From: conrad@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.theatre
Subject: Re: Len Cariou  (Was: Lead Role Salaries)
Date: 2 Oct 92 21:12:01 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Delaware

In article <1992Oct2.203517.24657@adobe.com> deleon@adobe.com (Michael de Leon) writes:

>In article <BvHyKy.C2G@news.udel.edu> conrad@brahms.udel.edu (Jon Conrad) writes:

>>Certainly Len Cariou's voice has been shot ever since his
>>initial run in Sweeney Todd....

>So, what's this about Len Cariou's voice? I think I recall the poor
>condition of Mr. Cariou's voice being mentioned once before in this
>group. Could you elaborate? I have not seen Len Cariou perform live
>but he sounds great on A Little Night Music and Sweeney Todd. I'd hate
>to think he ruined his voice for good during the run of such a great
>show. Has he recorded anything since? 

The only cast album that comes to mind is Strouse and Lerner's DANCE A
LITTLE CLOSER, on which the voice does indeed sound a wreck.  He has
sung on the Tonys occasionally in the last decade or so, and again the
voice didn't sound in good shape.

>AND, in your opinion, was it the
>role the was the factor or a combination of factors that lead to the
>current state of his voice. (I have not heard him in anything lately
>so I'm trusting your statement that his voice really is shot.)

We really need a range of opinions here, so I hope others will respond.
It may be that mine is a minority opinion (shared by a couple others
with whom I've talked at least, as well as Ken Mandelbaum in his book
NOT SINCE CARRIE).

I think Cariou's voice was not really right for the role of Sweeney
Todd, well though he acted it and dedicated though he was to it.  The
writing seems to call for a substantial bass-baritone of almost operatic
caliber; I'm speaking of the kinds of range and phrases called for.
Cariou's was a light "actor's baritone," adequate to a role like Fredrik
in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC but strained by Sweeney.  One can hear, I think,
how much effort it's costing him even on the cast album.  (So I guess I
disagree with your idea that he "sounds great" on it.  I hear him
bursting his vocal cords to come up with enough sound, and sounding
hoarse and tired.)

George Hearn, who replaced him in NY, did the national tour, and the
videotape, had a more operatically trained voice and stood the strain a
little better, though he sure doesn't sound fresh on the videotape (at
the end of the tour).  I've heard him sing since then and he seems to
have recovered all right.  But I don't think either one is the ideal
Sweeney voice.  I'd hope for a big rich bass-baritone, who's also of
course a fine actor.  The late Alfred Drake might have been impressive,
and I wish I'd seen Timothy Nolan at City Opera (he recorded an excerpt
which sounds just right).

The role of Johanna in Sweeney is also a voice-wrecker, IMHO.  Sarah
Rice, the original, has never been heard of again as far as I know, and
Betsy Joslyn who took over was also a vocal wreck by the end of the
tour.  She too has managed to bring herself back.  That old Broadway
problem of "sound like a soprano while singing in alto range," I
hypothesize.

On the other hand, Angela Lansbury and Cris Groenendaal (Anthony)
sounded fresh as could be when I saw the tour in Chicago, and also on
the videotape.  In both cases, the roles were just right for their
voices and they knew how to protect themselves.

Jon Alan Conrad
Newsgroups: rec.arts.theatre