CAROUSEL at Lincoln Center- Page 4

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 2:05pm

I would splurge if the only seats left weren't on the sides of the tiers. Those seats are absolutely atrocious (and I am far from a "seat snob"). I guess I'll just have to wait to see this one on TV; oh well. Updated On: 3/1/13 at 02:05 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 2:07pm

I was in the first tier house right last night (box 16). I probably should have brought my opera glasses...but it was fine.

Though, for realz? The amp system really is not of the highest quality at Avery Fisher. But that's nothing new.

[DivaBrigader]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 2:11pm

Guess I should have jumped on the bandwagon for last night's performance. Kicking myself for that one. Oh well. There's always PBS!

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 2:13pm

I would keep checking and definitely call the box office. There haven't been good orchestra seats available online for tonight all week, but a friend called yesterday around 5PM and was able to get a seat in row J on the right side of the orchestra for 95$. It seems that as seats become available, they have been selling them at the discounted price.

Definitely call the box office though, some things aren't being released online, I think.

[vf]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 4:12pm

Playbill review

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 8:04pm

"OH...and speaking of knowing what was coming, I was kind of stunned by the shocked gasp that when up when Billy Bigelow (SPOILER: but really...is it a spoiler at this point???) stabs himself. I was like, 'You people are Jurrasic! How are you surprised????' "

Maybe they were just used to the movie where his death is accidental? Still seems odd--but I guess that could also just show how involved people were with the staging.

Great review SonofRobbie!

[vf]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 8:26pm

I don't agree with this reviewer who says this kind of production couldn't be done on Broadway these days; then she praises the Broadway stars, especially Kelli O'Hara's performance and singing but says the opera star, Nathan Gunn sings well but doesn't get the character right. Seems like Lincoln Center's South Pacific showed that classic musicals can be revived successfully on Broadway and draw big audiences eight times a week. That production had a big orchestra, not as big as NY Phil, but she said that big an orchestra isn't required. South Pacific also used the original orchestrations and had wonderful singing and great performances from Kelli O'Hara, Paulo Szot and others. I don't get her point. It's not that it can't be done on Broadway, just that there has to be a commitment to do it right. You'd think the R & H people would want to do Carousel right, like South Pacific. Maybe now is the time to bring it back to Broadway? Kind of wish Kelli O'Hara were free to do it on Broadway right now. Oh well, guess she'll get around to The King and I eventually.

I like the idea that opera companies are doing more classic musicals, which is maybe where this opera loving reviewer was going, but I don't think only opera companies can do justice to them.
Bachtrack review

[OperaBwayLover]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 8:39pm

It's airing on PBS Live from Lincoln Center in, I believe, April. They rarely are allowed to repeat their programming (excepting one repeat the same week) or release them, so keep your eyes open.

YAY!!!!

[beensince1987]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 11:48pm

^ I thought "Live from Lincoln Center" was actually LIVE from Lincoln Center.

[darquegk]

Posted: 3/1/13 at 11:54pm

Carousel, traditionally, is much more of a crossover between opera and conventional musical than South Pacific, though both are well-known for employing opera leads.

Perhaps it's a question of whether such a hybridized production, and the cast required to pull it off vocally, physically AND acting-wise, can be found and maintained onstage? The famous 90s version dragged the show away from its operatic side kicking and screaming, to the delight of some and the chagrin of others.

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 12:07am

I think it once was Live from Lincoln Center, but mostly, in my experience, it now seems to be live to tape (and I suppose "live" in the fact that you still have to usually catch it whenever it airs as you won't have many other chances--I believe the various PBS stations have to air both showings during the week scheduled.)

A few years back PBS announced they had made some sort of arrangement with the unions to release favorite past Live from Lincoln Center events (I believe this was 5 or so years back,) which I found exciting--I think it was for the anniversary of the show. There are some great dance performances, as well as productions like Papermill's Showboat and NYCO's Little Night Music (neither being perfect, but both worthy of a DVD) that I hoped would be released--after years of seeing old videos of them. But, to the best of my knowledge, nothing happened.

Darque, despite some questionable castings of Billy in the Hytner revival, vocal wise (though I saw the tour with Patrick Wilson who could pull it off,) and a "darker" production, I'm not sure that the Hytner version really dragged it all that far away from a more operatic take on musicals, personally. They still had an opera singer for--Nettie was always cast with an opera singer, and in New York, anyway, Audra McDonald is pretty much on the opera side of Broadway... (They did cut Billy's pretty operatic Highest Judge.) It was hardly a more realistic version of the play, with the brilliantly stylized sets, and the emphasis on Kenneth MacMillan--arguably as big a name in modern ballet as Agnes DeMille was earlier in the century--and his new choreography (sadly the last he did before his death...)

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 11:12am

I saw it one last time last night from the most wonderful seats and if it's possible, it was even better. I thought Nathan Gunn was a bit more self-assured than he was on Wednesday and his "Soliloquy" was better, especially in the beginning. Jessie Mueller still comes so close to running away with the whole show, and the entire cast from top to bottom was just flawless. And! This time there was no cell phone disrupting that beautiful orchestra like Wednesday. Who are these people who leave their phones on at a show like this? Ugh.

Anyway, if for some reason you haven't seen it yet, impulse-buy yourself a ticket for today, you won't regret it.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 11:31am

Thanks for the review, Robbie. I'm counting the seconds until I see it tonight.

[mikey2573]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 12:18pm

I still think it would be difficult to bring CAROUSEL back to Broadway unless you were able to improve upon the Hytner production. And I think with Hytner's production still in people's memories, the idea of presenting CAROUSEL might be a bit daunting to a director. That production was as close to perfection as we are likely to get with CAROUSEL. Perhaps if that version of CAROUSEL were revived, sort of like what they did with Daltry's AN INSPECTOR CALLS or Mendes' OLIVER! (which was revived with a different director who made some changes but the recent London revival was basically the Mendes version).

[PalJoey]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 1:00pm

"Live from Lincoln Center" was live back when it was started in the 1960s.

The big problem is the availability after the initial broadcasts. Unlike "Live from the Met" and "Great Performances," all "Live From Lincoln Center" broadcasts has horrible, unbreakable agreements with the musicians/stagehands/performers unions that prohibit them from making the broadcasts available in any other form.

That means that "Live from Lincoln Center" programs can never be available for purchase. The programs are cleared for broadcast only.

Updated On: 3/2/13 at 01:00 PM

[RaisedOnMusicals]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 1:14pm

Hey, Pal Joey, my wife and I will be there tonight also. And Drood in an hour. I expect Carousel to be thrilling.

[NYadgal]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 3:27pm

I am counting the hours! Can't wait to see this!

Updated On: 3/3/13 at 03:27 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 5:09pm

"That means that "Live from Lincoln Center" programs can never be available for purchase. The programs are cleared for broadcast only. "

Right, except that some years back they said they had worked out a deal for a number of the most popular ones--but nothing has happened.

"Additional 50th Anniversary Initiatives Live From Lincoln Center May 2009-May 2010 Performances by Leontyne Price, Joan Sutherland, Beverly Sills, and hundreds of other artists who appeared on the country’s only live performing arts series, Live From Lincoln Center, will now be available to the public through a worldwide licensing arrangement with EuroArts/Medici. Over the next decade, these ‘hidden treasures’ from Live From Lincoln Center’s vast programming library, will be offered globally on DVDs, downloads, streaming video, broadcast, and other digital media. The nationally televised series in 2009-2010 will change its name to Live From “the 50th Anniversary of” Lincoln Center to highlight the anniversary."

It's on page 4 of this http://www.lincolncenter.org/press_release/LC50th_PR_FINAL_11-12-08_FORWEB.pdf

Sadly nothing seemed to happen.

Mikey, I get your point--and that production is still bright in my memory--but it's been nearly 20 years. I *think* that's a long enough time for most that either many who would see the new revival haven't seen that production, or would be open to a new one. (I do know the recent London production with projections suffered from comparisons--though I believe it had a decent run--but it didn't sound very good, period.)

[de_lovely]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 7:57pm

Saw it this afternoon! Totally magical. The highlights were definitely Kelli O'Hara and the ballet, but everything was breathtakingly beautiful.

Is there a reason they made Kelli a brunette Julie? I don't think I've seen her in anything other than blonde wigs in her past shows, so I was a bit surprised. It doesn't really matter, I just wonder why they made that choice.

[Plum]

Posted: 3/2/13 at 8:21pm

I saw this Thursday night courtesy of a friend with a spare ticket, and I really can't think of a better way I could have said goodbye to NYC.

Despite being a fan, I do think Nathan Gunn was a bit out of his depth as far as acting went, but Kelli O'Hara was excellent, and it was just wonderful hearing that score sung with such vocal assurance and strength. (And, of course, played by a huge orchestra. I haven't had that good a time at an overture in ages.)

[NYadgal]

Posted: 3/3/13 at 11:16am

*sigh*

Heaven to hear that music played and performed so beautifully.

Heaven.

(and, Robbie, I had a big cry, too!)

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 1:45pm

So let's get this on Broadway!!! I know, I know, half the cast can't transfer. So...thoughts?

My dream:
Billy: Hugh Jackman
Julie: Jill Paice
Nettie: Mary Testa
Carrie: Jessie Mueller

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 1:48pm

I love me some Mary Testa, but that's some crack pipe casting of the role of Nettie!

[Kelly2]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 1:49pm

I know, I know. I think I miss her so much that I'm just shamelessly casting her in anything. I think i'd actually take her as Julie at this point! ...Now there's an idea!

In a world where I'm not just plugging people I love into parts...ideas?

Updated On: 3/4/13 at 01:49 PM

[SonofRobbieJ]

Posted: 3/4/13 at 2:12pm

I think (as someone upthread earlier wrote) Victoria Clark would be an ideal Nettie for a long run. I saw Jackman do the concert at Carnegie Hall back in '02 and, as good as he was, I'd love to see someone younger in the role. I thought the video of James Snyder from Goodspeed was really persuasive. For Julie, you really need someone who brings simplicity and clarity to their work, which is why I thought O'Hara was perfection. She can get so much across with such economy...I'm a big fan.

Meuller was terrific, but I'd like to see someone a little more 'charactery' opposite her.