent years. She was actually a lot stronger vocally at the latter concert than the former as others have mentioned. No, she does not sound like she did when she was in Side Show in N2N, but isn't that to be expected? A lot of time has passed and some people need to move on. I actually like the raw emotional power in her voice now (not that she did not have it then...its just different).

Updated On: 4/13/09 at 09:28 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/13/09 at 10:58pm

AndAllThatJazz22: It's a natural type of vibrato. You can control it through technique, namely breath control and proper support. Plenty of people have naturally fast vibrato, but control them better so they sound worlds apart from people with uncontrolled fast vibrato; Renee Fleming actually has a fast vibrato, for instance. That type of vibrato also can be from straining the voice and singing notes improperly (as I suspect Raul Esparza's is).

And, speaking as someone who has a naturally fast vibrato, trust me: you don't want one. I'm still working on controlling it.

Updated On: 4/13/09 at 10:58 PM

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/14/09 at 1:37am

I have a fast-ish vibrato and I don't smoke. It seems stupid to destroy something that you're sort of using to further your career. But neither of them are "traditional" singers anyway, nor do I think they went to school for Musical Theater, so who knows. And they both look like smokers so that isn't TOO surprising. Now if you told me like Aaron Tveit smokes then I'd be like "say what?"

And anyways, I think Ripley's voice is an acquired taste. I use to not care for it, but after hearing her sing "Epiphany" from Sweeney, she's grown on me. I kind of enjoy it, but she needs to figure out when to belt and when not to belt. She sort of like semi-belts "I Miss The Mountains" which is maybe why I hate it so much. But the melody sucks as well.


Updated On: 4/14/09 at 01:37 AM

[jennamajig]

Posted: 4/14/09 at 11:06am

And, speaking as someone who has a naturally fast vibrato, trust me: you don't want one. I'm still working on controlling it.

Word. It took several years of voice for me to control my fast vibrato, and even now it gets in the way. I auditioned for my church choir and was rejected, mainly because of my natural vibrato (choral cannot have vibrato and I was taught I was trained to be a soloist). And nope, never smoked, btw. Never even tried it.

On topic...I do think Alice's voice has changed, but most voices change a bit as you age. No, her voice on the N2N recording isn't as pretty as Side Show or even Rocky, but IMO, it shouldn't be. Diana is a totally different character and the smokiness and roughness her voice has works extremely well for the character. It works for me when the show was at 2ST (hopefully seeing it on Broadway this weekend). N2N also has to be a draining show - on the vocals and emotions dealing with the subject matter.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 7:32pm

I feel like "Side Show" would be a more vocally taxing show than "Next to Norma," but I suppose they are both pretty tough.

I just got her "Raw at Town Hall" CD, and her voice is so much better on that recording. Not that her voice is AWFUL, but I think the way she belts is unhealthy and maybe that led to her voice sounding the way it is now. You can sort of hear different hints of the way she pronounces certain words on the "Raw" recording that her voice was headed in the direction it is now.

And yeah, her voice works for the character, but at the same time, I don't think Diana having a nice, clear belt would detract in anyway. It would make her seem more "perfect mother" at the beginning of the show.

[steven22]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 7:43pm

I just saw N2N saturday and she was amazing..! her voice rocked and was totally right for the show and character

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 4/22/09 at 8:16pm

RentBoy, Is "Next to Norma" the sequel to "Sunset Boulevard"?

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 12:56am

Touche! It took me like 10mins to figure out what you even meant, ha. Oh you nickpickers. Gotta love ya b'otches.

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 2:32am

I don't usually mention people's typos unless they produce something amusing. (I'm not a nitpicker. I just like to laugh.)

All in good-natured fun, I hope you know.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 11:25am

Oh totally. I'm not like crying over here or anything! haha.

I was just trying to let people know that I've come to appreciate her voice. Not quite at the "liking" it stage, but it's good on the rockier songs, but on the softer moments its still really... irritating? Her weird head voice ruins an otherwise sweet, soft moment.

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 11:29am

These are all interesting comments.

You know, though, the voice really does change over time. I don't think she has nodes at all - she would have chronic loss of voice, and would be probably missing shows if that were going on.

I actually think her voice has probably gotten MORE healthy - although it's not the "clear" belt we know from Rocky Horror and Side Show, I think she may have been forcing her voice to sound that way - her vibrato has changed, but I think it's more free - it sound on N2N that her voice has more breath support behind it and it is closer to her natural voice.

I think before she was making herself sound a certain way, to fit a certain style. Now all we're getting is pure Alice, and I respect her strongly for that.

I love her voice either way - loved it then, loved it now. She's on point.

[BroadwayBound062]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 12:31pm

I love her voice in Side Show. But I am wondering what type of training she has had in sustaining her voice over the years. Also have you thought that N2N wasn't written to be a crazy belt show.

[doodlenyc]

Posted: 4/23/09 at 12:55pm

I hear alot of strain in her voice on the N2N cd. I havent seen the show, but from everyone's comments, I assume it wasnt just for the taping.

It's easy to strain your voice, and imperitave to warm up and rest, which I assume she does as a professional. Sometimes it's just not enough. She's been playing this role on and off for alot longer than she was in Side Show and I'd venture to say she acutally sings more in N2N.

Oh, and smoking will not enhance your vibrato. I've never heard of a stupider reason to start smoking.

I noticed this at the Raw at Town Hall concert. By the end of the show her voice was raw. She blew a gasket singing the Kristina song and really couldnt hit the notes at the end of "She's Gone". I assumed she was actually ill.

That said, she's a human being, not a robot. Voices do indeed age. Opera singers lose their voices as well. We're human beings, not robots.

I still think she's great, and I think she's grown more as an actress since Sunset and Tommy than her voice may have deteriorated.

I'd still like to hear her give Mrs. Danvers a try in "Rebecca", but if she cant hit those high notes I hope it brings Judy Kuhn back to the NY stage.

Interesting (or not) the first time I saw Side Show, the phenominal Norm Lewis was straining alot and had to simply (and painfully) yell the end of "You Should Be Loved". The second time I saw it I realized how gorgeous his voice really is.

Updated On: 4/23/09 at 12:55 PM

[Tom1071]

Posted: 4/24/09 at 12:16pm

I saw her at the Duplex about 3 years ago singing in a cabaret devoted to Bill Russell in which she sang 'She's Gone' which was cut from 'Side Show' and she sounded incredible. She basically sounded just like she did on the 'Unsuspecting Hearts' recording. That slide up at the end was incredible.

I saw Next to Normal last Friday and thought she was fantastic. If she doesn't win a Tony this year, there is no justice.

With regard to how she sounded, I think her role might be written with a lot of dissonance. Unstable chords as a musical metaphor for an unstable character. Perhaps I am reaching...all I know is that it didn't bother me and I loved her performance.
Updated On: 4/24/09 at 12:16 PM

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 4/24/09 at 1:40pm

Ya'll are just making me want to break out every recording I have of her and see N2N again. The Best "Amy" in COMPANY I ever saw. I Alice.

Updated On: 4/24/09 at 01:40 PM

[katie2]

Posted: 4/24/09 at 3:06pm

As others have said, the voice changes over the years and I believe that time has changed Alice as well as a personal decision to exercise the different sounds that she has.

Alice sounds completely different in Next to Normal than in Side Show. And Outtasite. And Rocky. And Tommy. And almost all of the songs from Everything's Fine have a different sound to them. Some people say Alice Ripley has a very distinct voice but I disagree. I find, listening to her more and more, that she is a chameleon with many different voices and I personally enjoy getting to know them all.

Also agreeing with the point that Diana should not have the same pure, sweet sound that she gave to Violet. Any cracks, strains, stretches or imperfections you believe you hear in Next to Normal I think to be deliberate and representative of pain and struggle Diana is trying to cope with. A character that broken and emotionally indulgent shouldn't have a clear, strong and perfect sound, because that's not who she is.
Updated On: 4/24/09 at 03:06 PM

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/24/09 at 4:15pm

IMO, that's using the same logic as the people who say that Johanna shouldn't have a strong soprano voice because she's a fragile character and only sixteen years old.

Updated On: 4/24/09 at 04:15 PM

[B3TA07]

Posted: 4/24/09 at 4:33pm

I just love the way she wavers around some notes. Hahah.

[Craww]

Posted: 4/24/09 at 11:42pm

IMO, that's using the same logic as the people who say that Johanna shouldn't have a strong soprano voice because she's a fragile character and only sixteen years old.

Except that Johanna is supposed to be a pastiche, and having a strong soprano tone supports that aspect of her character. Diana in Next to Normal is supposed to be a unique and realistic character. That comparison doesn't wash, because of the differences in the character and the shows they're in.

I'm not sure I'm going to objectively ascribe to the 'Diana is flawed so she should be sung with vocal flaws' theory. But...subjectively, I do. On an entirely visceral level, that works for me.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 4/25/09 at 12:04am

Okay, I can see that.