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#26

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 11:13am

I do both pop and legit singing. Once you're really working hard on it, it's not hard to do both without sounding forced and phony. I just did a VERY operatic musical and, one week later, did a pop score.
It just takes training and effort and a desire to sound like more than Justin Timberlake.
For the record, I do enjoy both styles of sounds and certainly wouldn't want to hear Kiri Te Kanawa sing "Genie in a Bottle" but I think it is possible to adapt your voice to more than one vocal style. There are lots of people out there who are (or will be) capable of doing so. Laura Benanti does it, for one. Michael Arden seems to be doing it. There are other as well.

#27

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 11:19am

bwaysinger, I have a CD of Kiri (who I love as a legit soprano) singing Broadway and standards. It's awful. There are people who can't cross over. It's not an easy thing.

Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson

#28

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 11:22am

Rath - I used to have her My Fair Lady recording (with Jeremy Irons) and it never really worked for me either. And we won't discuss the Bocellis of the world - sometimes, streets are not two-way.

#29

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 11:50am

Bocelli can't do EITHER.

Have I ever shown you my Shattered Dreams box? It's in my Disappointment Closet. - Marge Simpson

#30

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 12:18pm

Umm ALMOST everyone in Phantom of the Opera...almost.

#31

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 1:55pm

I agree about the Te Kanawa MY FAIR LADY. However, I saw/heard her do With One Look from SUNSET BOULEVARD in concert and it was pretty spectacular. Led me to think that an opera singer in the role of Norma Desmond would make perfect sense since the role is one of Hollywood royalty.

#32

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 2:20pm

i knew people were going to name singers who aren't considered legit singers...
i love the "musical theatre" sound, but as far as legit musical theatre performers (crossovers):

Kelli O'Hara
Theresa McCarthy
Audra
Jennifer Holliday (kidding)

i love many people who are considered "darker toned" singers as well:
Michael McElroy
Norm Lewis
Jeff McCarthy

but sometimes the line is fine.

But I won't live alone in a house of regret.

#33

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 2:30pm

What's w/ saying legit singers aren't allowed to belt? Doesn't mean they didnt start out legit. I head one that Lupone started out as a lyric soprano, and she's known as a belter. Ive heard Egan do more than belting.

Rosencrantz: "Be happy - if you're not even HAPPY what's so good about surviving? We'll be all right. I suppose we just go on." - from Tom Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead

#34

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 2:51pm

definitely agree..that's why its a tough question..
a lot of contemporary musical theatre singers are trained classically for technique purposes. i assume the questioner meant solely legit singers...then again, who knows?

But I won't live alone in a house of regret.

#35

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 3:23pm

Have I just missed it, but I have not seen Dawn Upshaw's name on listed yet.

Dawn is an opera singer who has a great "Broadway" sound as well. When she does songs from shows her voice has this angelic flow and the color of her voice is just enchanting. I have always thought that she could nail any of the legit female roles in Broadway's cannon.

Don't believe me? Check out her "Rodgers and Hart" cd(on which Audra makes a special appearance) or the Leonard Berstein, "New York" cd, or the special recording of Gershwin's "Oh Kay".

#36

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 3:32pm

I'm thinking Stephanie J Block can be considered a legit singer. I know that she's been trained classically, and she sounds it too!

I'm not sure if anyone would consider Jennifer Laura Thompson a legit singer. I do though---I've heard her sing all types of music and I find she shines when singing more operatic:
Follow Your Heart
If I Loved You
All songs from Wicked

Just think of how she sounded on the Footloose recording---she's a better classical singer then Pop!

#37

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/28/04 at 3:40pm

Something that needs to be said that hasn't been said yet is that so-called "legit" singing (named that way for the purposes of casting directors so they don't get Adam Pascal vocal types showing up for Anthony Warlow roles) is NOT necessarily "operatic" singing. It just has to have a more universal sound than the pop sound. A more classic sound, if you will. Not necessarily classic-al, just good vocal technique. And by the way, opera singers sing the way they do because of 1% interpretation and 99% necessity. They have to sing that way or else they would never survive the whole opera. There ARE ways to sing in a pop style that aren't too destructive to the voice. Something to keep in mind about this pop-style from contemporary music coming strong into the musical theatre world (maybe taking over?) is that these pop stars have songs written FOR THEM. To suit THEIR VOICE. This way they can sing them with the least amount of strain to their voice. But musical theatre performers are singing music that was written to be appropriate to a CHARACTER, not them specifically. So a good technique, I think, is the most important thing for musical theatre performers, so they can adapt to whatever the composer throws at them. From that technique, personal interpretive choices can be made, such as adding a more pop sound.

Word. Word, indeed.

#38

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 12:14am

I've got to say one thing...

it was mentioned that opera singers sing that way so they can survive the opera. I don't buy it at all. As someone who has done both opera and musical theatre, I am totally 1000% convinced that musical theatre is MUCH harder vocally to do than opera. With opera, you can get by with the legit sound. and youve got MAYBE 3 shows per week (on a busy week). Musical theatre requires 8 shows a week of the same tessitura, and the same vocal demands...only with theatre, youve got to sing with a more open vowel usually, and with varying colors that opera singers dont have to touch. Sure, youve got a mic, but so what...most well-trained musical theatre singers dont need mics anyway...

just had to make that point.

now, as far as legit singing goes...i forgot marc kudish and the chick from sound of music...none of the other names mentioned are legit singers.

#39

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 12:27am

Linda Eder

#40

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 2:14am

James Barbour is very legit...I love his voice in Assassins, heard some on his website, would love to hear even more

#41

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 3:42am

yes some of these are legit my friend.

James Barbour was a good addition..
but:
Kelli O'Hara
Theresa McCarthy
Audra McDonald

are completely legit singers

But I won't live alone in a house of regret.

#42

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 9:30am

Kristen Chenoweth
Jessica Westfeldt
Julie Hanson
John Cudia
Hugh Panaro
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Jennifer Laura Thompson (?)
Hugh Jackman (?)

"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611

#43

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 1:39pm

see i think Jennifer Westfeldt is pretty tragic and i don't think she would be considered legit just because she is a soprano.
and as we talk about crossovers (ppl that do both) - i guess Panaro is considered a crossover b/c of how he sounds in Phantom compared to his sound in Side Show

But I won't live alone in a house of regret.

#44

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 4:24pm

Well, there are a lot of legit singers, but most of them use a blend when they sing...

But more or less, some true legit singers that primarily sing in their head voice as opposed to a blend would be...
Rebecca Luker
Laura Benati
Lisa Vroman
Susan Owen
Kris Koop
Kristin Chenoweth
Pretty much anyone from POTO...

And, a lot of these singers can probably sing with a blend as well.

#45

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 7:14pm

Sorry, Nbrisby, but that's bull crap. Yes, there are considerably less shows to do in opera. But, the songs are MORE difficult in musical theatre?!? Are you insane? Have you sung any Wagner?!? Bizet? Rimsky-Korsakov? Friggin' Mozart?!? Find one song, ANY song in musical theatre that is as difficult as the Queen of the Night aria from The Magic Flute and I will concede. Not that I'm trying to say that one form is better than another, for the love of God, I love them both dearly. But opera singers have devoted their LIVES to their voices. Some opera singers devote their lives to just studying how to sing Wagner!
Robert Preston never even sang! Okay, not an all-encompassing example, but you get the point...

Word. Word, indeed.

#46

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/29/04 at 8:42pm

I'd have to add Marin, Donna Murphy, Marc Kudisch, James Barbour and a few others. Maybe Cerveris....he's right on "the edge".

Everybody goes down well with beer.

#47

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/31/04 at 4:58pm

idina...

#48

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:02pm

one song that is as difficult as Queen of the Night?

The Girl in 14G.

Nuff said.

#49

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:03pm

lol to Idina

#50

re: legit singers

Posted: 8/31/04 at 5:11pm

The Girl in 14G as difficult as the Queen of the Night aria?

Glitter and be Gay, maybe.

"I'm so looking forward to a time when all the Reagan Democrats are dead."

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