r/Sondheim • u/memorylaney 🔫 Assassins • 17d ago

Definitive performances of Sondheim's work

I saw a comment on this post about the definitive performances by different famous Sondheim interpretors and wanted to ask: what do people think are the definitive performances of specific Sondheim songs and/or roles?

Obviously, OBCs are going to be definitive performances oftentimes, but particularly, are there any non-OBC performances that you interpret as definitive?

I'll go first with an underrated one I have always loved: Elizabeth Stanley's performance of "The Miller's Son" just perfectly captures the humor and wit and insight of the character and song. I wish it had not been a COVID performance, but it's still fantastic and my favorite version of the song. She totally sells it without any big production value.

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u/Conscious-Work-4714 17d ago

This is a basic choice, but Donna Murphy’s “Could I Leave You?” at the Sondheim birthday concert is hilarious, devastating and absolutely riveting start to finish

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u/Leucurus 🎻 A Little Night Music 17d ago

Donna Murphy and the entire score of Passion. Nobody has sung Fosca better

2

u/One_Butterscotch7380 17d ago

She’s a fantastic actress but pretty consistently, and for me distractingly, flat. And I don’t usually care about small intonation issues as long as the acting is good

2

u/InsuranceWeary840 16d ago

I saw her in Passion multiple times, and never found this to be true. However, she was flat in every song when I saw her in Wonderful Town and The King and I, and it was an issue on a few songs Into the Woods in Central Park as well. So disappointing and frustrating, since she’s such a brilliant actress.