Comments on: Dueling Evitas ~OR~ Shut up, Patti LuPone!

By: Karen Tortora-Lee

Karen Tortora-Lee — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 11:58:00 +0000

Now, now, Brandon … “liking” and “appreciating” are two different things. I can choose to not like her infernal braying while still fundamentally appreciating that she’s talented. Sadly, I don’t appreciate her talent either.

You must be right! Not liking Patti LuPone IS a character flaw! I wonder if there’s a support group out there to help the hundreds … thousands … afflicted with this same flaw? So many of us, missing the ever-important gene that gifts us with the ability to recognize her for the talent she is. It’s sad really … so sad …

By: Brandon

Brandon — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 03:35:00 +0000

Seriously?! Not liking Bernadette Peters or Idina Menzel is okay. But, not liking Patti Lupone is like a character flaw. You will never find a voice that powerful anywhere else, unless of course you could resurrect Ethel Merman. Voices like that only turn up every few decades and to have someone not appreciate it just baffles me.

By: Karen Tortora-Lee

Karen Tortora-Lee — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 16:08:00 +0000

First off, Valpy … you are not alone. WE are not alone. We’re thousands strong! Ever since writing this post over a year ago I’ve conducted informal polls on this topic and so far no one has come to La Lupone’s defense. So … yay us.

Secondly, thanks for the clip — really! I love to have more ammunition, let the arsenal keep growing!

And thirdly — speeding up/slowing down/quiet/loud … yes, Yes, YES!!! This does not pass for technique. Not in my book … and not in the great Broadway Book of Show tunes either.

Final thought – I’m number one on Google! WOW!

By: Valpy

Valpy — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 10:28:00 +0000

I have always been mystified over the popularity of Patti Lupone. I am a musical-loving gay cliché and always feel like there is something wrong with me because everyone seems to think she's a musical goddess.

The impression I get is that she thinks she's a much better singer than she really is and nobody is brave enough to tell her to rein in those grating vocal quirks she employs to ruin every song she sings. She does a weird speeding up and slowing down thing accompanied by an inappropriate quiet/loud/quiet/loud weirdness and an angry fog-horn delivery of the longer notes.

Not remotely pleasant to my ears.

I wanted to know I was not alone so I googled "i hate patti lupone" and your blog was the top result.

Thankyou for reassuring me that I'm not alone.

Also, she looks like a drag queen - and not in a good way.

Watch her murder the title song from Anything Goes:

http://www.bluegobo.com/video.php?var=10079

By: Dan

Dan — Fri, 21 Sep 2007 18:13:00 +0000

I’m with ya on the Patti Lupone business. Try as I might, I’m just not that impressed with the reality. In theory, sure – Theater Goddess. In practice, not so much. And though I was very impressed with her tuba playing in Sweeney, I’m pretty sure the Sweeney I directed in 1992 at UMass Amherst was better overall.

Totally remember those Evita commercials…