Posted: 9/20/18 at 12:22am
How funny! Like I said, I was in the very last row, stage right, I had a clear view of him and from up there he really 'looked young,' however, I was at a distance. I have to look for my Playbill now and double check because I was so fixated on Ted Sperling after all these posts!!
Posted: 9/20/18 at 12:45am
Just be aware that, just like actors, music directors/conductors have subs and sometimes call out, so just because he's listed in the Playbill doesn't necessarily mean that's who you saw. There would have been a sign out front, under the cast list, that said "This evening's performance conducted by..." or something similar.
Posted: 9/20/18 at 1:07am
I also thought he looked young! Now that I've seen pictures of Paul Staroba, I'm starting to think it was him who I saw at MFL...
Updated On: 9/20/18 at 01:07 AM
Posted: 9/20/18 at 5:33am
I almost didn’t open this thread because I thought it was going to be about a Liam Neeson takes revenge on a train movie being made into a broadway musical.
Anyway, thanks for starting this thread as I find the topic interesting. It’s also nice to see Ted and Paul get some nice positive feedback. Been a Sperling fan since Piazza and always love the Master Voices concerts that he does.
Posted: 9/20/18 at 9:35pm
I don't believe this BUT I have a feeling you are right!! I had a right side profile of him, much like this photo, and my recollection now seems to indicate it might have been Paul Staroba!!!
Reginula, you are my only hope to confirm this, being that you are going to see MFL as you say you will!! Let me know! By the way, I got all caught up in this so I went about looking for my Playbill under my magazine pile and this is what is written inside:
Conductor: Ted Sperling Associate Conductor: Paul Starbola
So WHO did I see!!!!??? I have to get to the bottom of this!! I forgot to mention that it was a matinee I saw, does that help? Does one do evening and the other matinee or vise versa?
Posted: 9/20/18 at 9:39pm
Loved the video, thank you!
Just saying, if this post ever gets Ted Sperling's attention, I just want him to know I was left very impressed by his performance conducting My Fair Lady! It was a pleasure watching him :)
Parenthesis here -
Ted Sperling, I am sure you are just as amazing, but if I saw Paul Staroba that day, I have to say, Paul you were wonderful!! Thank you for your performance!! And Paul, if you are a straight male, will you marry me??!!! :) :) :)
Updated On: 9/20/18 at 09:39 PM
Posted: 9/20/18 at 9:52pm
BPfan81, I'm sorry, but I saw it about two weeks ago (and that's it, since I don't live in the US), but I'm 90% certain Paul Staroba was the conductor I saw on Sept. 8. You thinking it was him is sort of confirming it to me! I saw him from Row N, so maybe you were clsoer? Hahaha. Did you see the show that week as well?
Edit: Also, I just looked him up and he was Associate Conductor on War Paint.
Updated On: 9/20/18 at 09:52 PM
Posted: 9/20/18 at 10:06pm
reginula said: "BPfan81, I'm sorry, but I saw it about two weeks ago (and that's it, since I don't live in the US), but I'm 90% certain Paul Staroba was the conductor I saw on Sept. 8. You thinking it was him is sort of confirming it to me! I saw him from Row N, so maybe you were clsoer? Hahaha. Did you see the show that week as well?
Edit: Also, I just looked him up and he was Associate Conductor on War Paint."
I saw him Aug 29th!! I think you are right, we probably saw Paul Staroba! I was sitting in the second-to-last row all the way to the right, I can't remember the letter. Oh well, I think we got to the bottom of this!
Posted: 9/20/18 at 10:58pm
Posted: 9/20/18 at 11:03pm
Posted: 9/21/18 at 12:08am
Atunes, that's so cool. He's very talented, and it was very nice to see him conducting and having a great time at the show!
I do have a question, although it may come from the fact that I have no music education whatsoever. Music directors and conductors who have listened the new cast recording, please chime in!
***minor orchestration spoiler***
By the time I saw the show, I already knew the album by heart, so I was very surprised to hear that the live I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face had a louder drum on the instrumental part after Higgins says "'Marry Freddy' HA!". I really liked how that sounded, although it was different from the cast recording. Is it about how it sounds live instead of being processed on a studio? Is it a choice made by the conductor or the musician? (but, would that be like changing the orchestrations?) Is it an acoustics thing (or how my untrained ear perceived it?)? Could it just have been a minor mishap? Maybe it just happened at my performance.
Posted: 9/21/18 at 9:55am
atunes said: "and p.s., Paul says yes that was definitely him you saw conducting at that specific performance! Xo"
This is really cool you know him! I'll be seeing MFL next on Oct 23rd (Laura Benanti's first performance) and not sure if Paul knows his schedule already or not, but if it's Ted or Paul, I'm quite excited to see this production again (and will take note of the conductor!)
Oh and... define young. lol.
