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Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 5/25/2006 at 1:02:05 PM ET
I was taking a peep at YouTube and some of the great stuff they have there from so many artists and was intrigued by the "On The Town" medley from Bernadette. It is fabulous music of course and beautifully sung by BP - that goes without saying.
What a shame Bernadette never recorded this medley. It is so perfectly suited to her vocal range. Does anyone know if she ever included it in her concert set? I think if she decided to include it now or in the future it would really be something. She could really wring every nuance of sadness out of Lonely Town - not that she hasn't done it already of course.
BTW, last year, there was a breathtakingly beautiful production of On The Town by one of our leading opera companies here in London. So.. if Bernadette is still intent on ignoring the lure of the commercial West End Theatre maybe we can persuade her to come to London's Opera-World to take part in some of their non-operatic productions. Hope it's OK to give this link out for the fab English National Opera production of this great Bernstein musical...
http://www.mvdaily.com/articles/2005/03/onthetown1.htm
as Bernadette says....just keep moving on.....
| PTM
Registered User
Registered:
6/26/2003 | posted: 5/25/2006 at 11:58:14 PM ET
I know she performed it at one of her Atlantic City concerts in '86 or '87. It's always been one of my favorite performances of hers, and I wish I could have heard her perform it live. I always heard the Arlen medley which I enjoyed and was always a crowd pleaser, but after so many years, it would have been nice to hear one of the other ones. I went to one of her AC concerts and the night before she apparently did a Sinatra medley, but the night I went, it was back to the Arlen. I don't think it would have been any harder for the orchestras to play than the Arlen. I know they don't get much time to rehearse. Usually they only have time to run through the set once with just the orchestra and then once with the singer. They'll even skip some of the pieces that don't use the full orchestra. When she did the On the Town medley in AC, she said it was the world premiere and they only had one rehearsal and didn't even get through it all. She did sing Some other Time as an encore once though.
PTM
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 5/26/2006 at 8:13:17 AM ET
Thank you, PTM, that is so interesting. I have that old Canadian concert on DVD and love the Arlen. It may be fanciful but I swear I can even hear a bit of Judy in her voice from time to time in the medley.
I've been reading the Newsweek review of On The Town from November 15, 1971 and this is the only Bernadette mention ... "Bernadette Peters as the predatory girl cabdriver, although pushing hard toward caricature, has personality and makes something socko out of the numbers that Nancy Walker originally did with a more offhand and insinuating style."
I have no idea what "socko" means but I presume "sock it to you" is what the reviewer was getting at?
as Bernadette says....just keep moving on.....
| Anonymous
Anonymous Poster
From Internet Network:
70.29.117.x | posted: 5/26/2006 at 10:16:12 AM ET
Could someone please let me know how I can search this medley on youtube. I can't seem to find it!
Thank you!
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 5/26/2006 at 10:34:09 AM ET
I tried to give out a link but it didn't work.
So, if you go to http://www.youtube.com/
then initiate a search on Bernadette Peters you should find that the On The Town medley is the fifth item down. it's listed as "Bernadette Peters 1987"
as Bernadette says....just keep moving on.....
|  moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 5/26/2006 at 10:37:11 AM ET
PTM, Might I suggest that you write a book about all your Bernadette experiences. At least a book for us. You have been a fan for such a long time and it seems like you have had the most interesting experiences attending her concerts and other special events. I'm always fascinated by your observations.
"I'm one star away from Dolly Parton ... and Raymond Massey is between us. I hope we don't suffocate him." Bernadette Peters receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, April 24, 1987
| Karen
Registered User
Registered:
5/3/2002 | posted: 5/26/2006 at 10:47:42 AM ET
I'll second that!
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 5/26/2006 at 11:05:12 AM ET
There you go PTM, motion carried!
I know I'm only the new kid on the block here , but I'll "third" that!
as Bernadette says....just keep moving on.....
| moljul
Registered User
Registered:
4/2/2001
From:
New York
Fav. BP CD: I'll Be Your Baby Tonight
Fav. BP Song: Dublin Lady
| posted: 5/26/2006 at 11:07:56 AM ET
Well just to prolong this "feel good" thread. Scottie, for the new kid on the block, I'd have to say your contributions so far have been really wonderful as well. I think we all enjoy this board because it usually is the same group of people and we enjoy that established community feel but its also fun when someone new joins the group and adds so much to it.
"I'm one star away from Dolly Parton ... and Raymond Massey is between us. I hope we don't suffocate him." Bernadette Peters receiving her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, April 24, 1987
| Scottie
Registered User
Registered:
3/6/2006
From:
Edinburgh, Scotland | posted: 5/26/2006 at 11:40:08 AM ET
moljul, that is so very sweet and warm, thanks so much.
Even if I only think about her singing and forget the rest of her contributions to the world of theatre and film for a moment , I am just genuinely enraptured by the mere sound and quality of Bernadette's naturally pitch-perfect and beautiful voice - and what a vocal range!
But not only that, and even more important perhaps, I am astounded by her amazing ability to convey in song whatever she wants to convey. Every feeling, every emotion, comes across in her interpretation of the lyrics and the music.
It is a rare talent indeed.
as Bernadette says....just keep moving on.....
| PTM
Registered User
Registered:
6/26/2003 | posted: 5/30/2006 at 12:25:41 AM ET
Well I'm sure there are lurkers out there who've been fans for longer. I actually know people who have been fans since Dames at Sea,they just can't use a computer, and I'm sure some of you have been to more concerts and things in the last six years than I have in the past 20 or so.
BTW, I re-read what I posted earlier and I noticed I had said the world premiere of the Arlen medley when I meant On the Town so I corrected that.
PTM
|  Jean
Registered User
Registered:
6/7/2003 | posted: 5/31/2006 at 8:41:07 AM ET
"Best of all is Bernadette Peters as the Bronxly nasal taxi driver who wants to go to her place and has a heart as big as the stage door canteen. Miss Peters sings, acts and dances, in that order, with a saucer-eyed naughtiness and wide-vowelled drawl that is totally enchanting."
Source: Review of "On the Town", New York Times, Clive Barnes, November 1, 1971
==================================
[I've been a fan since "George M!", but since I have an extraordinarily poor memory and don't really collect things, I'm essentially useless for reliving the past. And, Scottie, I agree completely with Moljul. And, PTM, if you don't write a book, how about a little short article for the articles section of this site?]
| PTM
Registered User
Registered:
6/26/2003 | posted: 6/1/2006 at 1:23:18 AM ET
Oh, I'm such a slow writer. You wouldn't believe how long it took me just to write these two sentences. I suppose having to type around my dogs' heads doesn't help either.
Now Jean, if you started with George M! you've seen just about everything. We should just fill you up with some Ginko biloba and not let you go on another trip until you've recalled all your BP experiences. I can't even remember the first thing I saw Bernadette in. My mom always liked her, so it seemed like I always knew who she was, but the earliest thing we have on tape is that first PBS Sylvia Fine Kaye Musical Comedy special in '79.
This reminds of something my sister told me. She has a friend from one of the South Am. countries. Apparently she and her boyfriend were watching that Will and Grace episode trying to figure out how old BP was. The boyfriend figured she had to be in her forties and my sister's friend was incredulous saying, "How could she be in her forties when I'm in my forties, and I've known who she is my entire life." I just thought it was interesting that someone who grew up in South Am. also seemed to always be aware of Bernadette.
PTM
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