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| Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 11:48 am EST 01/05/19 | |
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| I tried to see Ms Benanti in MFL just after Christmas, but she was still out. I have a free night tonight, so checked for tickets - but the site says she is not performing this evening. Does anyone know if its the same illness, or something new? | |
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| re: Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? | |
| Posted by: Ashe 09:44 am EST 01/06/19 | |
| In reply to: Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? - NewtonUK 11:48 am EST 01/05/19 | |
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| Laura has an autoimmune disease, which can greatly impact how quickly you recover from an illness. I think she is just coming back slowly as to not run herself down and get sick again. I’m planning to see the show in early Feb, but I do hope she extends! | |
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| re: Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? | |
| Posted by: mikem 04:55 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
| In reply to: Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? - NewtonUK 11:48 am EST 01/05/19 | |
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| From the posts on BWW, it seems that this is the same illness. She only started coming back a few days ago, and only did one of the two shows on the last 2-show day. | |
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| re: Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? | |
| Posted by: maryd186 07:37 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? - mikem 04:55 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
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| A few questions, and from one who has next to zero knowledge about how things work: 1) Is it reasonable to think that Laura won't be doing any more two show days? There are 31 days left on her contract and 43 performances. 2) Would an official announcement be made at some point if this is the case? 3) Can an announcement be made without naming who will be doing the evening shows on Wednesdays and Saturdays, or would Kerstin Anderson be named as the alternate for those performances as well? 4) Can Heather Botts also be named as a permanent alternate? 5) Does anyone think that Laura will extend? I have a difficult time thinking that she will at this point. | |
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| This afternoon | |
| Posted by: AC126748 09:45 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
| In reply to: re: Laura Benanti - still ill, or ...? - maryd186 07:37 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
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| I was at Lincoln Center this afternoon, seeing THE HARD PROBLEM. Benanti was not listed as out on the understudy board. (Allan Corduner and Jordan Donica were both out, though). Since her alternate/understudy usually isn’t on Saturdays, I take that to mean she performed today’s matinee. | |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: Michael_Portantiere 09:35 am EST 01/06/19 | |
| In reply to: This afternoon - AC126748 09:45 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
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| Christian Dane White was announced to officially replace Jordan Donica as of Jan. 8, but maybe that started earlier? | |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: AC126748 09:54 am EST 01/06/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - Michael_Portantiere 09:35 am EST 01/06/19 | |
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| Donica may have already left the show -- I'm not sure -- but it wasn't White performing at the matinee yesterday. It was the understudy. | |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: maryd186 11:00 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
| In reply to: This afternoon - AC126748 09:45 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
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| She has been performing in the matinees on two show days, but not the evening shows. Telecharge had it on their site that she was not performing tonight. | |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: NewtonUK 09:02 am EST 01/06/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - maryd186 11:00 pm EST 01/05/19 | |
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| I love Ms Benanti as a performer. And I look forward to seeing her in MFL. I wonder if part of the issue is that she really doesnt seem to be a classic Broadway soprano, with those clear high notes. For me this was an issue in SHE LOVES ME, and could possibly cause vocal problems in this show as well? Julie Andrews and Barbara Cook seem to have had very different vocal skills. | |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: AC126748 08:21 am EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - NewtonUK 09:02 am EST 01/06/19 | |
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| It's not a terribly high role though. I haven't looked at the score in a while, but I think Eliza's highest note is a G (at the end of "I Could Have Danced All Night"). Julie Andrews was the kind of singer who could make a G sound like a C. Benanti, much as I like her, has always sounded effortful when singing legit. | |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 09:43 am EST 01/08/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - AC126748 08:21 am EST 01/08/19 | |
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| When you're evaluating this role, it's not enough to just look at the high notes. You also have to look at the guttural low stuff, the speaking, and the screaming. Over the course of an evening, it's a lot to put a voice through, even a highly trained one, which is why Maria Callas, of all people, said to Andrews backstage that she couldn't understand how she could do it every night. In addition to Andrews, Melissa Errico and Cheryl Kennedy also developed vocal issues in this role, with Kennedy, if I remember correctly, having to drop out of her Broadway revival right before opening night. Errico missed a large portion of her production's pre-Broadway tour. I think Martine McCutcheon also had problems in last big West End revival...I seem to remember hearing that she missed a lot of performances. |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: JereNYC (JereNYC@aol.com) 12:40 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - NewtonUK 09:02 am EST 01/06/19 | |
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| Julie Andrews did, in fact, have problems sustaining the role over the long term, mainly due to the way it's written. I believe it's been written by her or others that the vocal issues that came to a head during VICTOR/VICTORIA had their roots as far back as her extended runs in MFL. Andrews made her appearance in CAMELOT contingent on that role being an easier sing. |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: Drew288 01:19 pm EST 01/06/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - NewtonUK 09:02 am EST 01/06/19 | |
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| I'm not sure what you mean by this - Benanti is unapologetically a legit soprano. This role is totally in her wheelhouse! | |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Posted by: mikem 09:57 am EST 01/06/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - NewtonUK 09:02 am EST 01/06/19 | |
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| People who have seen her on BWW say that she's sick (sniffling). She's posted on Instagram that she is not doing both shows on two-show days until her doctor says it's okay, and it seems like she's doing the matinees on those days rather than the evening. I really want to see her in this show, and I hope she gets better soon. |
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| re: This afternoon | |
| Last Edit: maryd186 04:57 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| Posted by: maryd186 04:54 pm EST 01/07/19 | |
| In reply to: re: This afternoon - mikem 09:57 am EST 01/06/19 | |
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| Per the Telecharge and LCT sites Laura is performing Tuesday night, 1/8, but not Wednesday night, 1/9. | |
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