I have the recent Terfel/Thompson on my DVR waiting for a chance to watch. Terfel’s not my favorite, but I have decent expectations.
My favorite rendition was at Opera Theatre of St. Louis two years ago, with Rod Gilfry and Karen Ziemba. The asylum patients escaping into the audience and delivering “City on Fire” in surround sound was particularly effective.
The movie was generally bland and delivered almost universally execrable performances. And the omission of “The Ballad of Sweeney Todd” is one of the greatest sins ever perpetuated against musical theater.
I don’t know for how long it will be there, but the entire production is currently on YouTube.
The first six minutes, when it transforms from concert to concert/play hybrid, will likely tell you whether you'll enjoy it.
There’s not a weak performance in the lot (though I’ll admit I’m not a huge Christian Borle fan- he plays Pirelli), but a few are standouts.
Audra McDonald is, of course, at least 3/4 divine, and I was surprised she took a role as secondary as the beggar woman, but she makes you notice it like nobody ever has before and acts it as well as she sings it.
The kid who plays Tobias is phenomenal; I’m glad they went with an actual teenager, and he is phenomenal in the Miracle Elixir number.
Philip Quast is the most terrifying Turpin yet (drives home his religious mania and his lust) and the Beadle (an actor I’m not familiar with) is at least his equal.
And Jay Armstrong Johnson- damn, I’m not gay or anything but I’d drink that boy’s bathwater.
Bless you; recording it now. Casting Audra McDonald, as lovely as she is in other musical theater, killed my suspension of disbelief—he’s really not going to recognize her? But it’s just wonderful. I’d have given a lot to see it live.
fachverwirrt, I really respect your opera opinions: whom do you like more than Terfel? Cause he blew my socks off in this one. I’d heard about him, but damn! (Don’t know why I was so surprised, considering I saw him play Wotan for PBS a year ago or so.) This was really something.
I mean, if we’re talking basses/baritones, I can listen to Sam Ramey and Hvorostovsky all day long, but my opinion is uninformed. I’d be interested in who you think I should look out for, and for other ranges besides bass-baritone too. (Like who’s doing the best coloratura work these days.)