Re: Favourite Christines

Scorp Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:48 am

ladygodiva wrote:I will add more to my faves and why,

Like I said Rebecca Caine was wonderful, truly truly wonderful, (I had actually not expected much but was completely wowed away) Rebecca Caine is a pure talent, she so perfect as Christine, she was the Trifecta of Christines, she was the best actress (And do not get me wrong, I love Sarah Brightman) Rebecca wowed even my friends who were'nt to crazy about musicals, especially pop-opera, or as my one friend calls musicals like Phantom, Tommy (Popera's), after think of me, my friend turned to me and said, She can sing., and another friend said I'm glad that you dragged me. And that friend had gone back many times to see allmost all Canadian Phantoms, Christines.

Rebecca was less of a hypnotised Christine and more of a Christine with both feet on the ground, although she was in awe of the phantom. during MON and Past the point of no return, she was the absolute most sensual Christine, she was also my favorite for the managers/twisted every way, when she sang how dare you to Carlotta, her Christine had held it in for so long and she was'nt telling off Carlotta, more than she was standing up for herself. and during MON after Colm sung Floating Falling, and was guiding her toward the Mirror, she seemed to be awakening her primal urge. (although, I did not care for Colm during Touch me trust me, it was the creepiest thing, I was awed by his voice,) and in the Final Lair, Rebecca as Christine, was more caring to both Raoul in the noose/lasso, and more tender toward the phantom during the kiss and embrace, and I think that her christine as truly torn at that point.

That was so fascinating to read, thank you!

Especially interesting was your observation that Caine's Christine stood up for herself and had "both feet on the ground" since that's exactly what Caine herself repeatedly says she tried to do with her portrayal in Canada, because she didn't care for the way Christine was pushed around in the early days of the London production. Nice to see she managed to communicate that to the audience.

Another Christine that I got to see was Dale Kristien in LA, with Michael Crawford. She was rather stiff and akward, during most of the show, however Dale was the best in the Final Lair, she was more of a protector to Raoul, she seemed to be protecting him, she has a high score in singing from me for the note in TOM, I did not care for her AOM with meg. in person Dale looked alot younger than, she did in the televised Bob Hope MON and the Gala MON, and Dale did have a tremendous Joy of Sing(most Christines do) Dale did have a rather stiff and ungraceful moment, and she did borrow most of her affects from Patty Cohenour. and one thing Dale tried to steer away from the princess-like quality of Christine and tried to flesh Christine out a little like Rebecca Caine

I never saw her live, but I've never really been a fan of Dale's Christine. I think it might be the stiffness you identified.

I will say a little more about my total Fave Sarah Brightman, the voice the innocents and the victorian persona (At least on stage) she and Michael Crawford, wow, I was totally blown away. she was perfect, now, yes, her acting with others was a bit weak and stilted,esepecially my least favorite standing up for her self to Carlotta, but Sarah was and had a victrorian girl presence, (Which is why Christines are mostly played by, be a good girl, be nice, princess, the way that most young ladies of the period would be told to keep it to yourself and keep it in.) but other than that Sarah and Micheal they had it. (Micheal tends to have it with most Christines, as something that I cannot really put into words, such as extreme tenderness, sensuality, angst, (wait until I go onto favourite phantoms and then go into MC's Phantom.

Wow. Perhaps the most detailed description I've read of Sarah's portrayal. I do think some of the original New York reviews were far too harsh on her (to the point of downright rude), e.g. "Couldn't act scared on the subway at 4am".

Really loved reading your post, ladygodiva, thanks!

ladygodiva Fri Jun 04, 2010 11:51 am

Regarding my posts from May 27 and 30th,

More on Rebecca Caine, I though that she totally blew out the room with her note in TOM, she totally wowed the crowd and myself, she seemed very much younger and prettier in person, as she is quite pretty and youthful in her pics, she was quite funny in Il Muto, after she took off her skirt, and tosed it she did a very funny movement, and on the rooftop, she and Byron Neese, had great chemistry, there was a moment when he held her hand tighter and pulled her toward him.

Her Christine seemed more upset that Raoul said that this was a dream and nothing more.
she also was amazingly spectacular as Amnita, she just oozed sensuality, no-one elses Christine had come even close to it. and her wishing you were somehow here again, she really moved me, like on the album at the end of the song she let out this gasp, although less obvious, and more quite.

and her final lair, she was fierce with an almost warrior stance fighting for the life of Raoul, she was Victorian girl meets, liberated lady meets, greek goddess rolled into one. when the Phantom said do you end your days with me or do you send him to his grave, she was truly torn, and when she kissed the phantom it was to save Raoul and also to show the Phantom the compassion and passion that he truly needed and that she also craved too as well..

**MasqPhan** Fri Jun 04, 2010 4:55 pm

It's great reading your descriptions of these Christines. Glad you joined and have taken the time to share all of this Lady Godiva. What a great bunch of performers you've seen. I've seen Michael in concert a number of times with Dale but wow, to have seen them in POTO. Sigh. Nice to see I'm not the only one who's really impressed with Dale's final notes in TOM.

Paula74 Fri Jun 04, 2010 7:18 pm

ladygodiva wrote:
and her final lair, she was fierce with an almost warrior stance fighting for the life of Raoul, she was Victorian girl meets, liberated lady meets, greek goddess rolled into one. when the Phantom said do you end your days with me or do you send him to his grave, she was truly torn, and when she kissed the phantom it was to save Raoul and also to show the Phantom the compassion and passion that he truly needed and that she also craved too as well..

That sounds like a terrific Final Lair...one I'd have liked to see. (Oh, and welcome...I've been enjoying all of your posts!)

ML6 Sat Jun 05, 2010 1:53 am

ladygodiva wrote:

and her final lair, she was fierce with an almost warrior stance fighting for the life of Raoul, she was Victorian girl meets, liberated lady meets, greek goddess rolled into one. when the Phantom said do you end your days with me or do you send him to his grave, she was truly torn, and when she kissed the phantom it was to save Raoul and also to show the Phantom the compassion and passion that he truly needed and that she also craved too as well..

Her Christine always makes me think that's what she did during the Final Lair scene. I tend to love the portrayal that even all this bad stuff happened to Christine, the Phantom was slowly teaching her to have the guts to stand up for herself - maybe not against him, but it was allowing her a chance to do so.

But, LadyGodiva! Your stories are so awesome. I kid you not, you're reading a storybook, and it's really good, and I'm so enthralled that I'm sitting with my mouth hanging open.

SenorSwanky Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:36 am

Seriously, ladygodiva, how did you manage to see all these early amazing casts? Lucky, lucky.

London-Phan Mon Jun 21, 2010 5:37 pm

Out of the Christines i've seen my favourites are Charlotte Paige, Celia Graham, Ana Marina and Jill Washington. Although i've not seen her live i'm a fan of Meredith Braun's Christine, i really love her voice. I'm happy that i got to see Jill Washington in the role as i see her as a bit of a legend in the London production plus the fact that she'll never play christine again as the last time she did was 11 years ago and she was looking too old for the part then. I was lucky enough to see her in her last run as Christine. Very Happy

operafantomet Mon Jun 28, 2010 7:36 am

London-Phan wrote:OI'm happy that i got to see Jill Washington in the role as i see her as a bit of a legend in the London production plus the fact that she'll never play christine again as the last time she did was 11 years ago and she was looking too old for the part then. I was lucky enough to see her in her last run as Christine.

I love Jill Washington as Christine, she has such a pure and steady voice. But I see what you mean about age. If I did my math correct some while ago, she was actually 46 when she last did the role in 1997/1998. That's more than your average Christine.

Lisa Vroman was also 46 last time she did the role, was she not?

Callie Daae Sun Aug 15, 2010 5:00 pm

Thought I'd share this with everyone, last night I was fortunate enough to meet Sandra Joseph and see her perform at 101 years of Broadway music festival. She is such a sweetheart.

She performed:

Think Of Me
All I Ask Of You with hubby and Phantom Ron Bohmer
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
The Phantom Of The Opera (title song) with Ron
And she stayed on stage as Ron sang Music Of The Night and they performed the regular choreography (without her fainting, of course!)

Other songs:
I Could Have Danced All Night
Tonight (West Side Story) with Ron

Fun note: I was in the second row and during Think Of Me I held up my Phantom program that I brought for her to sign. She saw it and smiled at me. Afterwords, she remembered me from the audience, and when I told her who I was (I had emailed her last week), she gave me a hug and held my hands when she thanked me for coming! And signed my program special with a "To Callie."

operafantomet Sun Aug 15, 2010 7:11 pm

Callie Daae, that is so cool! I noticed Sandra Joseph and her husband had just performed, but I didn't know they did so much Phantom. Congrats with signed stuff!

Phantomess Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:17 pm

I am SO glad that certain understudies post on their websites when they get to go on. Because of this, I was very lucky to see Elizabeth Welch as Christine last night. All I can say, is that it's a great pity that she doesn't get to go on more. No offense to the principal and alternate...but Welch's voice is by far superior. That didn't surprise me one bit as she has some very nice opera credits. That is exactly why I wanted to see her. For I have found that (in general) Christines with more opera in their backgrounds, are much better singers. It makes complete sense. I mean...Christine is SUPPOSED to be an opera singer. And as Rebecca Caine says, she should be able to give Carlotta a run for her money! Welch did just that and was absolutely lovely in the role. Her voice is resonant, well-produced and has a richness about it, yet at the same time is light and youthful. The ideal sort of voice for a Christine. She moves well, acts well and is totally convincing as the young ingenue. I found her completely adorable...one of the best Christines that I've seen in a long time, actually.

Phantomess Sat Sep 18, 2010 6:39 pm

Hmmm...it just occurred to me that I didn't post a favorite Christine list here yet.

Of those I've seen live: Glenda Balkan, Sylvia Rhyne, Megan Starr-Levitt, Elizabeth Welch

Others: Rebecca Caine, Lisa Vroman, Mary D'Arcy, Patti Cohenour, Elisabeth Berg, Teresia Bokor, Mia Karlsson, Barbara Fonyo, Kimilee Bryant, Marni Raab, Sarah Lawrence, Sandra Joseph

(these are just a few off the top of my head. If I think of others, I will edit and add later.)

AngelOfMusic325 Sun Oct 03, 2010 12:45 am

Adding Kelly Jeanne Grant to my list, she's just fabulous and very sweet at the stage door.

ML6 Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:25 am

Here is an intereresting question, anybody know of Tamra Gaser's Christine. What did you think of her? I stumbled across her 'youtube' user name today, and I sat there and scratched my head for a moment. Did anybody see her? What did you get out of her interpretation of Christine?

operafantomet Wed Oct 06, 2010 7:57 am

ML6 wrote:Here is an intereresting question, anybody know of Tamra Gaser's Christine. What did you think of her? I stumbled across her 'youtube' user name today, and I sat there and scratched my head for a moment. Did anybody see her? What did you get out of her interpretation of Christine?

I've never heard of her... You're not thinking of Tamra Hayden?

ML6 Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:27 am

operafantomet wrote:
ML6 wrote:Here is an intereresting question, anybody know of Tamra Gaser's Christine. What did you think of her? I stumbled across her 'youtube' user name today, and I sat there and scratched my head for a moment. Did anybody see her? What did you get out of her interpretation of Christine?
I've never heard of her... You're not thinking of Tamra Hayden?

Nope, it's Tamara Glaser. She was the Christine alt. in Vegas during the time of Crawford. Am I allowed to link her YT page here? Or is it just - ask about it and you shall get a link?

Guest Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:35 am

ML6 wrote:
operafantomet wrote:
ML6 wrote:Here is an intereresting question, anybody know of Tamra Gaser's Christine. What did you think of her? I stumbled across her 'youtube' user name today, and I sat there and scratched my head for a moment. Did anybody see her? What did you get out of her interpretation of Christine?
I've never heard of her... You're not thinking of Tamra Hayden?

Nope, it's Tamara Glaser. She was the Christine alt. in Vegas during the time of Crawford. Am I allowed to link her YT page here? Or is it just - ask about it and you shall get a link?

Do you mean LA?

ML6 Thu Oct 07, 2010 2:36 am

phantomfett wrote:
ML6 wrote:
operafantomet wrote:
ML6 wrote:Here is an intereresting question, anybody know of Tamra Gaser's Christine. What did you think of her? I stumbled across her 'youtube' user name today, and I sat there and scratched my head for a moment. Did anybody see her? What did you get out of her interpretation of Christine?
I've never heard of her... You're not thinking of Tamra Hayden?

Nope, it's Tamara Glaser. She was the Christine alt. in Vegas during the time of Crawford. Am I allowed to link her YT page here? Or is it just - ask about it and you shall get a link?

Do you mean LA?

Oh yes, I am so sorry. My brain is everywhere tonight. Lots of fun things happening and I'm attempting to have a conversation on a message board. Yes, thank you.

Actually, with some research, I discovered her original name was Tamra Shaker.

operafantomet Wed Nov 03, 2010 10:05 pm

Finally an answer to the Dale Kristien "did she have an alternate or not" question:
And because we got along so well, we both asked for and got permission for me to do all eight shows per week.” Normally, there are two Christines, “but as long as I didn’t tell anyone in public, they let me do it. I don’t think they’re going to fire me now for telling you this. We did start with an alternate in LA but when Mary D’Arcy left, we did all eight ourselves. We just didn’t tell anybody.”

I also like her idea of the Christine role:
First, she played a woman who was being manipulated by the men in her life, “but she wakes up and takes control. I think that more than anything helped me in my life. I appreciated that this was not a stupid woman.”

http://www.lastagetimes.com/2010/10/phantom-of-the-opera-tour-ends-two-decade-run/

I know many who saw Dale Kristien live wasn't too fond of her in the role. I never saw her, but I must admit I find her upper notes (especially that title song cadenza) fantastic. She was one of those amazing sopranos cast early on. I wish they would dig up more of those. But yeah, I know not all loved her acting and/or general stage appearance, so I'm merely going by the voice here.

ladygodiva Wed Nov 03, 2010 11:24 pm

While I do agree with you on the singing of Dale's she obviously had a joy of singing, and she loved to sing, and she did play Christine a little less of a Princess, and when I saw it with her and Michael Crawford in LA, she had a great voice, (She did not hold the note for as long in the beginning, as she progressed in the show the Note began to get held longer and longer.)

There was talk on having an alternate after Mary D'arcy, but obviously it never happened, although Jani Neuman was Christine Understudy, I believe, I will have to check my cast list

Now, I did find Dale for the most part extremely stiff and akward, but she was fantastic in the Final Lair

ML6 Sat Nov 06, 2010 12:46 am

Personally, her acting is good.
But her vibrato was all over the place. It was so warbly. That's what I didn't like. When I think of Christine, I think of someone with a crystal bell like quality. But that's just me, and that's why I really never conneceted with Dale's singing voice.

ladygodiva Sun Nov 07, 2010 7:47 pm

One more thing about Dale, I did not care for her in the Angel of Music, with Meg, she tried to drag the notes of a relatively plucky tune, "Father once spoke of an Angelllll" just draged the angel part, "I used to dream he'd appearrrrr" another drag,

most other Christines and Megs seemed like chums good friends, I am pretty sure that the Meg would have walked of the stage than to be with Dale,

but like I said she was a power in the final lair, and I did like her and Reece Holland, but other than that, she was not and did not have a victorian persona,, there really was not much grace or class in her.

Paula74 Sun Nov 07, 2010 7:57 pm

I remember seeing Dale and Reece sing "All I Ask of You" on television years ago. It was some sort of gala concert on PBS, though I cannot remember the venue or the occasion...except that it was obviously Los Angeles. Robert Guillaume also took part...he sang MOTN in full costume. He was only the second Phantom I'd heard after Crawford and I was very disappointed.

I do remember not being terribly impressed by Dale at time. I mean, I was glad to hear anyone singing anything from Phantom to begin with...but I just wasn't wowed by her performance. I liked Reece well enough, but...er...I think I spent most of the performance admiring Dale's gown...it was the first time I'd gotten a good look at the Countess dress.

She has a lovely voice, but there's just something about it that simply doesn't click for me. I have the recording of "You Are Love" that she did with Hugh some years ago and, of all of his recordings, it's one of my least listened-to.

I do wish I still had the video of the concert. I recorded it on VHS when it aired, but I think I taped over it by mistake. And I've never seen clips of it turn up on-line.

Paula74 Tue Jul 19, 2011 3:12 pm

Time to rewrite my list...

Sara Jean Ford - Beautiful voice, exceptional acting. She amazed me back in January and I really want to see her again.
Kris Koop
Lisa Vroman
Susan Owen
Julie Hanson
Elizabeth Southard
Rebecca Pitcher
Sandra Joseph
Tracy Shayne
Rebecca Caine
Patti Cohenour

And, as always, lots of love to Elisabeth Berg. She's wonderful. And I do have a soft spot for Sarah Brightman.

I also have to add that Lisa Vroman looks so damned stunning in the Aminta costume.

EarlFan Tue Jul 19, 2011 9:00 pm

I saw Katy Treharne for the second time as Christine last night and I really like her in the role. Her voice is really strong and clear. When it comes to her acting there are some things that she could improve in some places but I would have loved to see her as principal Christine. So much prefer her to both Tabitha Webb and Sofia Escobar.

Devon Fri Jul 22, 2011 1:04 pm

I saw Lisa Vroman back in 1993 when she was the alternate Christine to Tracy Shayne. Lisa was wonderful...still is!!!

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