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re: More to the 'West Side' story
Posted by: tenor1350 11:51 pm EDT 05/25/23
In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 12:09 am EDT 05/25/23

Eldred does sing the high C at the end of the Tonight Quintet, though it's something of a strong mix. Curiously, he takes the lower, Larry Kert alternate notes in Maria. When he very likely could have done the B-flat...
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re: More to the 'West Side' story
Posted by: AlanScott 07:10 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - tenor1350 11:51 pm EDT 05/25/23

Thanks. I remember that, now that you mention it. It is odd. Perhaps it's because the recording is supposedly presenting the original version. Even though Kert almost certainly did not take the high C, it is perhaps not so definite if you're relying on the cast recording to give the answer.
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re: More to the 'West Side' story
Posted by: PlayWiz 08:02 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - AlanScott 07:10 pm EDT 05/26/23

Wasn't the story that Larry Kert was hired among other cast members at first as one of the Jets and only found out after being cast (or perhaps at rehearsal) that he had been cast as Tony, the male lead? The creative powers might have felt differently about such things as demanding a high C or sustained Bbs if he had auditioned specifically for Tony and prepared, say, a difficult tenor aria. But apparently they thought he had the right quality for the role that those high notes weren't required of him after all, with Bernstein's approval.
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re: More to the 'West Side' story
Posted by: AlanScott 08:18 pm EDT 05/26/23
In reply to: re: More to the 'West Side' story - PlayWiz 08:02 pm EDT 05/26/23

He is listed as a possible Tony on the list of auditionees dated May 16, 1957, which is out there. Maybe it first appeared on the NYPL digital gallery? Not sure, but it's out there.

I think early on he might have been thought of more for Riff than Tony. Anyway, he definitely knew before rehearsals started that he was Tony as it was mentioned in the Herald Tribune on June 3, 1957.
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