Chita at Carnegie Hall

Posted: 11/8/16 at 8:25am

Anyone go?  How was it?

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 9:39am

I went! Hooray for Chita's Carnegie Hall debut!

Unfortunately, the show was not sold out. Plenty of empty seats. I was in the second balcony, right side, box 12 and there were 3 seats next to me. Outside (a few doors down and away from those entering Carnegie Hall) there was a BIG line of people. As I got closer the person at the front was holding a clipboard checking people in a "seat fillers". I love Chita so this was a disappointment to me.

Her show was a typical Chita retrospective of her career right down to the banter and jokes. If you've attended her Birdland show in NYC (October 2014) or a few months ago at the Cafe Carlyle in NYC...it was basically those shows on shuffle. BTW it is also the same BCEFA show performed (and available on DVD) from October 7, 2013: "Chita: A Legendary Celebration DVD Concert" available at http://www.reeltimevideoproduction.com/solo-performers.html

I did not write down the set list but here are some of the highlights and my thoughts:

- Was seriously disappointed that everyone was using handheld mics...especially Chita. Her opening was heavy on Kiss Of The Spiderwoman, complete with the signature dance moves, which compelled her to hold the mic a bit further than it should have been so she wasn't as clear as I would have liked.

- Alan Cumming performed with Chita: 1. "The Apple Doesn't Fall" from The Rink and "Nowadays" from Chicago" - I enjoy Alan and love him in Cabaret but not over enthusiastic about his accent performing these songs. 

- Andy Karl performed a few songs from Bye, Bye Birdie. Not a fan of his. To me he is a weak male performer - though very handsome!

- Itzhak Perlman played his violin for the song "Carousel" from Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. This was by far an amazing WOW of the night. His violin was 'singing' and it was amazing to watch his hands extract those sounds from the instrument. Chita delivered effortlessly. I loved how as the song progressed the stage lighting became as hectic as the song!

- The New York City Gay Men's Chorus joined Chita not only one stage (two deep across the stage) but also 2 men wide in both aisles of the orchestra to sing "Somewhere" from West Side Story. This certainly brought a tear to my eye to hear all those voices! Stunning!

- Javier Muñoz joined Chita to sing "America" from West Side Story...but...(sigh) he brought a new interpretation in a rap (Hamilton style) that even Chita couldn't keep up with so she switched back to the original version. He was clearly enjoying it but it was obvious she was trying to make it work. She even make a joke about it to the audience that she messed it up (which is fine in my opinion). 

- Brandon Victor Dixon was supposed to appear and an insert in the program said he could not make it.

- Stevie Van Zandt was at the very end of the night. Laugh at me...it was so memorable that I don't even remember what song he performed with her.

Chita also did a 3 song medley from The Visit.

- The final song performed is an absolute favorite of mine and I was thrilled that it was done "Sweet Happy Life"

Chita still puts on one hell of a show. She moved and performed the entire show without any effort!

BTW kudos to Chita's personal assistant Rosie Bentinck who popped out of the wings several times before the show and during the curtain call to take pictures of the audience with a cell phone! She didn't just hang an arm out. She stepped out, paused, held the camera up, thoughtfully framed the picture and took it. HA!

[Trish2]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 9:52am

Updated On: 11/8/16 at 09:52 AM

[haterobics]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 10:08am

Who was the "special surprise guest"?

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 10:14am

Believe it was Itzhak Perlman.

[Trish2]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 10:21am

Chita was stunning as usual-a true star. At 83 she commanded that stage, and didn't seem the least bit nervous considering the celebrity filled crowd.

I echo alot of your sentiments, but will add that the most unforgivable thing of the evening was the sound design. Why would you put a woman of her age in front of an orchestra that over-powered her voice? A one-time event and they couldn't do better than that?  Much of her patter was also lost. A star of her magnitude deserved much better.

#ChitaForPresident

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 10:54am

wow thank you Trish2... I thought it was me! Yes the sound design SUCKED. I am very familiar with both the lyrics and her patter and was struggling to hear her! Loved that she had a nice size orchestra but a handheld mic!? She wasn't making love to the mic enough to have her voice picked up all that well. It did get better as the night progressed but that was in part due to her putting the mic in the stand. Because she is so animated with her movements - her head in particular turning left/right for fantastic effect - the mic wasn't moving with her mouth! So on occasion shE HAD THIS EFfect where sHE WAS GOing in and OUT.

[BrodyFosse123]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 2:07pm

I was there last night.  Having only seen Chita in every musical she's been in since 1975 (first time was CHICAGO when I was 10 years old), this was my first time seeing her "live" in a concert presentation.  It was simply magical and last night was one of the many recent reminders of why I love living in NYC and my love of musical theater since I was a young kid.  Hearing her perform a large chunk of her stage material was fantastic, especially seeing her at her age slowly drop into that Fosse booty-pop and do his original "All That Jazz" choreography.  I was in the 3rd row so I had no sound issues whatsoever - I even heard her asides to her dancers and the guest performers.   From my view when I turned around to see the rest of the house, it looked like a packed house.  

NOTE: the highlights video BWW just posted is horrible.  The clips are from the encore portion of her show and not from the actual show.  Also, she only wore that tuxedo for the last half of her show (post "Somewhere" from WEST SIDE STORY).  She opened and did the majority of her show in a short red fringed suit/skirt ensemble.   

[Brian07663NJ]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 3:00pm

LOVED her red skirt and jacket with tails for the first half of the show!

Yes, it did look packed at a glance. In the balcony sections the second row and usually third rows had scattered seats. Orchestra was full.

If you never saw Chita - this is what a dynamic performer is capable of doing regardless of her age! She is truly Broadway royalty and a real legend. 

 

[evic]

Posted: 11/8/16 at 5:37pm

I have seen Chita live in concert several times..and most of her theater shows...consummate performer.....dazzling....but why oh why did she have Alan Cumming as a guest?- I detest him.  Great in Cabaret and repulsive in everything else.