Patti Lupone haters?

love her on the Anything Goes revival recording!

(The first reply is showing up before the original post again. Weird.)

I like Patti. She's definitely a performer who you either love or you hate.

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what's up with this?

I don't like her singing voice or her personality, but there's no denying that she has amazing stage presence.

I didn't like her Fantine, but that's about all I can say.

My first exposure to Miss LuPone was back in late 1979. I was 14 years old, already a veteran at seeing shows on Broadway, and already overplaying the American Premiere Recording of EVITA, which had just opened on Broadway. By the time I finally saw her onstage at the Broadway Theatre in EVITA it was the fall of 1980. Having known the entire score inside and out, it was quite startling when Patti came on stage and sang the score completely different from the recording -- she was SCREAMGING the whole damn show, making her one pissed-off and angry Eva Peron. I saw her in the show several times before she finally left and that's all I can ever say about her Eva Peron -- one angry bitch. Even at that young age I fully understood why they made her 'record' the score differently from how she performed it on stage -- that SCREAMING would have too much on record.

Thru the years, I've seen her in numerous shows, from ANYTHING GOES, to her none-singing roles in MASTER CLASS and the revival of NOISES OFF. As an actress she's simply stunning, but to me, as a singer -- she's a one-note Patti. She gives depth to her acting, but when it's time to sing, she sings EVERYTHING the same way.

My mom said it best after she saw Patti in London's SUNSET BLVD. -- she sings everything like EVITA -- she makes everything sound like it's from EVITA.

Anyway...am I a fan? I don't think so. I do love her as a 'person' -- that sassy down-to-earth personality of hers is simply welcoming. I love her rants on her website and totally embrace her genuiness.

As for her singing? I'll pass. Just doesn't work with me.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE HER!

Thank you, BrodyFosse - that was one of the most well-thought and reasoned responses I've read in a long time! I would (respectfully) disagree with you, but some of the candles on my Patti altar are running low and need to be changed out.

Actually, I understand what you are saying. I lost my Sunset OLC years ago and only recently replaced it. I was surprised to find that I just couldn't listen to several portions - her voice was so overpowering at times.

I remember an interview (sorry, can't remember the source) where she said that after Sunset she had problems with her voice, something icky like bleeding vocal chords, and started working with a new vocal coach. It completely changed the way she approached singing. I do remember that she commented on the "screaming" in Evita.

When did you last hear her? I saw her in 05 doing Matters Of The Heart, and was truly impressed by how much her range and control had improved. I felt this carried over to both Sweeney and Gypsy.

Although, the review from the SF Chronicle for To Hell and Back has me a little worried.

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Updated On: 11/6/06 at 07:48 PM

Add me to the list of those wno neither love nor hate Patti. I like her sometimes, but not other times.

Having said that, when I don't like her, I really don't like her. Which is partly because she has a very distinctive style, personality, and voice, and that's good, or at least better than people who seem to have little personality.

For a long time, I couldn't stand her singing. By which I mean I thought that she had killed what had been an excellent instrument at one time. But she seems to be singing better now, and I think I read that she's been working with a different voice teacher or coach lately.

I can't stand some of her vocal mannerisms. But when she drops them, as she sometimes does, she can be terrific.

Updated On: 11/6/06 at 08:30 PM

I always liked her -just liked her.

Then I saw her onstage for the first time, in SWEENEY.

Now, I want her to have my babies.

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I have loved her for what seems like my whole life- since I was child and saw EVITA. Then there was her TV show LIFE GOES ON.

Viva La LuPone

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I think Patti is an amazing performer. What I hate are fanatic admirers who think that Patti is the only answer for every problem, that she is right for every role, or that she never has bad performances. Being human and imperfect is what makes one admirable... because when the artist gives an amazing performance, it makes it more special and memorable.