In the quest to inject some culture into my life, me and a girlfriend bought cheapo tickets for this concert just to be serenaded for 100 minutes. Honestly, I don't know any of them. The only one who I've heard of is Stephen-Rahman Hughes who apparently has some Malaysian roots. But even if he stepped on my toes in public, I still wouldn't know who he is.
It must have been a challenge to carry songs from musicals when sung out of context. A lot of songs from musical theater makes sense when sung in the shows but when sang independently, it simply does not carry the same weight. Lucky I came in with some background of some of the featured musicals songs.
Of the three, I must say I was taken away by Ramin Karimloo who had the most powerful and expressive voice. His Music of the Night - WOW! - no wonder he's the Phantom. He outshone the other two unfortunately. They each have great voices but once you hear the beautiful voice of Ramin, the other two just lack the "Umph!" factor. And to put Jaclyn Victor in the mix, as Stephen said "Alamak, Nasi Lemak!". Don't get me wrong - Jaclyn has a wonderful voice but just no power when sung with theater singers.
The worse part of the night were the dancers who were just plain horrible. The choreography was not that bad actually but the skill, timing and just overall performance of the dancers were horrible; a total distraction and embarrassment. They should have cut out the dancing part completely.
-----------------------------
Monday April 18, 2011
MUSIC OF THE NIGHT
by Sharmilla Ganesan
The West End Stars In Concert delivered on its promise to bring world-class vocal performances to Malaysians.
Three handsome men with thrilling voices. A chanteuse with powerhouse vocals. A selection of showstopping numbers from some of the biggest productions to hit Broadway and the West End. It sounds like the recipe for a perfect night of musical enjoyment, and West End Stars In Concert, which played last weekend at Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur, certainly did not disappoint.
Featuring the enviable talents of Stephen Rahman-Hughes, Ramin Karimloo and Simon Bailey, the concert was a rare chance for Malaysians to hear musical theatre hits being performed by singers who have actually graced the prestigious stages of London’s West End.
The three leading men have played an impressive array of musical theatre characters; Rahman-Hughes, 31, (who, to many Malaysians, will always be Hang Tuah) starred as Akaash in Bombay Dreams and Chino in West Side Story, while Bailey, 29, has taken on the roles of Raoul (Phantom Of The Opera), Enjolras (Les Miserables) and Galileo (We Will Rock You). The two are also members of British vocal group Teatro.
Karimloo, 31, on the other hand, is known for not only playing one of musical theatre’s most iconic characters – the Phantom – but also pioneered the same role in Phantom’s sequel, Love Never Dies, which he’s still attached to in the West End. The Iranian-born Canadian has also played Raoul, Enjolras, Chris in Miss Saigon, and the Pirate King in Pirates Of Penzance.
World class: (from left) Simon Bailey, Stephen Rahman-Hughes, Jaclyn Victor and Ramin Karimloo singing Bridge Over Troubled Water at West End Stars In Concert held in Istana Budaya, Kuala Lumpur, last weekend.
At the media preview of the show last Thursday night, the concert kicked off with an energetic rendition of Something’s Coming from West Side Story. Accompanied by sassy dancers (under choreographer Pat Ibrahim’s tutelage), Rahman-Hughes, Karimloo and Bailey strolled out in sharp suits and looked like they were having plenty of fun with the Latino-laced number.
The next number, Memory (Cats), gave the performers a chance to slow things down and showcase their velvety vocals. The performance was a lovely twist on the original (performed solo by a female), and displayed some excellent harmonising by the three singers.
One of the challenges of singing showtunes in a concert is that, without a context for the songs, the performers have to work extra hard to infuse emotion into the numbers. Fortunately, all three singers are experienced at not only delivering songs, but actually putting on a performance, which really made a difference, particularly during the solos.
Of these, Karimloo’s Music Of The Night was undoubtedly one of the most eagerly awaited, and he certainly lived up to the hype. Performing a stripped down version of the famous song from Phantom Of The Opera, Karimloo’s dramatic vocals were fantastic, bringing just the right mix of devotion and darkness to the haunting number.
For anyone who has not had the chance to catch a staging of Phantom, this truly was as close as you could get to the real thing. Karimloo later gave another amazing Phantom performance with Till I Hear You Sing from Love Never Dies.
Equally affecting was Bailey’s rendition of I Dreamed A Dream from Les Miserables, in my opinion, one of the most memorable numbers of the night. Typically known for its soaring female vocals, Bailey’s version of the song had a masculine edge that gave it a modern feel without taking away its powerful emotions.
Another favourite was Defying Gravity (from Wicked), which Rahman-Hughes performed with exuberance. Yet again, this is originally a song written for a female part, and being performed by a male singer gave it a unique quality. Rahman-Hughes’ version had a fun, energetic feel that enhanced the lively composition and uplifting lyrics.
The only flaw was the decision to incorporate dancers, as they didn’t really suit the number and distracted from Rahman-Hughes’ great performance – the man is captivating enough on his own, as he proved in his charming rendition of What I Did for Love (A Chorus Line). He further thrilled his fans when he debuted a new song, Bertemu Di Syurga, from his upcoming local album.
One of the night’s highlights was the inclusion of homegrown songstress Jaclyn Victor, who more than held her own against the talented lads. Joining the three men halfway through a performance of Simon & Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water, she performed three other numbers, including Somewhere from West Side Story and a duet with Rahman-Hughes on Di Puncak TertinggiPuteri Gunung Ledang: The Musical. from
My favourite Jac performance of the night, however, was her duet with Bailey on Phantom’s All I Ask Of You. Her smoky vocals gave the romantic number a soulful edge, and nicely balanced Bailey’s strong voice. It was a different take on a beloved stage classic, but one that worked extremely well.
As the night progressed, the calibre of the singers onstage was abundantly clear, with their performances further enhanced by a fantastic band (under the direction of Lee Sze Wan). It was a pity, then, that they were occasionally let down by the uneven sound quality. Several times, a singer’s big notes were obscured by the band’s instruments, while at other times, the volume was a little too loud, giving the music a harsh quality.
The dancers, too, could have been a little more polished and coordinated. While they did well in the opening number, the ensemble dance for the Phantom Of The Opera music piece was rather messy and uninspiring.
After the string of mostly deep and dramatic numbers, the finale was an refreshing surprise. Bailey started the ball rolling with the infectious We Will Rock You by Queen, which was featured in the hit musical of the same name. He was soon joined by Karimloo, who launched into We Are the Champions, and then, Rahman-Hughes with Bohemian Rhapsody. As the three singers came together to perform the second half of Rhapsody, complete with nonsensical chanting and falsetto interjections, it was truly a fabulous finish.
The audience, however, wouldn’t let them go so easily, and all the singers were cheered back onstage for an encore. To everyone’s delight, the three West End boys and Jac presented a rendition of local band Search’s rock classic Fantasia Bulan Madu. Karimloo and Bailey gamely sang the Malay lyrics, and drew wild applause for their efforts.
As the concert came to a close, the audience gave the singers a standing ovation, which was a fitting testament to their efforts. While the technical issues marred what could otherwise have been a near-perfect show, West End Stars In Concert certainly delivered on its promise to bring world-class vocal performances of musical theatre hits to our shores.
