camille claudel let-down

[mh]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 10:04am

So, according to Linda Eder, the musical Camille Claudel will probably never reach Broadway. This is a great shame.

Is it likely to tour the U.S. or not ? I realise that Eder will never appear in a tour of a show that is not scheduled to reach New York, but what about another performer in the role ? There must be someone with that same sort of powerful voice to play the part.

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 10:10am

All I can say is Thank God! Eder is overrated. That song "Gold" is so sicky sweet it rots my teeth. Any small step to keep Frank off broadway is a step in the right direction. You know there is a reason Eder has been on broadway only once. (mostly because she couldn't act her way out of a wet paper bag)

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 10:43am

Wow, to go so far as to insult someone that badly, you must be an AMAZING TALENT! At least, I hope you are...

-Vincent

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 10:48am

is this the beginning, yet again, of that stupid argument that in order to have a negative opinion about a performer or a show, you better have amazing talent in order to express it?

[Loge]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 10:49am

No doubt. Carl, what did you win your Tony for?

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 11:06am

This has nothing to do with winning tony's. This has to do with being forced to sit through that women's "performance" in JandH. This has to do with realizing what a real actress is after seeing countless legends. This has to do with having a degree in acting and studying what a true actor/actress is. Whether I have talent or not is not a valid argument. Hell Eder even admits acting isn't her strong point, and trust me she's right!


And as far as Wildehorn. Go listen to Sweeney Todd and then try to argue that Wildehorn isn't a hack!

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 11:24am

If we compared every show's music to that of SWEENEY TODD, everything would suck. You can't judge things like that. And I definitely disagree with you about Linda's performance in JEKYLL AND HYDE - I thought she was fantastic in it. Her last performance in J&H was the hardest thing in town to get tickets to - you couldn't find them on Ebay even if you tried. That's not really a testament to her talent, more just her popularity, but so many people thought she was sensational in that show. Or maybe you were just comparing her performance to Angela Lansbury's in SWEENEY TODD, and THAT'S why you thought she was so awful - since according to you that's how we should judge things.

[iluvtheatertrash]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 11:28am

'Sweeney Todd' is not the only Broadway musical. Let's remember that.

Linda Eder, although not an incredible actress, is a very talented woman. The part didn't call for much acting so give her the credit for her ability to steal the show. She is hardly the actress you make her out to be, Carl. And when you're up there belting out 'Someone Like You', you can come back here and tell us she's terrible.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 11:54am

"And when you're up there belting out 'Someone Like You', you can come back here and tell us she's terrible."

there's that stupid argument again...

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 11:56am

Well, I study performance as well. However, when I don't like someone, I'm never quit as mean about it...and I always preface it with it being just my opinion, because opinions always differ. I just can't stand when people judge as if they could do leagues better...

-Vincent

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 12:00pm

it's funny... i didn't get that feeling from Carl's post at all... i took as an opinion... nowhere in his post did he say he could do any better (or any worse for that matter)... why should it be prefaced by stating it's an opinion? do you really need that much help? or are you just upset that his opinion differs from yours, and that YOURS is right? i tend to agree with him about her acting ability... i think she is an AMAZING singer, and have said so from when i first saw her on Star Search many many years ago... but her acting, IN MY OPINION, leaves much to be desired...

And as far as "The part didn't call for much acting so give her the credit for her ability to steal the show.", that statement seems to imply that the show was more a stage performance for her than an attempt to tell a story with her portraying a character... if you meant it the other way around, then that's the fault of the writer... Updated On: 12/21/04 at 12:00 PM

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 12:16pm

Thank you Joey. This is all opinion. To each his own. Maybe I'm just spoiled because I was raised on the legends. But I am sorry my OPINION of her performance in J and H can be summed up in my avatar. And no I am not comparing Frank to Sweeney Todd or all musicals for that matter. I have a wide taste in musicals. And in my opinion WIldehorn is a hack. He is a second rate American version of Lloyd Webber. Jesus Christ, you guys would crucify me if you heard my opinion of the music of Jason Robert Brown. And yes after years of studying acting I hope I am a better actor than Linda is an actress. But hey I'm not sleeping with the composer.

[joeyjoe]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 12:17pm

neither is Linda... any more...

[Carl Magnum]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 12:19pm

true. Maybe she got sick of her vehicles not making it to broadway any more. And as far as her voice, while not really my personal fave, hey she's no Bette, I do prefer her version of "Don't Rain on My Parade"

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 12:28pm

I love her version of MAN OF LA MANCHA and THE BELLS OF ST PAUL on her Xmas CD...I love her voice.

[bronxboundexpress]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 1:00pm

Does anyone think the Linda Eder-Frank Wildhorn story is almost the same thing as the Sarah Brightman-Lloyd Webber story? The composer lets his wife be the diva even though they can't act. You know what I mean.

[Peter]

Posted: 12/21/04 at 2:00pm

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

[broadwayjules]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 8:29pm

"neither is Linda... any more... "

That was certainly in poor taste.

[Expressboy69]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:02pm

I personally love Linda Eder

BUT

COME ON!!! Do not make a big deal if someone did not add an "In My Opinion" to what they said, lets use our brains here! If it is not an opinion what else is it? a fact? BUT then my dear friends you could also argue he didn't say "this is a fact." So please stop, because we all know what assuming does...

OMG I ALMOST FORGOT...this is just MY OPINION!!! :P

[Ebonic_Singer]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:22pm

I happen to love linda eder. I'm seeing her in January in concert. I haven't seen her act thoguh, so I can't put in my two cents in that aspect.

[redhotinnyc2]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 10:32pm

Whoa...OK, I need to weigh in here. This is JUST MY OPINION (lest someone jump on me for stating it as though it were a fact - you silly children): I think, first of all, that Linda Eder has a phenomenal instrument - she can do vocal pyrotechnics unlike just about any other female voice in the business. But she simply cannot act. not one bit. not even a smidge. I've seen her perform many times - both live and taped performances - and if you look into her eyes as she sings - she NEVER connects with a lyric to let you know what the emotion is behind it. OH yes - she hits those money notes, but thats IT. I can't even listen to recordings of her anymore because her lack of connection to the lyric makes it so hard to enjoy what she COULD do if she was good enough (or tried harder). I'll take someone who can't sing as well but who can act ANY DAY over a great singer who has no idea what he or she is singing about.
Thats my two cents on the subject.

[rockfenris2005]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 10:45pm

What I want to know is: Camille Claudel? It was meant to have been a glorious score - music and lyrics - and now they've cancelled it? And now Frank is working on Scott & Zelda and Frankenstein, with the full knowledge they WON'T be going to Broadway?? He must know, because CC was meant to be in Broadway next year. The producers have probably had enough. He has made too many mistakes. He should take that to his advantage and conquer the rest of the world. There is more than Broadway :)

[munkustrap178]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:18am

Broadwayjules:

How was that in bad taste? By saying Linda's not sleeping with Frank anymore is in poor taste? They're not married anymore...so it's kind of obvious.

[Peter]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 12:25am

"Thats my two cents on the subject"

Redhot.you've given us your two cents on this subject about a hundred times..save your money..you'll go broke! In fact, you never ever miss an opportunity to give your truly uninformed "two-cents" whenever a Linda Eder thread comes up. Fans will be fans, but when someone continually criticizes someone over and over and over again, maybe its just me, but I'd guess theres something else going on here.

And I'll even accept that you might have had a point a few years back, but I do think if you've seen her in concert over the past couple years even you would have noticed improvement. In fact, have you EVER seen her in concert? I was at her last weekend concert at the Palace and there's no question to me that she's grown a great deal. If critics matter at all, most of them have come around where she's concerned...all of her Christmas concert reviews I've read were raves.

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:49am

I still do not understand the many comments of Linda not being emotional when she sings. She may not be an actress, but she shows incredible emotion when performing. I saw a couple of weeks ago in concert, her connection with the lyric was amazing. She sang a song from Camille called "What's Never Been Done Before" and showed an emotional side I had never seen before. Ask anyone who's seen her perform that song, she went above and beyond connecting with the lyric. Watch her Christmas concert dvd, her emotion is amazing.