Kendra Kassebaum Absences Solved — Page 3

Just to add to the conversation... I went to see Wicked twice in St. Louis.

The first was a Sunday Evening performance (Nov 20) and both Kendra and Stephanie were out, and replaced by Emily Rozek and Jenna Leigh Green respectively. Rumor has it that Kendra was battling a slight cold and that Stephanie's voice was shot partially due to the amount of smoke (or fog) generated onstage.

The second time was a Sunday Matinee performance (Nov 27) and both Kendra and Stephanie were on.

I think Kendra really got this role based on her belt and her comic timing first and foremost, but not for her 'legit' voice. My vocal coach played Keyboards for the pit, and he heard from the traveling conductor that Kendra paid lots of $$$ to develop her 'legit' soprano in order to handle the beginning and end of the show, when the role's tessitura is very high. Personally, I found her 'legit' sound very labored, but the rest of her vocal performance (i.e. the 'belt' voice) was spot on.

Just my 2 cents.

Okay well I was supposed to see her on a Sunday evening. Does she just not do weekends? However her understudy was fantastic.

"Also, what is a coluratura?"

Broadwayfan, coluratura is basically an opera term to refer to a soprano who has a very fluid, high range. Coluratura's generally sing those high, running musical phrases, sort of like a flute. And my sister, who is a coluratura, says that generally sopranos who have strong high notes also have strong low notes . . . it's just a battle to bridge the middle part of their voices. So, Kendra's training to handle the coluratura parts of the role are simply for the parts she sings in the opening number and the "Evita" song. The rest of the show basically utilizes the middle and lower parts of her range, where she is strongest.

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