I find it curious that Eder is crucified by some for her acting in J&H, which was her first broadway show years and years ago, and it had far more problems than her performance, but Melissa Errico in Dracula gave a far worse performance but she is highly regarded. I've said it before..if Dracula were Errico's first show on broadway, would she be crucified like Eder? I doubt it because IMO, theres this jealousy surrounding Eder from wannabe singers/actors(and their boyfriends) because of her connection with Wildhorn and her ability to land roles because of him.
Actually, Eder was quite good in CC at Goodspeed. Her weekend Palace concert was excellent and the fact that shes able to continually sell out NYC venues with only one broadway show to her credit says a lot to me. She's singing new songs which show a jazzier edge and her breathtaking take on "What are you doing the rest of your life" should win over her open-minded detractors who say she doesn't act out her songs or emote enough. Actually the concert was full of emotion and she was wiping away tears at the end. Heres the Variety review of her Palace concert:
Linda Eder at the Palace
By ROBERT L. DANIELS
Following a Disney decade at Broadway's Palace Theater with the long-run family tuners "Beauty and the Beast" and "Aida," the legendary house returns to vaudeville with holiday concert presentations by Vanessa Williams and Linda Eder. The latter did a striking two-day stand for a capacity audience, presenting a voice possessing slivers of Garland grit and Streisand savvy in addition to a genuinely warming personal-ity.
Eder's voice is big and warm, and her supportive fan base greeted her enthusiastically.
The diva, on a stage banked with poinsettia plants, reprised several of her trademark tunes, laced with Broad-way standards "Just in Time" and Cy Coleman's prediction "The Best Is Yet to Come."
A nine-piece band that stretched across the Palace stage sounded much bigger than it was, adding thundering accompaniment to Eder's galloping take on "Man of La Mancha (I, Don Quixote)." From composer-husband Frank Wildhorn's trunk came her repertoire staple "Vienna," here augmented by a sprawling 34-voice choir. The piece rises and churns with poetic majesty.
Eder also offered a melodically teasing preview of Wildhorn's tunertuner "Camille Claudel," about the sculptor who was the lover of Auguste Rodin; show previewed at Goodspeed last year.
Singer tapped both her Atlantic showtune CD "Broadway My Way" (for "Edelweiss," among others) and her disc "Christmas Stays the Same."
Second act featured the sprawling choir's backup, with the accent on seasonal carols and songs. Choral assist added rich flavor to familiar tunes "O Holy Night," "Ave Maria" and "Silent Night," with arrangements that put a fresh sheen on tradition. "The Little Drummer Boy," in particular, featured a boldly funky base that was infec-tiously rhythmic.
Like Williams, Eder closed with the holiday benedictory "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" and a bow to record-breaking Palace trouper Judy Garland.
Updated On: 12/21/04 at 02:00 PM
