Daphne sounds remarkable

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:30pm

I have heard Daphne's "I Dreamed a Dream" and I don't know if it was just a good night for her.
She hits every note, she is never off key.
Her version gave me goosebumps... it was so filled with emotion and pain. Daphne's interpretation is so vulnerable and fearless, she just lets us have it... When she sings lines such as "then i was young and unafraid", "he took my childhood in his stride, but he was gone when autumn came" & "but there are dreams that cannot be and there are storms we cannot weather", she sounds like she's pouring out her soul.
i think she's magnificent and it upsets me that people only want to hear a clear, beautiful belt instead of an emotionally, riveting and true performance.
she doesn't belt it the whole time... she builds it with her emotions and her story... I don't think she sounds too contemporary at all.

[blueroses]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:38pm

Nice to hear. I'm hoping to get tickets soon.

[ken8631]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:42pm

Ive heard better - from all who have done Fantine before, actually....

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:46pm

I have heard Daphne's "I Dreamed a Dream"

Well, that wasn't blatant or anything.

Updated On: 11/15/06 at 01:46 PM

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:49pm

...Lizzie, that's exactly what I came in here to post.

[Wicked Lovin' Guy]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:53pm

Look, I just have to say this...while I will give that she supplies the raw emotion at times that Fantine needs, there is nothing about her singing that isn't just hurtful to the ears....I will grant there are times when she actually supports her sound that it isn't bad...but that is the rare exception. She is so airy and childlike in her singing not to mention that she speaks most of it instead of singing it. I think there are many ways to interpret a song, but come on. In general I just feel sorry for her really, becuase the vast majority don't enjoy her performance and as a fellow actor that is hard to watch.

[blueroses]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 1:56pm

I'd like to see her just because the idea of Daphne in the role is so far removed from what I'd normally see in a traditional Fantine. Who knows? I may love her, I may hate her. Either way it should be interesting, and I'll give her a chance.

[ken8631]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 2:07pm

I agree completely with Wicked Lovin' Guy. Couldn't have said it better.

[Lorelai]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 2:09pm

"Look, I just have to say this...while I will give that she supplies the raw emotion at times that Fantine needs, there is nothing about her singing that isn't just hurtful to the ears....I will grant there are times when she actually supports her sound that it isn't bad...but that is the rare exception. She is so airy and childlike in her singing not to mention that she speaks most of it instead of singing it. I think there are many ways to interpret a song, but come on."


I saw the show last night and I must agree. I knew I wasn't too far off when my best friend (who loved Daaphne in Rent) and she was cringing every time she sang. Afterwards she kept saying how amazing the everyone in the cast was...except for Daphne.

[camp_actor]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 2:37pm

Ken,

You've been very vocal on every single thread about this topic that I've read. I think it's safe to say that you've made your point. There's no need to carry on insulting Daphne Rubin-Vega's performance, we all understand that you didn't like her.

I've not seen her. I probably won't get to as I live in London. I would be interested to see her interpretation if I got the chance, just because I've been impressed with her boldness as an actress in other instances. I might hate her, I might love her - them's the breaks.

What I'm trying to say is that there's a line between when you discuss a performance and giving your opinion, which is entirely valid, and when you may overstress your point. Sometimes you can make your own point sound redundant or boring when you repeat it too much.

So she didn't give the performance you wanted, fair enough - move on.

[ken8631]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 2:56pm

Camp_Actor,

Just wanted to represent the other side of the fence in the matter....

Just as it annoys you to see me repeat myself (I rarely do, I have posts on many others shows...), it annoys me to hear people praise that performance on new threads without bringing up an alternate opinion on the subject.

[NJRae]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:02pm

I also thoroughly enjoyed her in this role. I have to say . . . I am a fan of hers. A big one. Yet as I listened to her sing "I Dreamed A Dream" one of my first thoughts was that I did not know she could sing like that. I have only seen her live four other times. Once at rent10, twice over the summer at "...Beautiful" and recently at her cd release. I thought she sounded great each time, but thought that she outdid herself singing this song. Of course it helps that I am a fan of hers, and since I have nothing to compare her to I don't know how others think the song "should" be sung, but I loved her version of it. Can't wait to see her, and the show, again.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:04pm

it annoys me to hear people praise that performance on new threads without bringing up an alternate opinion on the subject

So, you are saying that it annoys you so much that if someone actually has the nerve to praise Daphne in a new thread that you feel that you must come and offer your alternate negative opinion
every single time?


I have yet to see you post on anything except Daphne on this message board. Did your favorite relative lose the part out to her or something?

Updated On: 11/15/06 at 03:04 PM

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:09pm

The original poster of this thread hasn't even SEEN the revival of Les Mis... how can they give even a guess about Daphne's performance?

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:14pm

The OP is talking about the "recording" he heard.
Very obvious what type of "recording" it is. LOL.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:15pm

Yeah, I got that part.

I'm just saying.

[camp_actor]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:16pm

Ken,

No offence, but you are the third person to post on this thread. It's hardly a thread of hundreds of people praising her performance. In fact, it's pretty well represented in both camps.

I seriously think that you're entitled to your opinion, but I've just noticed you saying this kind of thing a lot on BWW.

[musicalsFan]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:20pm

I think that sentence fragment from Ken says it all.

In a way, he's being a bit like Javert in his obsessed pursuit of Jean Valjean.

It annoys him to read any praise of Daphne, so he feels duty-bound to state his own pan of Daphne every chance he can.

[ken8631]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:29pm

camp_actor,

If you check, I post on just about everything I and the wife see on and off Broadway. We love going in to see as much as we can. Most recently, it was "Broadway Unplugged", which was excellent. Before that, it was "Little Dog That Laughed", which we also enjoyed. And before that "Compnay", for which Raul deserves a Tony for.... And before that "Suddenly Last Summer" (Roundabout subscription), which wife liked but I thought was so-so. Tomorrow night it's our second time at "Evil Dead the Musical" - bringing the kids to the splatter zone this time... "Pride and Prejudice" this Friday here in NJ.

So, my posts are certainly not limited to Daphne, but there seem to be lots of posts about her here, probably too many! Maybe that's actually what they are looking for! I've just never been so dissappointed in a performance in my many years of theatre going, that's all. The "train wreck" critic seems to agree.....

[HOUFlip04]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:33pm

Ken,

Why waste the money of going to Les Mis again? From your previous post, you've already decided you're not going to like Daphne's performance. Great attitude!

[ken8631]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:46pm

If it hasn't changed, no I don't think I will like it (her performance). But maybe it has! Who knows? Maybe she'll suprise me this time! Plus, the other performances were all very good, especially Celia, who was excellent and worth seeing again.

I purchased both sets of tickets before the first preview. It's my favorite show and we've seen it 20 times now over many, many years!!! It's the one show that I don't get tired of seeing. Maybe that's why I'm more sensitive to a bad performance (individual, not group) in this situation....

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:51pm

If it hasn't changed, no I don't think I will like it (her performance). But maybe it has! Who knows?

Besides, it's not like Fantine is IN even half the show.

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 3:54pm

...although, for what it's worth, Daphne is on stage quite a bit in the student revolutionary ensemble track.

[gumbo2]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 4:07pm

I don't get it...doesn't Daphne sound the same as she sounded in RENT pretty much? It seems like if you liked her voice then you'd like it now, and if you didn't you won't. I don't know why people would think they'd be surprised at the sound of her voice. I assume it still has all the same qualities. I haven't seen the show yet so I can't give a review, but I would be willing to bet that all these arguments happened in regards to her in RENT, no?

[ken8631]

Posted: 11/15/06 at 4:20pm

Oh no, looks like I might miss Daphne next time I see Les Mis - my tickets are for March 6....

From her website...

Q: How long will you be away from Les Miz?
Rubin-Vega: Tentatively, rehearsals will begin at the end of January, and we might go up in mid-March to May, perhaps with a bit of an extension. Let's say 7 to 12 weeks at the most, after which I will come back [to Les Misérables].