Liking her style or voice is indeed taste, but she does act through song wonderfully, even though her sound might be unpleasant to you.
No need to listen to either Close or Patti with the haunting quality of Buckley's vocals .
Distinctive Baritone clearly does not like Patti LuPone. Which is fine. But don’t pretend to like her work, though. That just makes your opinions seem hallow. You even make a statement that her career boiled down to luck. Meaning not talent, but luck. I take major issue with that. She is an incredibly talented work horse. You may find her voice shrill and nasal, but many more people find her voice powerful and riveting. I love the fact that Patti had to push her voice higher on the Evita cast recording. It makes it much more exciting and riveting. Anyway, don’t say you like her, when you clearly don’t.
Leading Actor Joined: 1/27/15
Take a listen and judge for yourself ....
PATTI LUPONE: As If We Never Said Goodbye
Elaine Paige - As If We Never Said Goodbye - Official Music Video
Sunset Blvd. 1995 Tony Awards. "As If We Never Said Goodbye" - Glenn Close
As If We Never Said Goodbye {Sunset Blvd ~ London, 1996} - Petula Clark
As If We Never Said Goodbye {Sunset Blvd ~ Broadway, 1996) - Betty Buckley
Diahann Carroll- As If We Never Said Goodbye
Ria Jones - As If We Never Said Goodbye (UK Tour 2017)
Gensho said: "Distinctive Baritone clearly does not like Patti LuPone. Which is fine. But don’t pretend to like her work, though. That just makes your opinions seem hallow. You even make a statement that her career boiled down to luck. Meaning not talent, but luck. I take major issue with that. She is an incredibly talented work horse. You may find her voice shrill and nasal, but many more people find her voice powerful and riveting. I love the fact that Patti had to push her voice higher on the Evita cast recording. It makes it much more exciting and riveting. Anyway, don’t say you like her, when you clearly don’t. "
Chill out. It’s not like I dissed your mom. I liked her as Evita (just not her repeated whining about it), I liked her as Reno Sweeney. I liked her as Mrs. Lovett. I liked her as Mama Rose. I didn’t like her as Norma Desmond. It’s possible to not like everything an actor does. I also understand that Broadway is a business, and whether you preferred LuPone or Close in Sunset, ALW inarguably made the right business decision in a very tough situation.
Personally think Elaine Paige sings it best if we're just talking about pure voice.
Chorus Member Joined: 7/20/17
I have listened to all the leading ladies who have played Norma in London & on Broadway. IMO Betty Buckley has more emotion & soul than anybody else. I am so sorry she was out the night I went to see her on Broadway although I did get to hear her sing several of the songs at a concert in New Orleans.
The best for me will always be the incomparable Debra Byrne:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJsb8HNsjp8
Back to the truce between LuPone and Webber...
I wonder if it has anything to do with the 'warning' Webber's lawyers directed to her a few months ago (November?) when she called him (once again) an alcoholic, unstable, etc. I wonder if that had any part - good or bad - with their truce?
As far as the best vocals on the two show-stoppers from SB, my unbiased vote goes to Streisand, from her 'Back to Broadway' album in 1993.
This whole thing makes me very happy.
I remember Patti saying that overtures were made to her agent about her taking over Evita from Elena Rogers on Broadway in 2013, but the money wasn't enough.
Anyone know if Patti ever toured with Evita? (or just did Broadway?)
Leading Actor Joined: 5/9/05
I believe she played a limited engagement in Australia, but never toured in Evita.
Videos