THE BROADWAY OVERTURE- Page 2

[AvenueQPat]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 5:26pm

There should always be an Overture. This is really the orchestras chance to shine - of course the play the whole time and they get a bow at the end but how many people listen to the Trumpet when Elphaba is belting (or mixing) her D-Flat.

The Entr'acte is for people to get back to their seats.

Exit Music is not heard by 3/4's of the audience because they are leaving. I personally always stay to give a little extra applause at the end because I like getting it myself when I play for a show - it is an unexpected surprise.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 7:10pm

CAROUSEL doesn't actually have an Overture, but the Carousel Waltz is (I think) one of the most glorious compositions of the 20th century. It's good to see it has been taken up by some Classical orchestras.

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 2:17pm

I had almost forgotten about ON THE 20TH CENTURY'S overture which is an ABSOLUTE CLASSIC! I think from your name OSCAR JAFFEE you might be slightly biased!

JULE STYNE shows often had great overtures often featuring a big brassy section. Loved FUNNY GIRL and even SUGAR was fun!

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 3:12pm

DRS' "Overture" is the theme music from "The Reckoning"

SPAMALOT has an overture.

Carrie had a great, powerful overture.

Cabaret's "Overture" was its entr'acte.

[mallardo]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 4:56pm

A Funny Thing Happened... has a nice traditional overture - does anyone know if Sondheim himself worked on it or was it mostly the work of Jonathan Tunick?

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 4:57pm

Thenadier.. if Cabaret's overture is the entr'act then the same is true of LA CAGE!

[Enjolras77]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:02pm

Well actually the entr'acte in Cabaret is an entr'acte. Musically, it is very similar to a traditional overture....but if it were a true overture it would open the show....

Does Spamalot play the entire overture? I know it is on the CD, but does it happen live? I can't remember if they did or not.

Other shows with great overtures are Promises, Promises and Subways are for Sleeping.

[Thenardier]

Posted: 8/30/05 at 5:20pm

"Well actually the entr'acte in Cabaret is an entr'acte. Musically, it is very similar to a traditional overture....but if it were a true overture it would open the show...."

Yup, that's what I meant, ha!

[Theatrical Landladies]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 4:13am

Can someone answer the question about FUNNY THING HAPPENED'S overture.

[MyDreamsRecurring]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:29am

I'm a big fan of the West Side Story overture
i love overtures in general..they just seem to show the emotion of a show beautifully

[cathywellerstein]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 10:36am

i love the overtures from:
the light in the piazza
gypsy
urinetown
dirty rotten scoundrels

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 12:44pm

FORUM's Overture is not the work of Sondheim. He has never orchestrated any of his shows. It isn't Tunick either. Tunick didn't start working with Sondheim until COMPANY. I don't have the OCR handy (I am not at home at the moment) but I believe Irwin Kostel and Sid Ramin did Forum's orchestrations.

[citylights]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 12:51pm

I'm not usually a fan of overtures, but Piazza's, (I know it's shortened, but still) with its gorgeous strings, absolutely gave me chills.

[mallardo]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 12:59pm

The 1996 Broadway revival of "Forum" had orchestrations by Jonathan Tunick - no other credits are listed. So I assume Tunick completely re-orchestrated the show including the Overture. If anyone has details I've love to know.

[Enjolras77]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 1:08pm

Frontrowcentre2 was correct. Forum's original orchestrators were Irwin Kostal and Sid Ramin.

[Hanna from Hamburg]

Posted: 8/31/05 at 1:08pm

I LOVE La Cage's Overture and I also liked Millie's.

[frontrowcentre2]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 2:42pm

It is frustrating to attend a show today when the audiences tend to ignore Overtures and chatter all through it. The Lupone revival of GYPSY showcased the Overture by having the orchestra on stage.

I don't know if that was Arthur L's idea (and many people slammed his "new" concepts in direction for the revival) but if it was, it was one idea that worked very well.

[temms]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 2:49pm

I love overtures, but I'd almost rather not have them because it puts me in an angry mood when people continue to talk all the way through it. I can't remember ever hearing an overture in a Broadway theatre that the audience actually listened to. Maybe the LuPone "Gypsy" because the band was onstage...

Yet another point in the favor of the Met. You'll always hear the entire overture with a huge, unamplified orchestra, and if anyone dares make a sound a gaggle of angry operagoers will display their wrath.



Updated On: 3/31/13 at 02:49 PM

[E.Davis]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 3:08pm

I am not sure if it counts, but Follies Overture is just gorgeous, especially in the most recent revival. It is more classified as a prologue right?

[all that jazz]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 3:14pm

I adore ALW's overtures, specially CATS, JSC, and Phantom, which I know is not really an averture but still, its pure magic.

I also like Funny Girl's, and Sweet Carity's.

[SeanMartin]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 3:40pm

>> I am not sure if it counts, but Follies Overture is just gorgeous

Not really an overture. It's a prologue that, depending on the production, may or may not serve as underscoring for the opening scene.

[g.d.e.l.g.i.]

#46re: THE BROADWAY OVERTURE

Posted: 3/31/13 at 5:28pm

I'm partial to the JCS Overture myself.

Updated On: 3/31/13 at 05:28 PM

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 6:12pm

"It is frustrating to attend a show today when the audiences tend to ignore Overtures and chatter all through it."

This is a genuine question and not meant to be an argument--is this really a new thing? Did audiences use to sit in rapt awe and silence during an overture? I always assume this may just be a modern misconception--I mean we know that 200 years back theatre going was a much more casual event.

[CATSNYrevival]

#48re: THE BROADWAY OVERTURE

Posted: 3/31/13 at 6:19pm

^I thought the opposite. Wasn't theatre an extremely formal affair 200 years ago? Today it's more casual.

[GavestonPS]

Posted: 3/31/13 at 6:27pm

^^^^200 years ago, the house lights remained on and fruitsellers and prostitutes pedaled their wares in the aisles. But I know what you mean: Wagner was just around the corner, waiting to demand that theater audience members behave like churchgoers and sit in reverent silence.

I'm willing to be corrected, Eric, but it seems to me that, yes, audiences used to shut up pretty quickly after the first few notes of the overture. On Broadway and even for a high school production. Theatergoers understood the overture to be part of the show.

Count me among the old-timers who miss the excitement of dimming houselights and the start of the overture. (The latter was an important part of educating the listener's ear to the music of the play.)

Equally exciting were shows like A CHORUS LINE, 1776 and FOLLIES that did NOT have overtures, but began with immediate action on stage because that made sense to their stories.

(You can probably blame the rise of the choreographer/director for the decline of overtures. When the stager took the "muscle" from the composer, s/he tended to cut out the part where his work wasn't required. There are exceptions, of course, particularly in the 1950s. I'm speaking more of the 1960s and 70s.)



Updated On: 3/31/13 at 06:27 PM