CANDIDE last night on the radio

[shermanslave]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 9:36pm

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

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

[lvpblues]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 9:43pm

I listened. I enjoyed. 'Glitter and Be Gay' was good, but (if I may be allowed to nitpick) I wasn't too thrilled with Chenoweth's Eb's. Also, KC is no BC. Period. But she sounded quite good and La LuPone was marvelous; especially when both sang "We Are Women". The opera singers weren't as stoic as I were expecting them to be, which made the experience more enjoyable. Excellent performance - if only they had thought to record it (like they did with "Sweeney Todd" a few years back). I think the musical has an excellent score if the book trouble may never seem to be resolved.

Speaking of LuPone - any thoughts on her performing in the concert of "Regina"?

~Kev Updated On: 5/8/04 at 09:43 PM

[shermanslave]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 9:47pm

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.

[brdwaybaby17]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 9:58pm

What radio station are you talking about?

[shermanslave]

Posted: 5/8/04 at 10:02pm

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.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 12:03am

Am I the only person on Earth (or this board) who doesn't like Patti LuPone?

*ducks*

I mean...I just don't like her vocal style. At all. I didn't like it in Evita, but since I hated that whole musical I gave her a chance here. And she sounded the same- just unpleasant. Though she sounds more like an old woman than Eva Peron, I'll give her that.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 12:49am

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

[musicaltheatreman]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 1:00am

does anyone know if it will air again??? thanks :)

[Steena]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 8:24am

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.

[sabrelady]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 10:26am

Was this a concert in the park? If so i saw it up here on CBC last wk. I very much licked KC Glitter & Be Gay. and as was mentioned Patti was...Patti!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 10:58am

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.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

[TheaterBaby]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 1:13pm

I attempted to tape it, but realized about an hour into it that my tape had been on pause the entire time. lol oops. So I only heard bits and pieces from the first hour (during the moments when I went into the room where it was taping). Fortunately I did hear Kristin sing Glitter and Be Gay, and I thoght she was fabulous.
I had a feeling they might have taped it for PBS. I also have a feeling they will release a CD of this performance, so I'm not too upset about screwing up the tape.

[Plum]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 1:23pm

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

[deeisadiva]

Posted: 5/9/04 at 1:59pm

It is...it's already been anounced...and what a great show it is! Any time you have great people like Patti and Kristin, you just get something magical!