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Post by chernjam on Jun 27, 2024 0:45:49 GMT
How many shows has she actually performed in this production? Agreed: very unprofessional behaviour and communication. I think anywhere else this would have resulted in a massive sh*t storm. She performed the whole of the first 3 weeks without missing a single one of her shows (from 21st May until the 9th of June) even, reportedly with respiratory tract infections during some of the earlier shows. After that, nothing for the last two weeks. The silence was shocking, both from the production and from Sarah and her team. I suppose Opera Australia has addressed it a few days ago according to the article, but nothing was posted online to quell speculation. What was strange though was that Opera Australia seemed to only have addressed it through that news article... unless I missed it, it didn't sound like that had been shared anywhere. Which really is beyond crappy. When Glenn Close missed I think one performance in NY in the recent revival, she had a terrible respiratory infection and had almost lost her voice, she actually made the announcement herself to the audience apologizing and thanking her standby for going on... Not saying Sarah needs to be out there every night doing that, but reading how some of her fans made international trips to see her and didn't even know she wasn't performing till curtain is obnoxious. No wonder ALW hasn't gone anywhere near this one. He's much better off dealing with rollerskaters |
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Post by magnificentdonkey on Jun 27, 2024 1:46:10 GMT
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Post by reggieg on Jun 27, 2024 3:48:40 GMT
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Post by Alejo on Jun 27, 2024 5:43:56 GMT
It’s odd it took them so long - weeks of silence, despite speculation - to announce a “calf injury”. 🤨
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Post by shownut on Jun 27, 2024 13:58:34 GMT
She performed the whole of the first 3 weeks without missing a single one of her shows (from 21st May until the 9th of June) even, reportedly with respiratory tract infections during some of the earlier shows. After that, nothing for the last two weeks. The silence was shocking, both from the production and from Sarah and her team. I suppose Opera Australia has addressed it a few days ago according to the article, but nothing was posted online to quell speculation. What was strange though was that Opera Australia seemed to only have addressed it through that news article... unless I missed it, it didn't sound like that had been shared anywhere. Which really is beyond crappy. When Glenn Close missed I think one performance in NY in the recent revival, she had a terrible respiratory infection and had almost lost her voice, she actually made the announcement herself to the audience apologizing and thanking her standby for going on... Not saying Sarah needs to be out there every night doing that, but reading how some of her fans made international trips to see her and didn't even know she wasn't performing till curtain is obnoxious. No wonder ALW hasn't gone anywhere near this one. He's much better off dealing with rollerskaters I was there at The Palace when Glenn made that announcement but in truth, she shouldn't have performed as her voice was GONE. It was just prior to her absence on Mother's Day. The announcement was along the lines of "Good Evening. This is Glenn Close. I have a cold which is affecting my voice but I would rather be here than not. So here we go!" |
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Post by alwfan on Jun 27, 2024 17:26:11 GMT
She performed the whole of the first 3 weeks without missing a single one of her shows (from 21st May until the 9th of June) even, reportedly with respiratory tract infections during some of the earlier shows. After that, nothing for the last two weeks. The silence was shocking, both from the production and from Sarah and her team. I suppose Opera Australia has addressed it a few days ago according to the article, but nothing was posted online to quell speculation. What was strange though was that Opera Australia seemed to only have addressed it through that news article... unless I missed it, it didn't sound like that had been shared anywhere. Which really is beyond crappy. When Glenn Close missed I think one performance in NY in the recent revival, she had a terrible respiratory infection and had almost lost her voice, she actually made the announcement herself to the audience apologizing and thanking her standby for going on... Not saying Sarah needs to be out there every night doing that, but reading how some of her fans made international trips to see her and didn't even know she wasn't performing till curtain is obnoxious. No wonder ALW hasn't gone anywhere near this one. He's much better off dealing with rollerskaters I agree, the silence by Opera Australia and Sarah herself was shocking, especially as there was absolutely nothing posted online until today. I'm sure all it would have taken was a simple, Sarah will be out for a few weeks to recover etc, and that would have been the end of it. I'm not sure whether they wanted the (bad) publicity that keeping silent about it has brought, or whether they thought (since so much of the production is based on Sarah Brightman being their star) that they could not say anything as the ticket buyers that are coming from far would cancel, or if it was something else. |
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Post by anthony40 on Jun 27, 2024 17:32:57 GMT
Personally, I think this is bulls**t. I think this is a tactic to fob people off whilst the buy time to determine the next strategy. I really feel for those who have booked specifically to see Sarah Brightman, especially those who have flown in internationally. I don't know how I'd be feeling if I were a member of this company. The only upside I can see is that the understudy is getting a chance to be seen and shine! |
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Post by alwfan on Jun 27, 2024 17:53:15 GMT
On a different note, I found a fascinating interview from 1992 with ALW and Sarah where they speak about her playing Norma Desmond. I haven't seen it in ages, and was thrilled when I found this good quality version on YT. They appear from the 15 minute point onwards.
They would have been divorced for 1 to 2 years by this point, and I believe this was their first inteview together after the divorce to promote Amigos Para Siempre.
They seemed a little tense (understandably) but also seemed close.
Sarah starring in Aspects of Love (which was to close soon), and ALW was working on writing Sunset Boulevard.
Terry Wogan asked ALW if there was a part for Sarah in this new musical, to which Andrew replies 'she is too young for Norma Desmond', and Sarah says 'and I am too young for the other part' (meaning Betty), and ALW humorously says the other part is too small. Later Terry Wogan also agrees that she is too young for Norma and the camera pans to Sarah who is looking down. It's interesting that all ALW says is that she is too young and not that she's not right for it or that it is for a different sort of performer.
Who would have thought 32 years later that she would no longer be 'too young', and would actually be playing the role! Irrespective of what anyone might feel about her aperformance, it is very magical when you think about it. This connection with ALW is probably why they wanted her for this production in the first place, and it's sad that they haven't promoted this connection better by digging up clips like this.
From the 22 minute point onwards for the Norma Desmond/Sunset Boulevard comments.
ALW and SB come on from 15 minutes onwards.
To chernjam, ALW also speaks about Aspects of Love and the movie that he wanted to make (which sadly never happened). He said he hoped Sarah would do it.
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Post by melbtheatreguy on Jun 28, 2024 9:17:26 GMT
Having been to the very first performance with Sarah Brightman and going again last Friday night and seeing Silvie Paladino- I am grateful that I have seen them both as they are very good in their own ways. I think we all know that Sarah's voice doesn't really suit the role, but she was better than expected and acted the role well. Silvie is in a class of her own - her acting was great but her singing- especially With One Look- was simply breathtaking and the response to her was some of the loudest I have heard in the theatre. Like a lot of people have said on here - the handling of Sarah's absence has been handled very poorly by Opera Australia, I really do feel for those that have gone along, especially those that have travelled from overseas to specifically see Sarah in the role.
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Post by danb on Jun 28, 2024 10:56:03 GMT
I’m sorry, but calf injury sounds like the least urgent and debilitating thing they could have come up with. Perhaps she means an injury caused by a calf? A trampling?
I don’t mean to belittle anyone going through similar, but ‘calf injury’ to me says ibuprofen and a bit of physio tape; not weeks off from this big deal, sold on her name. Imagine if Nicole S had done a few shows at ‘Sunset’ then buggered off without any word? If someone announced some lame ass malady to cover her tracks? There would have been outrage. It’s all about saving face; Sarah’s for realising she can’t sing it and the company for not doing their due diligence and realising sooner. A rubbish situation.
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Post by crabtree on Jun 28, 2024 11:54:45 GMT
anyone who has seen Ms Brightman on stage in this care to give a more detailed idea of what she was like. thanks
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Post by melbtheatreguy on Jun 28, 2024 14:31:55 GMT
crabtree - I thought Sarah was good - her acting and physicality was great - she must have run up and down those stairs a dozen times lol - not bad for someone that's 63. Vocally she was better than I expected- but very breathy and didn't appear to have a lot of power in the lower register which was a bit muffled at times. Her voice really isn't right for the role, and the night I saw her she tended to be drowned out by the orchestra (which is incredible by the way). Norma is not a soprano role- which is clearly shown when the magnificent Silvie Paladino plays the role. All in all Sarah didn't deserve the bad reviews she got but unfortunately with her continuing absences and the non-communication by Opera Australia it really is leaving a bad taste for the Melbourne production- which deserves more praise and audience attendance than it is getting- especially when Melbourne is considered the theatre capital of Australia. It will be interesting to see how things develop for the rest of the Melbourne run and the subsequent Sydney run.
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Post by chernjam on Jun 29, 2024 0:25:04 GMT
crabtree - I thought Sarah was good - her acting and physicality was great - she must have run up and down those stairs a dozen times lol - not bad for someone that's 63. Vocally she was better than I expected- but very breathy and didn't appear to have a lot of power in the lower register which was a bit muffled at times. Her voice really isn't right for the role, and the night I saw her she tended to be drowned out by the orchestra (which is incredible by the way). Norma is not a soprano role- which is clearly shown when the magnificent Silvie Paladino plays the role. All in all Sarah didn't deserve the bad reviews she got but unfortunately with her continuing absences and the non-communication by Opera Australia it really is leaving a bad taste for the Melbourne production- which deserves more praise and audience attendance than it is getting- especially when Melbourne is considered the theatre capital of Australia. It will be interesting to see how things develop for the rest of the Melbourne run and the subsequent Sydney run. Yeah that's what is so unfortunate to me. From the looks of things, they really went all out with the production. The set looks spectacular and the descriptions of how it was made and is able to evoke different moods by lighting and all seemed to evoke them trying to go all out with this. Sunset Blvd to me is ALW's best score and it's just sad to see it go from massive hit to not so much from production to production and Norma to Norma (sadly for those cast in the role, with the weight being squarely on the shoulders of Norma) Not being a Sarah Brightman fan way before this, I couldn't imagine her voice and presence in the role - but hoped that the director/producers had something in mind that perhaps would've worked. Sad that illnesses/injuries have undermined that even further |
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Post by danb on Jun 29, 2024 6:34:38 GMT
Ultimately, injury and illness aren’t choices. How they are communicated & managed very much are. People will (and have) stop supporting theatre if they feel excluded and gaslit for the sake of a few quid.
Edit-see also ‘company’s not allowing people to publicise holiday dates.
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Post by reggieg on Jul 2, 2024 1:39:03 GMT
New trailer for the Sydney season that makes no mention of Sarah... make of that what you will.
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Post by mattnyc on Jul 2, 2024 3:04:46 GMT
It does feature her in the video, though. They also still have the video from the other week up using her name so I don’t know how much I’d read into this right now.
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Post by alwfan on Jul 3, 2024 7:45:17 GMT
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Post by BVM on Jul 3, 2024 7:45:25 GMT
Will she sing; WILL SHE SING?
She certainly will! Back tonight.
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Post by alwfan on Jul 3, 2024 8:00:30 GMT
As the Phantom might say, 'Christine Daaè has returned to you, and I am anxious her career should progress ...'
It will be interesting to see how the last three weeks and everything that has happened with her illness and the cutting down of performanances/reviews/Silvie performing to acclaim will change her performance, if at all.
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Post by ilovewemusicals on Jul 3, 2024 9:17:44 GMT
Glad to see her make a comeback, sorry, return.
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Post by wallace on Jul 3, 2024 19:03:27 GMT
I've loved to know how her "return" went since we flew from Canada and totally missed her because of her "injury"
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Post by alwfan on Jul 3, 2024 22:21:48 GMT
I've been searching for reviews/comments and this was the only one I have found so far. It sounds like it has gone well. I am sorry that you missed seeing her. I would have been devastated to have missed her after all that. http://instagram.com/p/C8911fsv8F- |
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Post by wallace on Jul 3, 2024 23:20:26 GMT
thanks for sharing the review - I was pretty devastated (although Sylvia was great) about not seeing her and it sounds like she did well
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Post by rosscoe on Jul 6, 2024 11:02:48 GMT
Hopefully catching Silvie on Wednesday afternoon if everything goes to plan.
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Post by anthony40 on Jul 9, 2024 14:03:42 GMT
So what's the latest on this?
Since her 'return' has Sarah had any more time off?
Have ticket sales increased?
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