Okay, as a Solea fan, she was FANTASTIC tonight! I really enjoyed seeing her interpretation of Eurydice, which followed the same beats as Eva's but still felt quite different. I think one of the big things about Eva's voice is her purity of tone, like it always felt unreal to hear her voice live, and she's remarkably consistent with how her voice sounds regardless of what she's singing. Solea's voice just has a much different texture to it, and she's not afraid to play around with it depending on where Eurydice is emotionally, and it really suits the pathos of the songs more IMO (a little grittier in the early songs, more rounded/prettier in the love songs, etc.). I had always overlooked Flowers as kind of a boring song that might've had some pretty lyrics but didn't really do much for me, but Solea really brought it to life and I could feel the anguish of her realizing what she had lost.
Eva also plays Eurydice as more of a tough girl, to the point where I always found it baffling that she ended up falling for Orpheus and kept calling out to him to save her. Solea's Eurydice feels more like the girl next door who's been burned by the world before and is therefore more cautious at first, but I felt it was more natural for her to succumb to Orpheus's charm and potential. She felt a little more like an ingenue and I think she was also a bit more open with her feelings; she seemed more joyful in scenes like Livin' It Up On Top and a little more flirty in Wedding Song. When she takes the coins after Hey Little Songbird, it feels more like she's been backed into a corner and this is her only way out, whereas Eva's Eurydice felt more like she had assessed all the options and determined this was the best one despite her feelings for Orpheus.
I'm not sure I bought the physical chemistry between Solea and Reeve as much, but that could also just be that I'm used to seeing a person with a much different stature performing the same movements so it looks awkward since Solea is taller than Reeve, though it could also just be a matter of time for them to get more comfortable with it. I think Solea's voice also blends better with his, as Eva just felt like she was constantly outsinging him, but Reeve was also in surprisingly good form today. I've admittedly also been waiting for an announcement of Reeve's departure, but this may be the best I've ever heard him sound (my friend who went last Friday said he was also much improved then, so I'm not sure if he's done something recently to achieve that). I'd still be interested in seeing a new Orpheus, but I didn't feel like his voice actively distracted from the rest of the show as much.
Malcolm Armwood was on for Hermes today (not sure if he's on the whole time that Lilias is out or not) and he was fantastic, I always like seeing how a different type of Hermes changes the feel of the show. Jewelle Blackman I feel gets better every time I see her, and I don't know if I've ever really appreciated how incredible her voice is. She performs with such joy when it's called for and just broke my heart after Epic III, so I hope she's got something great lined up after she leaves the show.
Tom Hewitt I'm a little mixed on. I remember liking him before when he first filled in for Patrick Page and I think his character choices had mostly lined up, but I think his interpretation of Hades is a bit different now. Where Patrick Page had played him as colder and generally more removed from the dealings of humans/workers, Hades tonight felt a little bit more emotive, maybe a little more desperate to win Persephone back, and I definitely felt that he was more outwardly angry during some scenes. I think it's a valid interpretation, and it might just be that I'm not as used to it, but I think I preferred when Hades felt more like he was just above it all.
The ensemble and orchestra are in fine form too (has Brian Drye ever taken a day off? He must have chops of steel), so overall I think the show is in great shape (especially if Reeve keeps doing whatever he's been doing), and I'm definitely considering coming back once Phillip Boykin and Betty Who are in the show. Curious too to hear from anyone else that might've gone today or be going soon to see if your thoughts matched mine!
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