Speaking of Sweeney Todd...

[joeybiltmore1]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 11:22am

Has anyone heard the recording of the 1995 Barcelona production of Sweeney Todd ("El Barber Diabolic del Carrer Fleet"). I picked it up at Footlights several years ago and still give it a listen every once in a while. I usually can't get through the whole thing because of the watered-down orchestrations and because the ghost of the superior Broadway original echos throughout, but there are some pluses.

Pep Molina is a fine Sweeney and Vicky Pena offers some nice character work (if not great singing) as Mrs. Lovett. Muntsa Rius is an oddly cast but vocally excellent Tobias. The young lovers are good, but no match for their Broadway predecessors. Xavier Ribera makes an effectively villainous Judge Turpin, but Pedro Pomares is out-matched by the vocal demands of the Beadle.

What I miss most from this recording - and no doubt will feel the same way with the highly anticipated Broadway revival - are Jonathan Tunick's superb orchestrations. Tunick's work gives Sweeney it's extra dose of drama, romance and thrills, pushing the work into sure classic-dom, making the original Sweeney a benchmark on a par with the best of Wagner or Beethoven.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 4/29/05 at 11:27am

This production was shown on Television in Europe. I've seen a dvd of it, and it is a fascinating production, though not as unique as the pictures on the CD would make you think. It's not particularly well sung, but some of the characterizations are riveting.

The new production coming from London, obviously, completely reorchestrates the show to fit the 9 person concept. But in my opinion the new orchestrations are part of the brilliance of the production, as each character now plays an instrument that becomes almost their second voice throughout the play.

For example, Joanna plays the piccalo solo during the Judge's leering about marrying his ward right before "Pretty Women", which makes her a haunting and disturbing presence throughout the number.

The production is filled with brilliant touches like that.
Updated On: 4/29/05 at 11:27 AM