Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?- Page 3
Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
nomdeplume
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/20/05
#50re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:10pm
Corine2, I would also like to see Matthew Morrison take the stage at the Met.
He had a very large presence onstage at the Vivian Beaumont and I think he could offer a very thrilling performance at the Opera House.
I think he is the male crossover artist I would most like to see perform there.
His legato is gorgeous.
BSoBW2
Broadway Legend Joined: 12/8/04
#51re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 3:19pm
Corine - Not only to hear Rooney's soprano, but also his gorgeous tenor!
Elphaba43
Broadway Star Joined: 3/27/06
#52re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 4:09pmI think that Linda Eder could sing at the Met. I wouldn't be surprised if she already has sung there! If she hasn't, I'm shocked.
I am a bagel on a plateful of onion rolls. If you know what I'm talking about, good. If you don't, you're on your own!
#53re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 4:17pm
Patti Cohenour
Brian Stokes Mitchell
Aaron Lazar
Kelli O'Hara
Marin Mazzie
The choice may have been mistaken, The choosing was not... "Every day has the potential to be the greatest day of your life." - Lin-Manuel Miranda
musicaltheater1
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/19/05
#54re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 7:13pmLea Salonga!
"I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Oscar Wilde
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
"After silence, that which comes nearest to expressing the inexpressible is music." Aldous Huxley
#55re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 7:29pmOne of the not-so-well-hidden secrets of the MET is that they do discreetly amplify singers who do not have big voices. As much as it is denied by MET management, this has been often discussed on opera queen message boards.
"It does what a musical is supposed to do; it takes you to another world. And it gives you a little tune to carry in your head. Something to take you away from the dreary horrors of the real world. A little something for when you're feeling blue. You know?"
jsg03jd
Broadway Star Joined: 11/24/04
#56re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 8:03pmYou know, if I recall correctly, I think that it was in one of the Usenet groups (is it rec.music.opera?) where I read a long time ago (back when I was in college and just starting to use the Internet--yikes) that Kathleen Battle was miked when she sang at the Met. Not sure now of its accuracy, but I do recall a lot of posters claiming she was amplified. Now, I know Ms. Battle does not have the biggest voice, but what a beautiful lyric soprano she has. I saw her last recital at Carnegie Hall and in that space, her voice was fine because she was accompanied only by a piano. Alas, I never had the fortune of seeing her perform live at the Met.
Doogie
Broadway Star Joined: 8/4/03
#57re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 8:21pmyes, the MET is secretly Mic'd. Good luck finding any physical evidence of the amplification. Hidden VERY carefully.
#58re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/12/06 at 8:42pmi want to hear lea salonga's voice to soar at the Met!
MadelineKahnFan
Chorus Member Joined: 4/26/06
#59re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/13/06 at 7:08pmI think Cyndi Lauper could sing at the met. Without a doubt the great Madeline Kahn could have sung there, she definlty had the range. Shame she never got to star in an opera there, I think it was her choice though. She did do something there once in the 70's or was it the 80's. Its going to be weird seeing someone try to fill her shows in Young Frankenstien.
theevilgumby
Understudy Joined: 9/27/05
#60re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/15/06 at 6:02pm
casts of Les Miz and POTO
brian stokes
michael ball
carolee carmello
Doogie
Broadway Star Joined: 8/4/03
#62re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/15/06 at 6:53pmThe Met IS mic'd. VERY secretly. VEEEEEEEERRRY secretly.
jsg03jd
Broadway Star Joined: 11/24/04
#63re: Which Broadway Singers Could Sing at the Met?
Posted: 5/15/06 at 7:11pm
If Kathleen Battle can sing at the Met, then surely, at the very least, so can Audra McDonald. I've heard both women sing sans amplification at Carnegie Hall and I believe Audra's voice is bigger than Ms. Battle's.
I really don't see a distinction between good classical vocal training with respect to both musical theatre and operatic singers: both kinds of performers must learn how to use their breathing properly and learn the techniques to properly place their voices. Of course, individual voices vary (as mentioned before, some have larger instruments than others -- for every Kathleen Battle, there's a Jessye Norman) as do acoustics of performance halls, but the foundations for healthy singing are basically the same for both musical styles. So, both performers can sing at either the Met or a Broadway house w/ or w/out a microphone, but they must know their capabilities and limitations.
I'll make the point again: opera singers do not sing against amplified electric guitars and keyboard synths. Nor do they sing 8 times a week for that matter. Also, back in the day, Broadway orchestras were smaller, so no microphones were necessary. And some Broadway voices were just naturally robust, e.g., Ethel Merman.
Given the right material, orchestration and number of players in an orchestra, a Broadway singer trained in the classical tradition surely can sing at the Met.
Think about it, as talented as they are, someone like Ms. Gheorghiu or Sumi Jo will have a hard time singing in a show like PHANTOM with its blaring synths (that damn synthesized pipe organ) w/o a microphone 8 times a week. Conversely, Audra will probably blow out her voice if she attempted Pamina or the Queen of the Night in Die Zauberflote w/ or w/out a microphone 8 times a week at the Met as well.
Updated On: 5/15/06 at 07:11 PM
