Sierra Boggess in Royal Albert Hall Phantom

[EvanstonDad]

Posted: 9/7/17 at 5:08pm

I've not heard Sierra Boggess in anything other than the anniversary recording of The Phantom of the Opera at Royal Albert Hall. There are many moments during her performance where she gives words the oddest pronouncement, like someone with a foreign accent performing in English. Does she have a natural accent, was she giving the character of Christine an accent, or does she just sing oddly? I generally prefer this recording to any other because of its completeness, but her weird way of pronouncing words is admittedly like nails on a chalkboard at times.

[johannabarker]

Posted: 9/7/17 at 5:48pm

Sierra Boggess is from Colorado and her first language is English. She does the things she does ("Ahwllways" for example) probably because she was taught wrong by a vocal teacher. No native American or British English speakers sound like that.

One wonders what French speakers would have thought of her had the Paris production happened.

[Dave28282]

Posted: 9/7/17 at 6:29pm

What disturbs me more is her warbling above the note at many occasions. It's not as bad as Ramin Karimloo, who composed his own melodies, but still annoying.

[Samara.tanner]

Posted: 9/7/17 at 9:00pm

Dave28282 said: "What disturbs me more is her warbling above the note at many occasions. It's not as bad as Ramin Karimloo, who composed his own melodies, but still annoying."

It's what's known as vibrato. ??

[ohhiccup 2]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 1:56am

The only part that annoys me is the "order your fine horses" line, otherwise her pronunciation doesn't really bother me that much. I've found a lot of the Christines on Broadway put on an English accent. 

Updated On: 9/8/17 at 01:56 AM

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 2:25am

Samara.tanner said: "Dave28282 said: "What disturbs me more is her warbling above the note at many occasions. It's not as bad as Ramin Karimloo, who composed his own melodies, but still annoying."

It's what's known as vibrato. ??"

Karimloo has never studied singing and it shows

[Dave28282]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 5:00am

Samara.tanner said: "Dave28282 said: "What disturbs me more is her warbling above the note at many occasions. It's not as bad as Ramin Karimloo, who composed his own melodies, but still annoying."

It's what's known as vibrato. ??"

The centre of the vibrato should be the actual note, not 3 notes above it.

[Dave28282]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 5:01am

imeldasturn said: "

Karimloo has never studied singing and it shows"

Yes, it's like he approaches each note with such hysteria that he is pushing them up to the note above the actual note. I have heard him sing songs where not 1 note is on key. 

 

[johannabarker]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 10:36am

ohhiccup 2 -Sierra Boggess isn't putting on an English accent. She's doing an entirely fictional accent that makes no logical sense.

 

And I don't understand why Ramin keeps getting cast in roles that call for classical-style singing (Raoul, Phantom, Enjolras, Valjean).

[broadwayboy223]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 10:42am

THANK GOD. I thought I was the only one who noticed how sharp Ramin can go with his vibrato. 

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 5:00pm

I've seen both at the Royal Albert Hall production and in Love Never Dies. 

I just don't see it or hear it for that matter. 

Bogess is a Disneyfied Christine and Ramin had this weird ha warbling. 

Terrible. I know Webber likes the doe eyed leading ladies and there has been a push to have handsome young men play phantom. I prefer an older phantom. 

[hmph]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 5:42pm

I like Sierra Bogges a lot in no small part just because she cracks me up, but I have to admit her accent has confounded me. Even her speaking voice when not on stage sometimes has me focusing more on the sounds than the words. Even with all that, the Phantom 25 album is still the only I would consider playing.

Can we talk about how lovely that Raoul, Hadley Fraser, was? I haven't seen him in a while, but he really made a pretty thankless (and often forgettable/irritating) role stand out to me. 

[labellaragazza1]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 6:08pm

hmph said: "I like Sierra Bogges a lot in no small part just because she cracks me up, but I have to admit her accent has confounded me. Even her speaking voice when not on stage sometimes has me focusing more on the sounds than the words. Even with all that, thePhantom 25 album is still the only I would consider playing.

Can we talk about how lovely that Raoul, Hadley Fraser, was? I haven't seen him in a while, but he really made a pretty thankless (and often forgettable/irritating)role stand out tome."

 

Her "Always" and a lot of her L's sound very weird to me, but she seems really sweet and she's pretty adorably funny. 

 

On the subject of Hadley Fraser though, I was not thrilled with them using someone who, you know, hadn't actually been Raoul in the show at all, when there were quite a few decent ones involved in the 25th...? Seemed an odd choice to honor a show with someone who hadn't been in it (though I also felt the same about Sierra having never played the role in the West End, but she's ALW's darling and a decent Christine)  I loved his voice, but his acting really didn't sell it for me. I am a Raoul fan though, so I've got a long list of ones that impressed me. I felt like I could see the LND influences with the harshness and the eye rolling. I much prefer sweeter, more compassionate Raouls, and I felt like he wasn't comforting at all and started AIAOY out of obligation rather than protectiveness or actually caring. Just didn't get the chivalrous or charming vibes I wanted from him. 

 

 

[Dave28282]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 6:18pm

I was not a fan of Hadley Fraser at all. The "let your jaw hang and sound like a chainsaw while staring uninterested in the distance" approach did not do it for me. 

Updated On: 9/8/17 at 06:18 PM

[PattyO'Furniture]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 8:58pm

She definitely does pronounce things differently!  I am glad someone else notices!  Her "always" is "ole-wise" among many others, but she has a beautiful voice!

[johannabarker]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 9:09pm

Hadley Fraser is probably one of the worst Raouls of all times, totally aggressive, rolling his eyes, that goddamn eyeliner. He's not a bad actor. It's the directing. They didn't hire Hal Prince but hired the hack Laurence Connor (behind the awful new Phantom tour). He had no base with the show, so he had no idea that you're supposed to like Raoul. 

[Islander_fan]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 9:17pm

I never got the vibes about Boggess's singing that others are point out when it comes to other roles other than Christine. To me, it sounds like she was putting on a British accent. Which, by no means, is not uncommon for the Broadway production as well. But, those are traits that I didn't notice about her singing when she was in School of Rock, specially during Where Did the Rock Go? 

The Albert Hall performances weren't produced by Really Useful Group, it was done by Cameron Mackintosh himself. Keep in mind, he cast Alfie Boe as Valjean for the 02 arena concert of Les Miserables, someone who, prior to that never played the role before. So, it doesn't surprise me that he cast someone as Raoul who hadn't played the role before either. 

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 9/8/17 at 10:03pm

Sierra's Christine is...okay. I think her acting is fine, and her voice by itself is alright. Like you said, I can't stand her pronunciation, and that thing she does where she sharply sniffs through her nose between lyrics is distracting. 

Oddly enough, though, I didn't find her singing nearly as garbled during her Broadway runs, although it was still distracting. I wish they had gotten someone else to play the role during the RAH performances, preferably a former London Christine who actually had history with the original production. Plus, I'm tired of her being praised as the best Christine there ever was just because a lot of her fans only watched the RAH DVD, especially since there are so many other great Christines who now go unnoticed as a result. 

Updated On: 9/8/17 at 10:03 PM

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 1:43pm

hmph said: "I like Sierra Bogges a lot in no small part just because she cracks me up, but I have to admit her accent has confounded me. Even her speaking voice when not on stage sometimes has me focusing more on the sounds than the words. Even with all that, thePhantom 25 album is still the only I would consider playing.

Can we talk about how lovely that Raoul, Hadley Fraser, was? I haven't seen him in a while, but he really made a pretty thankless (and often forgettable/irritating)role stand out tome."

I'm seeing Hadley Fraser as the Dr. in Young Frankenstein in the West End is a couple of weeks. 

http://www.playbill.com/article/casting-announced-for-uk-premiere-of-mel-brooks-young-frankenstein

[Gizmo6]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 1:46pm

johannabarker said: "Hadley Fraser is probably one of the worst Raouls of all times, totally aggressive, rolling his eyes, that goddamn eyeliner. He's not a bad actor.It's the directing. They didn't hire Hal Prince but hired the hack Laurence Connor (behind the awful new Phantom tour). He had no base with the show, so he had no idea that you're supposed to like Raoul."

Connor is a disaster, I'm so glad someone else sees it. 

The Phantom tour and Miss Saigon, he's a director for the MTV generation, no substance. 

[johannabarker]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 3:24pm

Laurence Connor is also behind the Les Mis "25th Anniversary" production. He's the kind of guy who introduces stuff like The Phantom saying "Close your eyes" and then pulling out a blindfold to use on Christine. Or Christine attempting suicide before "All I Ask of You" so the whole number isn't romantic but rather it feels like Raoul is talking her down off a ledge.

The 25th Anniversary was a mess. It was supposed to just honor the London production I guess, but then had Meg, Raoul and Piangi played by actors with no history with the show (and Christine played by an actress who was never in the London production). I think Hadley Fraser is a great actor, just misdirected by Laurence Connor. He'll probably end up playing the Phantom one day, and under the right direction he could be great. He's also married to Rosalie Craig, who's supposed to be the female Bobby in Company... eventually.

Sierra Boggess was easily the most talented of the trio, however it seems unfair that ALW favors her above everyone else and seems to have a creepy crush on her.  How nice it would have been to have an actress with a history with the production at the 25th Anniversary on Broadway (and she couldn't even be bothered to stay more than six weeks). I feel like they're going to demote Ali Ewoldt to alternate for the 30th Anniversary on Broadway (but Sierra will only come if they fire James Barbour). 

 

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 4:10pm

Well, they're not going to fire James. They may decide not to renew his contract next time it expires, but management at that show prefers consistency over talent, especially for their Phantoms so I doubt Broadway Phantom management will want to get rid of him. They just want someone to do the blocking and go home, even at the expense of the show.

Why do you think Sierra would only come if James goes? I haven't seen her say anything about him at all.

[johannabarker]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 4:53pm

He was one of the reasons she left Rebecca... he screamed at her and she didn't like his past.

[thedrybandit]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 5:46pm

Well alrighty then. I hadn't heard about that, but if that really is the case, I wouldn't want to work with him again either.

[Elfuhbuh]

Posted: 9/9/17 at 6:05pm

Yeah, even if Barbour leaves (which I hope he does), I don't want Sierra back for any more anniversary appearances. She's had more than enough chances to shine in the role.