CANDIDE last night on the radio

Did anyone else listen to this performance? I quite enjoyed it despite my crappy reception. I thought Kristin sounded great on Glitter and Be Gay but Barbara Cook is still the best of all time on that song. I really liked Maximillian a lot too. Thought J. Blumenkrantz was really funny. Patti Lupone was Patti LuPone. She sounded like she was trying to hard to me. But the score is as beautiful as ever. My fave of all time.

Any other thoughts?
shermanslave productions

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Updated On: 5/8/04 at 09:36 PM

I can agree with your point on her high notes. They sounded a bit Minnie Mouse-ish which I hate to say because I really like her as a performer and I know that by saying that I can bring the wrath of Cheno-fans.

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97.3 I think. I had to look it up online right before the show started. It was a live broadcast. Yes, that is what I did on my Friday night. Sat at home alone and listened to the radio. It was like the1940's.

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Iloved it. Nice of WNYC to broadcast it live. THNX So much.

It's been videotaped for Great Performances on PBS. In theory, I think it's to be shown some time in January.

As for a radio re-broadcast, I've not heard anything yet.

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Here's a copy of a post I made on another thread on this topic. It might be of interest to some of you on this thread. My humble opinions of Friday night's (5/7) performance.

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CANDIDE at the NYPhil was the place to be tonight. Not an empty seat.

Fine job nearly all around. Lonny Price's staging was OK, but his directorial gimmicks were embarrassing. Casting and asking that Maximilian be played as a flouncing gay man was a tired idea and a bad choice. Asking some of the chorus member to prance and mince as gay men was equally in poor taste.

That aside, the Phil played the score impeccably. Marin Alsop was top notch on the podium. LuPone (The Old Lady) and Chenoweth (Cunegonde) were both excellent as were Paul Groves (Candide) and Sir Thomas Allen (Pangloss).

Chenoweth proved that the kewpie doll voice is a personna because she would sometimes use it speaking but never when singing. She was funny and she is today's Cunegonde. No one can come close to handling the singing role. Of the various Cunegondes I've heard on record and stage no one has come this close to Barbara Cook to date.

Bernstein is one of the great musical theatre composers. Lyrics by John LaTouche (THE GOLDEN APPLE), Richard Wilbur and Sondheim, too.

CANDIDE is a must for any lover of the musical. If you don't know anything more than the overture you'll be pleasantly surprised. If you do know it, listen again and make your garden grow.

Yes, I'm pretty sure it's getting taped for Great Performances. :)