THE BROADWAY OVERTURE — Page 3

I still get goosebumps when today's modern productions use and overture, even if it's only 30 seconds. It's what transports me into the show. Nothing more thrilling than the house lights dimming and the wave of the conductors baton.

Frontrowcentre2 and All that Jazz, until you said so, I never caught on that the overture to “Phantom” is not a true overture. The fact that it follows the auction scene, which I think of as a prologue, doesn’t remove it from the “overture” category, in my view, because the music precedes the flashback action. However, I just listened to it again, and darned if you’re not right – the only song in it is the title number. The, entr’acte, on the other hand, does consist of a medley, and would make a perfectly good overture.

I don’t know how I previously missed that POTO’s overture only consists of POTO, in the zillions of times I’ve listened to the music and watched the movie and the London 25th anniversary DVD and the eight times I’ve seen the show live in various places. I guess I’ve been too busy getting goosebumps when the bang and flash take place, and the chandelier starts to rise. How they’ll achieve that reaction from the audience in the new tour without the rising chandelier … well, that’s off-topic.

The first time I noticed the absence of an overture was at a production of “Les Mis,” about ten years ago at Wolf Trap. I had never seen the show before, and I was startled when the curtain opened and “Look Down” started.

Perhaps because of my classical music roots, I’m with those of you who lament the passing of the overture.

---

Since this thread was bumped recently, it deserves to be updated in terms of the OP's question about shows that use an overture. CINDERELLA right now has a traditional, dim-the-lights, cue-the-orchestra, old-fashioned overture and, if my memory serves, it's glorious. I can't wait to hear that on CD.

FINIAN'S RAINBOW a few years ago had a glorious overture, though coming from Encores! that's not a big surprise. As someone pointed out, PROMISES, PROMISES has a tremendous overture, and the recent revival made great use of it (even interpolating "I Say a Little Prayer" in a much better fashion than the revival itself did.) THE ADDAMS FAMILY had an overture on CD, though I never saw it so I can't speak to its presence in the production. Also, for everything (terrible) that follows, MAMMA MIA! does have an overture, and it's pretty great. By far the highlight of that (terrible) show, to me.

---

Just about any Richard Rodgers Overture bears repeated listens...the early ones like ON YOUR TOES and BABES IN ARMS are filled with familiar tunes. The overtures to OKLAHOMA!, SOUTH PACIFIC, THE KING AND I, PIPE DREAM and especially FLOWER DRUM SONG are delightful potpourris.

---

Someone suggested on a thread here (or possibly ATC I can't remember) that Encores! do a gala concert celebrating great Broadway overtures. I for one am in favor of this.

---

Beauty & The Beast's Overture is my favourite

The Drowsy Chaperone (relatively recently) has a terrific overture, but you only get to hear roughly the last 60 bars live, the rest is recorded. And the evening' action has already started by the time you hear it.

In the same theatre a few years prior (and same time period for the setting), Thoroughly Modern Millie had a full, old-fashioned overture. Curtains had one. The previously mentioned Urinetown has a cute Threepenny Opera pastiche overture-ette.

They're sadly rare, but when you consider the relatively tiny size of current theatre orchestras, you realize that you're not missing much.

And while we're praising overtures, let's also hear it for lighting designers who design curtain warmers.

Especially when they change colors during the overture as the melodies in the overture change.

---

Updated On: 4/1/13 at 04:02 PM