Audra sings Evita

[gavyj]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 12:47am

Audra performed "Rainbow High" from Evita last night in concert. Seth Rudetsky must be dying from joy right now. Here is a short video clip as well as the full audio (I don't own either). 

Video: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/STAGE-TUBE-Audra-McDonald-Performs-EVITA-20000101

Audio: https://oppreciate.tumblr.com/post/117784059224/maryflynn-this-happened-if-youre-not

I think she sounds phenomenal (as always). Wouldn't it be great for her and Patti to sing it together -- a dueling diva duet, perhaps?

What does everyone else think?

 

[CATSNYrevival]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 1:33am

Next up, Patti sings "Your Daddy's Son."

[promisespromises2]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 5:10am

They've done a duet together before! But the classic Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwzPWkXjQqc

As to Audra singing Rainbow High… I'll keep my opinions to myself!

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 6:33am

Hate to say it, but Rainbow High really doesn't suit her voice well. Sort of a miss. 

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 7:04am

OK.  For a concert, she sounds excellent.  Calm down.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 7:11am

Original key.

Star quality.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 7:12am

Did anyone say she didn't sound good? No? Oh ok.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 5/1/15 at 7:36am

"Sort of a miss."

Oh ok.

[gavyj]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 12:15am

She sounds better than a number of actresses who played that role. It's not as belty as I like "Rainbow High" but it certainly isn't a "miss." Plus it is just a fun song for her to do in concert, I think.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 3:25am

Yikes.  She really gets a pass from some people.  I love me some Audra, but agree with Bilbo, it doesn't suit her voice at all.  Her "belt" has always been a bit... shrill.    

[Dave19]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 5:42am

Yes, her "belt" has always been shrill.

But her "head voice" has always been hollow and sounds forced to me. Like a drag queen who's voice can crack/flip back to chest voice at any moment.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 7:05am

I mean she's just having fun so it's whatever, but yeah...I never noticed her lack of a chest belt until now. I disagree about her head voice. It's perfect in every way. Funny enough, Audra did play Evita when she was 16 year old in her hometown. Would have been fun to watch that.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 7:20am

Yeah, no.

Not for her voice at all. I don't want to hear her sing "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" either.

Audra's an amazing talent, but she can't sing everything.

[madbrian]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 7:32am

I was also a little disappointed.  When I read the title of this thread, I had very high expectations, and they were not met.

 

"Audra's an amazing talent, but she can't sing everything."

 

I guess, but after seeing her in Lady Day, I guess I thought she could.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 7:45am

Evita is such a complicated score. Only a select few can really sing it how it was intended to be sung.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 9:26am

Her embodiment of Lady Day was a stunner, and she nailed it. She transformed her voice.

But "as Audra," she's not a pop singer or rock singer. She still tries to sing this in her Juilliard voice, and it doesn't work.

Her Deena Jones was a big flop (acting fine, singing not even close), and Evita? Nope.

As much as I love Doris Day, I wouldn't want to hear her sing a Janis Joplin tune either. It doesn't fit.

Updated On: 5/2/15 at 09:26 AM

[Showface]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 7:48pm

16 year old Audra McDonald in Evita.

[Bilbo3]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 7:52pm

That's an awesome photo!

[Showface]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 7:54pm

And here's a photo of her in The Wiz

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 5/2/15 at 9:26pm

Audra was totally upfront that she was throwing all caution to the wind and letting it rip with this Wed. night.  An all out caprice complete with an acknowledgement that it was a one off concededly dubiously-fitting stretch never to be repeated again.  

In this context, it worked like a charm.

Updated On: 5/2/15 at 09:26 PM

[Auggie27]

Posted: 5/3/15 at 8:30am

As an artist, she incomparable.  I don't think there's anything she can't do. That doesn't mean her take on any role or song (in any given performance) becomes the reach-for in a given moment.  This clip arrived on a day when I wanted to hear "Old Maid" from 110 IN THE SHADE.  Audra's performance in that show was stunning, so much so I saw it twice.  But Friday I selected Inga Swenson's, the final few moments of which still break my heart in a special way.  It had nothing to with appreciating McDonald's any less.  When I want to hear "When Did I Fall In Love" from FIORELLO, Audra's is the gold standard for me.  Music is mysterious, as are our myriad responses to its interpretation. And our moods. 

[Visceral_Fella]

Posted: 5/3/15 at 10:19am

Yeah, this wasn't great, wasn't terrible either, but even for fun songs like this should be let go. Her voice is the same up and down much like Kelli O'Hara. That's not a bad thing and she's a rare talent. Just a rare talent who will benefit from staying in her lane.

[stage_star]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 10:53am

 

HQ video.

 

Now I want to hear her "Don't Cry For Me Argentina"!

[skies]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 3:42pm

It just doesn't sing to me.

[rjm516]

Posted: 6/30/15 at 5:48pm

Oh man I love this so much. Thanks for the new video so I can watch it again!