Some Enchanted Evening
Last night on PBS I watched most of the current Lincoln Center production of "South Pacific". I was really surprised at the performance of Kelli O'Hara as Nellie Forbush. I didn't think anyone could be better than Mary Martin, I was wrong. O'Hara really was the show. The only other performer who came close to the South Pacific in my mind was Paulo Szot, who played Lieutenant Cable. Of course, the voice of John Kerr was dubbed in the movie, and Szot has a good voice. There was no way that Emile could be played better than the role as performed by Ezio Pinza on stage and Rossano Brazzi (with Giorgio Tozzi's voice) in the movie and it was not. The current Emile was one of the weakest actors last night.
Alan Alda interviewed some of the people associated with "South Pacific". More than a few of them, including Alda, mentioned that they shed tears throughout the production. I did, too, but it's probably because we are old enough to remember the original production.
1 comment:
I, too, watched SP last night on PBS. I've wanted to go to NYC for a long time to see it, and was pleasantly rewarded when I turned to the tv. With my glass of wine in hand, following a birthday dinner for Will (he turned 20 yesterday), it was a perfect ending to a crazy day. I loved Emile's voice, and also thought Nellie was Perfectly cast. I've seen the movie so many times it was difficult to separate this SP experience from "Bali Hai" of my younger years. I was surprised and dismayed, though, over how old Alan Alda seems to be.... I guess none of us are getting any younger -- oh, to be turning 20!
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