(no subject)

[azdak]

This is niche interest, I know, but oh gosh, Kirill Gordeev and Drew Sarich in a concert version of "Die Schatten werden länger" from "Elisabeth" is not what I was expecting to find on Tumblr today. I really dislike the way the interaction between Death and Rudolph has to be staged in the musical theatre versions, so the concert-ness of this one is frankly an improvement, and boy, does it make a difference to have an actual star performing Rudolph, as opposed to the weedy and unattractive ones we usually get. The sound quality is sadly terrible, though.

Watch on YouTube

Comments

[nineveh_uk]

That was excellent, thank you for linking! I don't think I've ever seen Sarich as Rudolph, quite a different performance from the usual character, with Rudolph's going for it rather simply being vulnerable/manipulated. Plus a real voice.

I've seen a clip of the Korean production that was interesting, with a 'revolution' being shown happening, which was a very different take on set, though otherwise not different with the characters.

[azdak]

quite a different performance from the usual character, with Rudolph's going for it rather simply being vulnerable/manipulated

Yes, exactly! I understand what they're trying to go for with the Rudolph-is-Death's-puppet staging, but in practice it always looks really awkward, and it's so much more interesting to have Death manipulate Rudolph psychologically by articulating his inner convictions rather than forcing him physically in a direction he doesn't want to go.

The Korean productions sounds interesting, I'll have to try to find that. I do like the way the show explicitly links the rise of fascism to Franz Joseph's legacy and it would be nice to have a revolution (presumably imagined by Rudolph?) as a way of suggesting that he has actual plans to defeat these forces.

[azdak]

Ah, I've found it! The revolution isn't how I'd imagined it but more an example of the world crumbling (I like the Korean lyrics, at least as rendered by the English subs), but this is a nicely resolute Rudolph, and they did away with the awful puppet dance, so I approve on several counts.

[nineveh_uk]

The Korean lyrics are really good. What struck me is that, having very bad German, I didn't pick up that aspect of the German lyrics at all until I looked them up properly, because it isn't in the staging at all.

I would like to see a Japanese or Korean take on a major western musical live, the clips I've show a blend of the original designs/staging with local popular culture in a way that looks interesting.

[azdak]

The German lyrics are really, really good (all the way through, not just in this song). There's a lot that doesn't make it into the staging. It's also striking how the epicness of the staging constrains the performances - there's a concert performance of "Wenn ich tanzen will" with Pia Douwes and Uwe Kröger and it's so much richer and more nuanced than their fully staged version.

[nineveh_uk]

I do like the way the show explicitly links the rise of fascism to Franz Joseph's legacy

Yes, that is very satisfying. It is hardly the world's deepest musical, but it does try to do some interesting things at times. I must read a biography of Franz Joseph some time to bolster my osmosis knowledge.

[azdak]

Hmmm, the world's deepest musical, that's quite a challenge. I think my nomination would be Into the Woods.