Back from New York--Aida
Lee Goodman
on Aida which I'm certain will draw some blistering responses.
If you like Elton John, and gosh, who doesn't?, you'll love
Disney's Aida. this is basically an Elton John concert with a
plot. Some of the music is African/gospel influenced which is
actually better than when elton is writing his usual drivel.
The conceit is that a man and woman spot each other at a modern
era showing of Egyptian antiquities. We then are transported
back to ancient Egypt where the basic story, with some extra
subplots, unfolds. After the main characters are buried alive
(such a stuffy death), they vow to reunite no matter how long it
takes and then lo and behold, they find each other reincarnated
in modern times. Who'd have guessed it would end this way!
The choreography of the Egyptian soldiers is basically a
combination of Kabuki and Kung Fu moves, which makes perfect
sense to me (!?).
The sets and costumes vary from minimal to way overdone.
The clever orchestration consists of a piano, percussion and
some synthesizers. Maybe a little real brass thrown in.
Radames came from the musical Rent which remains notable for
having the highest decibel level except for an airport runway,
and not much else.
Amneris is written as a vapid brainless valley girl whose
attempted transformation to eventual Queen of Egypt doesn't work
because she has spent two hours playing really stupid.
Most of the singing, and I use the term loosely, consists of
screaming at the other characters. Radames and his father, in
particular, are constantly playing, "Anything you can sing, I
can sing louder". It must be genetic.
On the one positive note, the soprano Heather Headley, who won
the Tony this year as best actress in a musical, was genuinely
spectacular. An enormous talent!! she's almost worth sitting
through all the other crap to watch her.
Unfortunately it's not quite bad enough to rise to the level of
high camp like the Rocky Horror Picture Show because it's too
earnest. It's mostly just boring and mediocre. Be prepared if
you go to be the only dissenter in a sea of audience adulation.
My guess is that the Verdi rest home in Italy is now powered by
the turbines attached to Verdi's coffin.
I'll try to post my thoughts on the wonderful production of The
Music Man tomorrow.
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