#51
Posted: 6/28/17 at 5:49pm
Sweeney Todd. You really need operatic training to pull that one off.
"Long live God!" (GODSPELL)
Most Vocally Demanding Roles — Page 3
#52
Posted: 6/29/17 at 12:03am
The Kims have all been protected by the contractual requirement of performing only 6 a week, yet it is it really that challenging? She doesn't vocally carry the show, and has the second act isn't even that taxing (look at her solo load after the intermission). she does have a fair amount of the recitative in act one. But compared to other roles? Cott is singing as much as any Kim in "Bandstand" right now.
"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling
#55
Posted: 6/30/17 at 9:27am
"I keep seeing roles mentioned that AREN'T on Broadway and that's what the the OP is asking...the ones from shows CURRENTLY running. "
Guess you need to read it a little slower because the OP mentioned currently and all time, see below.
"What do y'all think is the most vocally demanding role on Broadway right now? Or of all time? "
#56
Posted: 6/30/17 at 9:48am
Any singing role Audra McDonald has ever performed, but especially Bess. Wasn't she out of the show for over a month because of vocal issues? As an opera, that show was never meant to be sung 8 times a week.
Also, I agree with the other roles mentioned like Christine, Eva Peron, Ms Lovett, etc.
#57
Posted: 6/30/17 at 11:30am
Sweeney Todd is a role that, like Don Quixote, is written in a way that is thrilling with a great vocalist, but just as effective with an actor who sings. One's personal feelings about Johnny Depp aside, he was more than serviceable, in a way that Russell Crowe as Javert was not (though I liked his performance and portrayal, but do not listen to him on the soundtrack much).
I've actually seen Pittsburgh's David Cabot (a great actor strongly associated with the PICT company) do both roles; though he himself admits he is not a strong singer, his performances were stunning.
#58
Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:12pm
FlySkyHigh said: "Any singing role Audra McDonald has ever performed, but especially Bess. Wasn't she out of the show for over a month because of vocal issues? As an opera, that show was never meant to be sung 8 times a week.
"
There's no opera on this planet that's meant to be sung 8 times a week. Hell, even many musicals aren't meant to be sung 8 times a week, and this thread already mentions the same roles and shows that prove it. It's no secret that opera companies do not have their performances back to back the way musicals do, but even with that said, even the most prominent opera companies STILL utilize double casting. One Violetta at the Met you'll find going a week or more between performances.
#59
Posted: 6/30/17 at 1:55pm
JennH said: "FlySkyHigh said: "Any singing role Audra McDonald has ever performed, but especially Bess. Wasn't she out of the show for over a month because of vocal issues? As an opera, that show was never meant to be sung 8 times a week.
"
There's no opera on this planet that's meant to be sung 8 times a week. Hell, even many musicals aren't meant to be sung 8 times a week, and this thread already mentions the same roles and shows that prove it. It's no secret that opera companies do not have their performances back to back the way musicals do, but even with that said, even the most prominent opera companies STILL utilize double casting. One Violetta at the Met you'll find going a week or more between performances.
"
I think we're in agreement but just for clarification; I was not implying that any opera could be sung eight times a week for the reasons you stated above. So the fact that Porgy and Bess was even attempted (more than once) on Broadway to begin with is insane and....vocally demanding.
#60
Posted: 6/30/17 at 3:47pm
FlySkyHigh said: "JennH said: "FlySkyHigh said: "Any singing role Audra McDonald has ever performed, but especially Bess. Wasn't she out of the show for over a month because of vocal issues? As an opera, that show was never meant to be sung 8 times a week.
"
There's no opera on this planet that's meant to be sung 8 times a week. Hell, even many musicals aren't meant to be sung 8 times a week, and this thread already mentions the same roles and shows that prove it. It's no secret that opera companies do not have their performances back to back the way musicals do, but even with that said, even the most prominent opera companies STILL utilize double casting. One Violetta at the Met you'll find going a week or more between performances.
"
I think we're in agreement but just for clarification; I was not implying that any opera could be sung eight times a week for the reasons you stated above. So the fact that Porgy and Bess was even attempted (more than once) on Broadway to begin with is insane and....vocally demanding.
"
Oh no, I was just in agreement with you 1110000000%!! More like a "reminder" statement I guess, and YES P and B on Broadway itself is ridiculous...
#61
Posted: 7/1/17 at 9:24am
I doubt anyone would want to do the show again so this might be a moot point, but Georgina in Hallelujah, Baby is a very demanding role.
#62
Posted: 7/1/17 at 9:40am
Would Phil Connors count? The end note in Hope is crazy
#63
Posted: 9/21/18 at 6:54pm
Was going to make another friend but found this one! Yay! I'm gonna add Regina George onto this list. While she isn't on stage a lot her songs require her to belt up to the F#5 and I believe a G5 in Till Someone Gets Hurt (I'm pretty sure Taylor only ever goes up to the F# though)
What do people think about Spongebob also being included on this list? The role is physical enough, and almost always on stage.
Billy Bigelow? I was once backstage at Carousel and when Josh Henry finished Soliloquy he was pouring sweat as if he'd just ran a marathon
#64
Posted: 9/22/18 at 4:40am
yankeefan7 said: "1) The role of Frankie Vali -Jersey Boys
2) Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde - Jekyll & Hyde
3) Dewey - School Of Rock
"
Frankie Valli would fall into the camp of demanding but necessarily difficult. Falsetto doesn’t take anywhere near the amount of physical support that a legit musical theatre sound does. It’s going to be tiring doing it eight shows a week, for sure but it’s not difficult.
#65
Posted: 9/22/18 at 4:52am
Any of the large roles in a Frank Wildhotn show are demanding, simply because he doesn’t know how or simply chooses not to write a score with a varied landscape. It’s huge song, after huge song.
#66
Posted: 9/22/18 at 12:26pm
I've only seen a performer lose their voice twice during a performance. Once was Patti Lupone's last performance in Los Angeles prior to Broadway. By "A New Argentina" she couldn't shout out the lyrics much less sing them. She was replaced for the second act.
But the most interesting evening I had was seeing Barbara Harris in THE APPLE TREE. I enjoyed her performance so much that I returned a second time however it was evident she was in vocal distress from the start of the first act. Most of her songs in the "Adam & Eve" segment required soft singing and she just couldn't pull it off. Her singing voice cracked continuously to the point that you could hear a buzz through the audience every time she sang. I was sure she would be replaced by her understudy for the rest of the show but that wasn't the case at all. When she returned her voice problems were amazingly gone. With the next two acts requiring her belt voice primarily she sounded wonderful with no trace of any problems.
I'm by no means a voice expert but I noticed the same thing with Judy Garland in her final concerts years. During slow numbers her voice would be all over the place with her having great difficulty singing softer passages. However when she had to sing full voice she could blow the roof off the place. So I wonder then if it takes more breath control singing softer than it does belting loudly?
#67
Posted: 9/22/18 at 2:30pm
So many.
For the women I would say definitely Eva Peron is one of the tops.
But the one performance that I walked out of the theater wondering how the hell she did it was when I saw Kristin Chenoweth's performance in On the Twentieth Century.
I thought she was phenomenal.
The only reason my jaw didn't drop farther than it did when she didn't get the Tony was because I knew O'Hara was the sentimental favorite that year. I figured she'd get it, even though I thought Chenoweth's performance was mind-boggling, while KO's was indeed very good. In fact, I almost found myself wishing that KO would have nabbed it for one of her previously deserving performances because then they would have been on equal ground and KC would have received the award for what I thought was truly the outstanding female performance that year, on so many levels.
It was much like watching the choreography prize go to Hamilton over Shuffle Along. Hamilton was going to take it regardless. It was the sweetheart phenom of shows that year. But after seeing it again in LA, and paying close notice to the movement, I felt it was really very good. But thinking back to Shuffle Along, I still believe that Glover should have received it. Shuffle Along was simply, well, again....mind-boggling.
I think though that KC and Shuffle Along in their respective categories were up against something bigger than both of them though. You weren't going to beat Hamilton. It got everything else, you may as well give it choreography too. And beating KO was going to be tough too. Too many people wanted her to have it at that point that regardless of KC's amazing performance, KO was going to get it.
For males and vocal performances, I would agree with Evan Hansen. I was enthralled by everything Platt did while he was on the stage, and the emotion in his voice which is so required for that role, was there every step of the way.
Billy Bigelow would be another one though. For sure.
#68
Posted: 9/22/18 at 6:57pm
I'm by no means a voice expert but I noticed the same thing with Judy Garland in her final concerts years. During slow numbers her voice would be all over the place with her having great difficulty singing softer passages. However when she had to sing full voice she could blow the roof off the place. So I wonder then if it takes more breath control singing softer than it does belting loudly?
Singing softly usually takes a lot more air and requires a lot more control of the vocal structures than belting. It's a gentle breeze vs a blast from an air compressor - it's a lot easier to clear the leaves with fast air.
Think of how driving faster over a damaged and bumpy road might feel smoother due to momentum than going slow and feeling every nook and cranny. Still not great for the vehicle at all though!
#69
Posted: 9/22/18 at 7:02pm
wha about Cunegonde
Updated On: 9/22/18 at 07:02 PM
#71
Posted: 9/23/18 at 12:35am
Eva Peron - Evita
Lily - On the 20th Century
Bess - Porgy and Bess
Lily - On the 20th Century
Bess - Porgy and Bess
#72
Posted: 9/23/18 at 7:53am
I'm not an expert or anything, but Billy Bigelow seems really tough, even if just for Soliloquy.
#73
Posted: 9/23/18 at 1:14pm
I know that Frozen has seen... mixed reviews from people on this website but I have to argue that Elsa is rather vocally demanding. I'm certainly no expert, but between "Let It Go" and "Monster", as well as the occasional yelling that Elsa does, it has to be up there for what's currently running on Broadway? Plus "Dangerous to Dream" seems like a tricky song to sing.
#74
Posted: 9/24/18 at 2:52am
kelsey1389 said: "I know that Frozen has seen... mixed reviews from people on this website but I have to argue that Elsa is rather vocally demanding. I'm certainly no expert, but between "Let It Go" and "Monster", as well as the occasional yelling that Elsa does, ..."
That reminded me of playing Rapunzel's Prince in college. They wanted an anguished scream for Rapunzel's death and I didn't want to give what the director wanted because I was afraid it would wreck my voice. Luckily the music director coached me: "Put the scream on a pitch and support it for two whole notes. Think hair metal, but healthy!"
(Also, my girlfriend in the opera program was famous for her "coloratura horror-movie scream".)
Updated On: 9/24/18 at 02:52 AM
#75
Posted: 9/25/18 at 3:24am
I think anything Idina Menzel is known for is a pretty obvious answer. For men, I'm not quite sure. I think matching Jeremy Jordan's Santa Fe has to be pretty demanding, or the Jean Valjean role. Barnum's big note in "From Now On" from The Greatest Showman requires a solid pair, but that's similar to Jean Valjean. Bobby in Company also requires someone with seemingly endless power.
I see a lot of people saying Eva Peron and Sweeney Todd and this confuses me because the most famous actors filling those roles was Madonna and Johnny Depp. Clearly you do not even need to be a good singer to be cast in these roles.
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