Patti LuPone and later Bradley Cooper in Philadelphia

[+ WilliamM]

Verizon Hall:

 

Patti LuPone Sunday, June 9

 

Bernstein's musical "Candide" June 20-22

 

The Philadelphia Orchestra with Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, narrators and the entire cast of the musical .

Edited May 31, 2019 by WilliamM

[bostonman]

Candide...The Philadelphia Orchestra with Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan, narrators and the entire cast of the musical .

 

Narrators AND the entire cast of the musical? God, I hope not. I would hate to think that Cooper and Mulligan were going to sing the whole thing, or even sing at all.

 

Luckily, it does look like a great cast, operatically speaking, starring Erin Morley, Alek Shrader, Kevin Vortmann and William Burden, with Denyce Graves as the single-buttocked Old Lady.

 

I don't really know why one needs "narrators" (or even one narrator) for Candide, when the book makes very little sense anyway lol. But I know, I know, it's this "concert musical" thing (they call them "concerts" even though they are fully staged and designed). That being said, I feel that the overwhelming strength of this piece is Bernstein's magnificent score - no matter which version of the book is used (and I still prefer Lillian Hellman's original, though it's never performed - Hellman herself restricted it after the original run), only the music really shines. Narration is just another way to kill time. (I have seen the show done where Pangloss doubles as a sort of narrator - to me that works a bit better than having people outside the story, like Cooper and Mulligan do it. But still...)

[+ WilliamM]

Narrators AND the entire cast of the musical? God, I hope not. I would hate to think that Cooper and Mulligan were going to sing the whole thing, or even sing at all.

 

Luckily, it does look like a great cast, operatically speaking, starring Erin Morley, Alek Shrader, Kevin Vortmann and William Burden, with Denyce Graves as the single-buttocked Old Lady.

 

I don't really know why one needs "narrators" (or even one narrator) for Candide, when the book makes very little sense anyway lol. But I know, I know, it's this "concert musical" thing (they call them "concerts" even though they are fully staged and designed). That being said, I feel that the overwhelming strength of this piece is Bernstein's magnificent score - no matter which version of the book is used (and I still prefer Lillian Hellman's original, though it's never performed - Hellman herself restricted it after the original run), only the music really shines. Narration is just another way to kill time. (I have seen the show done where Pangloss doubles as a sort of narrator - to me that works a bit better than having people outside the story, like Cooper and Mulligan do it. But still...)

 

Bradley Cooper will sell tickets to those who are aware that "Candide," is far from a major musical. Tickets prices are $300 for all performances. Ugh. That is very, very unusual.

Edited June 1, 2019 by WilliamM

[Rockey]

I've seen Lupone live twice. Both times were awful. Duets with Pantinkin, and her cruise ship schtick. Half the cruise audience walked out right in the middle of her show. I do like her on film or tv. She was very good as the old witch on Penny Dreadful.

[+ WilliamM]

I've seen Lupone live twice. Both times were awful. Duets with Pantinkin, and her cruise ship schtick. Half the cruise audience walked out right in the middle of her show. I do like her on film or tv. She was very good as the old witch on Penny Dreadful.

 

Yes, I am more likely to see "Candide," despite the outrageous ticket prices.

 

I like the musical a lot. And beyond the casts and famous narrators, Yannick Nezet-Seguin and the Philadelphia Orchestra are very important. He has replaced James Levine at the Metropolitan Opera. Yes, I know Levine and his status was reduced before he was fired (but reduced for legitimate health problems).

[bostonman]

And...at least in his capacity with the Philadelphia orchestra, Nezet-Seguin gets to be a just a plain-ol' music director. He's not really the "music director" at the Met - he's the "Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer Music Director." Which I guess means that he actually musical directs Jeanette Lerman-Neubauer?

 

(I know, I know...and we should be very thankful for our donors...but it's beginning to annoy me that on the Met broadcasts, he's constantly referred to with that full title. By this point, you'd think even dowager Jeanette would have said "enough.")

 

As for Lupone (who herself was a formidable "Old Lady" in a Candide concert with the NY Phil some years back), yes, she has some really annoying habits, but she's also a very exciting artist IMO. Like her Evita counterpart Mandy Patinkin, I can appreciate her work and sometimes ignore the quirks - but sometimes the quirks do really get in the way.

[+ WilliamM]

With the exception of Elaine Stritch, Broadway performers in concert seem to be bit lost on national tours.

[+ WilliamM]

"Candide" Philadelphia Orchestra, June 21, 2019.

 

Yannick Nezet-Seguin plays himself until Denyce Graves said "go back to waving your arms!"

 

Despite Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan the plot is still very confusing. I was sitting close to the stage, a huge plus because most of the cast was always on stage, but the dialogue scene we're fine for the male voices, less so for the women - too bad the sound was not adjusted.

 

High points: Alek Shrader as Candide; Erin Morley singing Glitter and Be Gay; Denyce Graves as The Old Lady; Timothy McDevitt as Maximilian; Kevin Vortmann as Pangloss seem to have little impact in this staging.

 

Was it worth such high ticket prices: yes, for me.

 

Bradley Cooper had the final words when he spoke to the audience, "any questions?"

Edited June 22, 2019 by WilliamM

[bostonman]

Despite Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan the plot is still confusing.

 

Despite all performers who have done productions of the show since 1956, the plot will always be confusing, lol.

[edjames]

She may have been with Bradley in Philly but today's NYPost reports:

 

Patti LuPone spotted on the subway

You wouldn’t expect to find Broadway icon Patti LuPone on the subway — but she was spotted on Friday on the 1 train with freshly crowned Tony winner Santino Fontana, the star of “Tootsie.”

 

They were joined by award-winning composer Joseph Thalken. Fontana — who won Best Actor in a Musical — posted a photo of the trio, making a pun on LuPone’s famous “Evita” role by writing: “Don’t cry for me, Local One Train. Only in NY.”

[+ WilliamM]

 

The cast of "Candide" with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

[bostonman]

 

The cast of "Candide" with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

 

This looks dreadful. Is this Candide or Bring It On?

[+ WilliamM]

This looks dreadful. Is this Candide or Bring It On?

 

 

To be fair, the performance was much too long with added jokes and asides.

 

Once again, the audience came for the music and lyrics not the staging.

Edited June 25, 2019 by WilliamM