Hard Time Understanding Words During Belt?

[Matteo]

Posted: 8/31/12 at 11:21pm

Do you ever find yourself in a situation that while an actress is belting during a performance, that you actually have a hard time understanding what she is saying? 2 examples of my own: though i've seen "Phantom" many times, and know the majority of the words, I find myself not being able to understand bits of what Christine and Carlotta sing during the show. Then most recently, I bought the recording of "Wonderland" (which may have been its own mistake, but i'll move passed that), I have a very hard time understanding many things Janet Decal sings on many tracks, and even Ms. Shindle, whom I absolutely adore. Do you ever have this similar problem?

[Wynbish]

Posted: 8/31/12 at 11:29pm

I don't think Christina and Carlotta are "belting", but I, like most people, cannot understand much of Prima Donna
Updated On: 8/31/12 at 11:29 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 9/1/12 at 12:09am

Here I was hoping this was some new S&M musical called Belt!

Prima Donna is impossible to understand--granted opera in English is still often impossible to understand (which is why I find the concept of translating opera bizarre), but with Prima Donna it's also sloppy writing on the part of Charles Hart, and I suppose ALW who should have set the music better. I actually like the song musically--it's a highlight of Phantom for me, but when they all sing counterpoint only tiny bits of each person's lyric is understood--in contrast to, say, when there's counterpoint in a Sondheim musical.

[Charley Kringas Inc]

Posted: 9/14/12 at 1:40am

Prima Donna gets really mushy but it's absolutely true that what you might call a "virtuoso" performance, even in one's own language, and particularly in a high key tends to be difficult, if not impossible, to understand, which is why English-language operas are super/subtitled.

[henrikegerman]

Posted: 9/14/12 at 7:27am

You mean like "With one look, I'll be Mao!"?

[Dollypop]

Posted: 9/14/12 at 9:07am

Ethel Merman was the world's greatest "belter" and you could hear every word she sang with crystal clarity. When you're having trouble hearing the lyrics it's because the singer isn't enunciating properly or is over-mic'ed.