Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?- Page 2
Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Doogie
Broadway Star Joined: 8/4/03
#25re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 7:36pm
what I think the question is is who could hold their own as a classically trained singer at the met. That really discounts Gravitte, Murney, even Benanti, all of whom are fabulously talented singers, but really too "pop"-y. I doubt Cohenour (again, she is FABULOUS, FABULOUS, FABULOUS) could make herself heard unamplified in a 5,000 seat house like the Met. She isn't an opera singer. She is one of our best theatre singers.
Clark MAY be able to do it, and perhaps Chenoweth. But that isn't where their greatest talents lie, so why make them do it?
I wouldn't want Deborah Voigt in Piazza.
Asking this question is akin to asking which dancer would be a great track runner. Two different animals.
nomdeplume
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/05
#26re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:19pm
I do understand what you're saying, Doogie and best12bars, but remember I am talking about the "new" form of opera, closer to musical theatre, that is being considered. It would be a challenge to see whose voices carry well enough in the Met Opera House, but it does have wonderful acoustics.
Thanks so much, jo, for all the info re Michael Ball and the Opera. I think he deserves a Tony nom for his wonderful performance in Woman in White and I hope he is back on our stages QUICKLY to delight us yet again.
#27re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 8:24pmAudra McDonald all the way!
"You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it."
To Kill A Mockingbird
To Kill A Mockingbird
jsg03jd
Broadway Star Joined: 11/24/04
#28re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/11/06 at 11:13pm
Audra McDonald's voice will surely carry at the Met. Maybe Kristin Chenoweth a la La Battle.
Also think the voice of the last Carlotta I saw in POTO, Anne Runolfsson, should carry at the Met. I liked the purity of her voice and its agility. I wished she had pushed the Christine I saw that night (Julie Hanson) offstage and for Runolfsson to have taken over the part.
Al Dente
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#29re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 12:56amOrfeh could easily sing at the Met. Some years ago, I saw her at the Garden at a Knicks game singing the Nat'l Anthem and her mic went out. Didn't stop or throw her and the crowd went wild. Shuler Hensley, definitely. Dont' know about O'Hara or Murney.
TheEnchantedHunter
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/27/05
#30re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:08am
"I think the chances of any of these commissions actually playing the MET are very slim."
Bingo, Barihunk. You nailed that one down. Never the twain shall meet.
Ensign Lisa Minnelli
French Polynesia
#31re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:13am
Laura Benanti and Patti Cohenour couldn't sing at the Met and Victoria Clark could? what?
"People have their opinions and that doesn't mean that their opinions are wrong or right. I just take it with a grain of salt because opinions are like as*holes, everyone has one".
-Felicia Finley-
Doogie
Broadway Star Joined: 8/4/03
#32re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 2:03am
I am NOT talking about their talent, vocally or otherwise, muscle.
I'm not saying Vicki could, she MAY be able to, but she is MUCH closer to the sound major opera houses look for than either Cohenour or Benanti.
AS I have said before, I LOVE Patti Cohenour and Laura is one of my favorite performers.
Al Dente, on WHAT planet would Orfeh ever be commisioned to sing an opera at the MET? I like her too, but her voice isn't remotely appropriate. Orfeh is a blow the walls off the place theatre/pop singer. Nothing she has displayed so far indicates a MET type voice.
Updated On: 5/12/06 at 02:03 AM
iliketheater
Broadway Star Joined: 12/10/05
#33re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 2:08am
I agree with most of the performers you all have said, (Cheno, Stokes, Mazzie, cast members from POTO, and Les Miz*) but I think this work has Audra written all over it. She's always talking about new work, and has recently performed two Operas (we all know she can handle the MT stage 
). Does anyone know for sure if she was mic'd for 'Send, (Who Are You? I Love You)' and 'The Human Voice (La Voix Humaine)'? I think she was, but I'm not sure.
iliketheater
Broadway Star Joined: 12/10/05
#34re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 2:10am
I'm so intrigued by this.. I have to post again!
Now, don't attack me for this, but I'm (sadly) not at all familiar with Lea Solanga's voice. I know that she played Eponine and that she's a great talent. Do we think she could handle this project?
#35re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:39am
Patti Cohenour
Cass Morgan
Lisa Brescia
Isabelle Corradi (of Cirque du Soleil fame, currently in Varekai)
I love America. Just because I think gay dudes should be allowed to adopt kids and we should all have hybrid cars doesn't mean I don't love America.
[turns and winks directly into the camera]
- Liz Lemon (Tina Fey) on 30 Rock
IssaMe
Broadway Star Joined: 5/15/03
#36re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 7:38amThere is ONE who actually has done both - Broadway musicals and who is a reigning opera superstar around the world (and he sure is currently in the news) - Jerry Hadley.
Al Dente
Broadway Legend Joined: 7/22/03
#37re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 8:31am
Doogie, did the original poster not say something about "new opera" Or am I completely mistaken? I did not think this was a thread about singing traditional opera but people who's voices could carry at the MET. If I'm correct, then I stand behind my choice. If not, than I *still* stand behind Hensley.
Updated On: 5/12/06 at 08:31 AM
#38re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 9:36am
iliketheatre - Audra MacDonald was mic'd for her double bill at HGO. And that was with the orchestra placed behind her onstage at the smaller (1,000 seat) Wortham Theatre. She is apparently on the books to sing in the MET premiere of John Adams' "Doctor Atomic" in 2008-2009 and Chenoweth is still rumored to debut in 2009-2010 in "Ghosts of Versailles". So we will be able to judge for ourselves in a few years.
IssaMe - while Mr. Hadley has recorded "Candide" and "My Fair Lady", I believe he has yet to actually bow on the Great White Way... many opera singers have "crossed over" in this fashion (Doming, TeKanawa, Carreras, Ramey, Swenson, the list goes on and on)... but very few (Pinza, Tozzi, Stratas, Resnick come to mind) opera singers have actually performed on Broadway.
"When you're a gay man, you have to feel good about yourself when a urologist says, "Yeah. I pick you". - Happy Endings
twogaab2
Broadway Star Joined: 5/19/03
#39re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 10:02amGet real-Audra McDonald perhaps with some work. No one else without intense amplification. These voices are just not trained this way. Period.
TWOGAAB
"A Class Act" will never die!
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#40re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 11:12am
Most definitely Brian Charles Rooney.
One of the most impressive male (and female) vocals I've heard in a long time.
#41re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 11:18am
I would love to see Shuler sing at the Met.
And Al Dente, I think what you're (and the original poster) saying about "new opera" is really interesting. Orfeh CERTAINLY has the vocal chops to do something like that.
Corine2
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/14/03
#42re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 11:25am
Here is my list:
Men: Brent Barrett
Matt Morrison
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Eric Comstock (Cabaret Off Broadway performer)
Brian Charles Rooney (His Soprano )
Female:
Chenoweth
La Chanze
Felicia P. Fields
Donna Murphy
Jennifer Simard
Susan Egan
Kelli O'Hara
Updated On: 5/12/06 at 11:25 AM
nomdeplume
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/05
#43re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:07pm
I saw Jerry Hadley do Stravinsky's The Rake's progress with Dawn Upshaw (sat next to her agent actually) at the Met, Sam Ramey in the devil role, and it was incredible. Though Stravinsky is for an educated palate. Half the audience walked out and the remaining half of us was on our feet for a lengthy and enthusiastic standing ovation. I didn't know Hadley also did musical theatre--has he been in any Broadway shows?
One of the differences crossover performers would face is that musical theatre is 8 shows a week, versus one day on and at least two off for opera. Granted, the opera singing is more demanding, though if you have an operatic role in a musical, I don't know how they handle the strain of eight shows a week.
#44re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:28pmKristin Chenoweth IS going to be singing at the MET in the 2008-2009 season. She's making her debut there in'The Ghosts of Versailles.'
-Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.
#45re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:36pmcooperross - "Ghosts" is slated for the 2009-2010 season and at this point no casting beyond Angela Gheorghiu in the role of Marie Antoinette has been confirmed.
"When you're a gay man, you have to feel good about yourself when a urologist says, "Yeah. I pick you". - Happy Endings
jsg03jd
Broadway Star Joined: 11/24/04
#46re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:39pmDon't forget that the Met does not use synthesizers, amplifiers and other electric musical instruments like Broadway houses do. After all, operas were not written w/ such instruments in mind, and, consequently, the balancing problems between voices and the orchestra are not the same at an opera house as they are in a 21st century Broadway theater. So, it's conceivable that Broadway singers, when they don't have to compete w/ electric instruments that are amplified a million times, can sing w/ a reasonably sized orchestra at the Met.
#47re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:55pmBarihunk..Cheno herself announced that she would be making her MET debut in 2 years in 'Ghosts' when she was on Tavis Smiley's show a couple of weeks ago.
-Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.
#48re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 1:59pm
Cooper - not to call Ms. Chenoweth a liar over 1 year - but from the Metropolitan Opera's official press release:
"The Met plans to complement commissioning efforts with presentations of contemporary operas. During the 2008-09 season, The Met will produce John Adams’ Doctor Atomic, staged by Peter Sellars in a revised version of the production first seen in San Francisco last fall. John Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles, a Met commission first seen in 1991 (and revived three seasons later), returns during the 2009-10 season."
http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/news/detail.aspx?id=165
"When you're a gay man, you have to feel good about yourself when a urologist says, "Yeah. I pick you". - Happy Endings
Updated On: 5/12/06 at 01:59 PM
#49re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 2:02pm
well..I just looked at the transcript and she said 'a couple of years' so that could mean 2 or whatever..
Transcript of Tavis Smiley intv
-Politics is like driving. To go backward, put it in R. To go forward, put it in D.
