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Aimee
aimeejmc
17 June 2009 @ 11:54 pm
Chess in Concert  
Joe didn't know it was on and it's his most very favorite musical ever. So, instead of watching more season 7 West Wing, I surprised him Chess in Concert.

I've only ever heard the music, and really only a couple of songs at that. Obviously "One Night in Bankok" and the angsty-girl songs.

I really loved it. A lot. Barb - I finally get it about Josh Groban. Never did until tonight. I bow to your knowledge.

I loved Adam, as per usual...have ever since "one Song Glory" from Rent.

As for my girl, my love, Idina Menzel ... well, I have to be honest. I kind of prefer Elaine Paige. Elaine just belts it out so much richer and more ... I don't know -- womanly?? Elaine plays it so much stronger and with much more agency - to use a word my friends are fond of. Yeah, she got caught up in love and the romance of defecting Russian lover and what not, buther realization is much more cynical than Idina's portrayal came off. In particular on "Nobody's Side" (which is now my favorite musical song).

Now, I know it was just a concert and not a true performance of the show - it is one I'd LOVE to see a revival of on Broadway - so I might not be being fair to fair Idina. But I just like Elaine's voice quality better for this show. Idina was PERFECT for Wicked and Rent. But I think the role for Florence, you need a more cynical, adult, and much richer voice.

Thoughts?
 
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Sowilo[info]sowilo on June 18th, 2009 04:37 am (UTC)
Ever since I heard Stephanie Block in the tour of Wicked, I've found Idina's voice lacking. It can be beautiful and powerful, but it lacks a richness and tone that I've heard so many other places.
Aimee[info]aimeejmc on June 18th, 2009 04:43 am (UTC)
I do like Stephanie Block a lot. And I llike her Elphaba. Idina was my First Elphaba, and so I'm kinda in love with her. Like how there is No Other Phantom besides Cholm (Cohlm?) because he's who I saw first.

And because I hate Michael Crawford.
Barbara Caridad Ferrer[info]fashionista_35 on June 18th, 2009 11:42 am (UTC)
Colm Wilkinson.

The original Jean Valjean too. And you should hear his recording of the concept album of Jeckyll and Hyde with Linda Eder. (Who come to think of it, would have made a GREAT Florence, back in the day...)
java[info]truejavachik on June 18th, 2009 05:21 am (UTC)
The bonus of seeing Idina Menzel in Wicked (in London) was that her lovely husband was sitting behind me. I barely saw the show...
Sowilo[info]sowilo on June 18th, 2009 05:22 am (UTC)
Stephanie Block was the first one I saw live, and her voice gave me shivers during The Wizard and I. Idina was nice, but that's it.
ste_noni[info]ste_noni on June 18th, 2009 08:48 am (UTC)
I missed it because it was not on TV here (of course!). Anyway, Chess is one of my favorite musicals. I used to listen to "Nobody's Side" really, really loud in my 20s - I was going through a thing.

Hopefully, I'll see it via internet or something sometime soon.
Sophia Prester[info]sophiap on June 18th, 2009 09:49 am (UTC)
I adore "Nobody's Side." Adore.
Barbara Caridad Ferrer: Chess2[info]fashionista_35 on June 18th, 2009 11:40 am (UTC)
So glad you got to see it-- I'm in New York and was in meetings all evening, so I have it Tivo'd-- but I had already been listening to the recording and I caught a little bit of Act II last night and I have to say, I think Idina was the weakest link of the major players. (I loved Marti Pellow as the Arbiter!-- he was so sinister.)

The thing about Idina is her voice was a little thin for this score and she has some affectations that bugged me. And frankly, her timing is off, musically speaking, especially in "I Know Him So Well." She was using that breathless, slightly frantic quality that was so effective as Elpheba, but not so much for Florence. (Kerry Ellis who played Svetlana was Idina's replacement for Elpheba on the West End, so interesting symmetry there.) And this is probably going to sound somewhat shallow, but facial expressions while singing-- were too exaggerated. It was distracting.

But Adam was great as Freddie (talk about cynicism) and the bits I've heard Josh sing are wonderful, so I can't wait to sit and watch the whole thing. So glad you get my giddiness now! Hee!