Friday, July 19, 2013

Who Did It Better? (Love Never Dies Edition)

Yes, I went there.

The big contest this time around (and it's been a looooong time since the last time, hasn't it?) is between two leading ladies singing the title song of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Love Never Dies. You remember which one that one is, right? It's the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera that sparked all kinds of nasty stuff within the phandom and caused the biggest schism since the 2004 movie came out. Anyway, onto the contest!

Sierra Boggess (original London production)


HOLY JESUS CHRIST!!! I'm not a huge fan of LND, and Sierra isn't my favorite Christine, but that was just. Freaking. Awesome. You know, I actually like this song (OK, I lied, I love it. There. I said it.), and I like Sierra singing it. She has a beautiful voice when she isn't doing weird things to her vibrato and trying so hard to speak with a British accent! Soft, yet powerful, innocent yet ageless... There can't possibly be anyone else who can sing this song, this good!


Anna O'Byrne (revised Melbourne production)


I would have loved to post the video from the DVD, but we've got to keep a level playing field, and if you can't see Sierra singing, then you're not going to see Anna singing. Here is another beautiful voice, with a degree of maturity in the sound that fits the character, but...I don't know. I'm still not sure about this Christine. There's something about her voice that makes me think she would make a fantastic Carlotta in the original Phantom. What do you think?

I'm going with Sierra for the win on this one! And as a special treat, here's a little extra...she wasn't in the contest, because she never played in LND, but THIS is my favorite Christine!

Gina Beck



Your pal,
Angels

2 comments:

  1. !.) Sierra nailed it.
    2.) Gina, softer and spot on.
    3.) Anna, emotionally flat and somewhat screechy on the high notes, but in all fairness, the recording had some acoustical issues.

    A side note: I loved the peacock background but hated Raoul and Erik standing at opposite stage wings. Di

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    Replies
    1. I hated how scared Anna looked! Christine just made her choice! She might be upset about leaving Raoul (though Webber turned him into an abusive d-bag, so I don't think she was shedding too many tears), but she decided once and for all she wanted to be with Erik! You would THINK she would show a little more emotion than to look so darn terrified!

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