Post by jo on Oct 14, 2016 22:53:04 GMT -5
There's a current or soon-to-open staging of MAN OF LA MANCHA at the 5TH AVENUE THEATRE ( is that considered off-Broadway?) --
I was lucky to have the seen the original staging of the show ( not the revival by the same original actor) with Richard Kiley at a theatre which I recall might have been close to Washington Square. The show left such an indelible imprint on me that it has never been dislodged from my top three favorite musicals ( dramatic musicals) together with Camelot and Les Miserables.
I also did see the revival with Brian Stokes Mitchell on Broadway -- but that left me somewhat disappointed, perhaps due to an unfair comparison with the incomparable Richart Kiley and the very simple but effective staging of the original production. I also have the film adaptation with Peter O'Toole ( although he was dubbed for the singing) and Sophia Loren.
Most people will cite the anthemic THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM as the favorite song from this musical, but in my case I have found the song DULCINEA even more moving. It is because in this song, Don Quijote expresses his belief in beauty and truth in everything, even to singing a beautiful tribute to the prostitute ALDONZA, whom he calls DULCINEA! She is scorned by all but Don Quijote sees her beauty and her worth.
There have been so many versions of DULCINEA including those of power vocalists like Brian Stokes MItchell, Anthony Warlow, even Josh Groban...but it has always been more of a display of vocal prowess. I wanted a more emotional delivery.
BWW has posted the link to how the songs are sung at the 5TH AVENUE THEATRE. Rufus Bonds, Jr., is Don Quijote. And here he infuses the ode to the beauty-behind-the-common-countenance of ALDONZA to a startling picture of DULCINEA --
He is acting...and complementing his acting choice with his singing -- evocative of the film adaptation of LES MISERABLES, although not to the fullest degree.
I was lucky to have the seen the original staging of the show ( not the revival by the same original actor) with Richard Kiley at a theatre which I recall might have been close to Washington Square. The show left such an indelible imprint on me that it has never been dislodged from my top three favorite musicals ( dramatic musicals) together with Camelot and Les Miserables.
I also did see the revival with Brian Stokes Mitchell on Broadway -- but that left me somewhat disappointed, perhaps due to an unfair comparison with the incomparable Richart Kiley and the very simple but effective staging of the original production. I also have the film adaptation with Peter O'Toole ( although he was dubbed for the singing) and Sophia Loren.
Most people will cite the anthemic THE IMPOSSIBLE DREAM as the favorite song from this musical, but in my case I have found the song DULCINEA even more moving. It is because in this song, Don Quijote expresses his belief in beauty and truth in everything, even to singing a beautiful tribute to the prostitute ALDONZA, whom he calls DULCINEA! She is scorned by all but Don Quijote sees her beauty and her worth.
There have been so many versions of DULCINEA including those of power vocalists like Brian Stokes MItchell, Anthony Warlow, even Josh Groban...but it has always been more of a display of vocal prowess. I wanted a more emotional delivery.
BWW has posted the link to how the songs are sung at the 5TH AVENUE THEATRE. Rufus Bonds, Jr., is Don Quijote. And here he infuses the ode to the beauty-behind-the-common-countenance of ALDONZA to a startling picture of DULCINEA --
He is acting...and complementing his acting choice with his singing -- evocative of the film adaptation of LES MISERABLES, although not to the fullest degree.
