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=Summary=
By
Tom Thomas (Team USA) |
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| Hollywood
Bowl |
Metamorphosis I
was lucky enough to attend Charlotte's Saturday night
Hollywood Bowl performance, and thought I would make some
observations while it's all still fresh in my mind.
The first exposure I had to Charlotte was the "Heroes For
The Planet" concert on A&E. What a difference a
couple of years make. The only commonality between the
two performances is that she wore her hair up in both.
The voice that reached out and touched me then is still,
unmistakably, Charlotte Church. But, that remarkable
instrument has changed, becoming even more wonderful, as she
has matured and mastered it.
Oh, the much maligned "jaw wobble" is still there
occasionally, as is the pronounced vibrato, but they are
disappearing as rapidly as the "baby-fat" she
carried in "Heroes".
Her costume changes this evening were those of a glamorous,
young star. She first appeared in a floor-length, red,
strapless evening gown with a short train. Her first set found
her wearing another floor length, sparkling blue, formal
creation with a knee-length slit in back to facilitate
walking. In her final appearance of the evening, she wore a
white, strapless gown that, I thought, made her look quite
elegant. Or, perhaps, it was she that made the gown
elegant. I am not a fashion editor, so see the accompanying
photos to form your own opinion.
In truth, Charlotte was quite beautiful, and, had it not been
for her typical "Charlotte-isms", her bubbly
between-songs patois, which marked her as a teenager, it would
have been difficult for a person unfamiliar with her story to
judge her age.
I had been told that her voice is much more awesome live than
in her videos or cd's. I found that to be true.
Some of it may be due to the fact that she is always more
mature in a live concert than she was when she made the
recording, but, there does seem to be a quality that comes
through live, that just doesn't quite make it onto the cd.
Charlotte's Hollywood Bowl repertoire resembled the other
programs she has done recently. She sang mostly show tunes,
apparently a taste of things to come. Rumor has it that
many of these "favorites" will find their way onto
her next album. I am primarily an opera and classical music
buff, so, not surprisingly, my favorite songs of the evening
were "La Pastorella", and "Summertime"
from Gershwin's "Porgy and Bess". I believe it
noteworthy that, in her introduction to Paul Simon's
"Bridge Over Troubled Water", Charlotte rebuffed
those critics who have accused her of not having
the necessary "life experience" to deliver it
believably. After listening to her sing it, I couldn't agree
with her more. She did it beautifully.
As Charlotte was being escorted from the stage by conductor
John Mauceri, a middle-aged matron seated to my left sighed,
and said to her companion, "She's growing up."
Amen.
I am privileged to have seen and heard Charlotte Church live
in concert last Saturday evening. It will forever be a
pleasant memory. - Tom
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