Stephen Sondheim slams Lady Gaga's 'Sound of Music' performance, Oscars producer slams back

[Rumbold 481]

put nick jonas in the title for clickzz

[Weasel 12,525]

Art is subjective bb.

If he can call Gaga ****, there is no reason that other's can't call him ****. Commercial success be damned.

​I mean sure but I highly doubt his opinion isn't biased. 

[Nemo 4,293]

I just rewatched the performance, to see if he might have some kind of point. Nope. He's completely and utterly full of ****. BTW, it's possible to acknowledge the greatness of his past work, as I do, while also believing that there's no merit whatsoever in what he said about this.

My respect for him is permanently lowered.

[Swan Heart 7,382]

Travesty?! Really now?

F*ck off...

[Haunts 7]

​But... That's what Stephen Sondheim is critiquing... The fact that she approached it from a more classical perspective and treated it in a "semi-operatic way".

"It was ridiculous, as it would be from any singer who treats that music in semi-operatic style. She had no relationship to what she was singing."

The Sound of Music is a musical not an opera. I liked the way Gaga approached it, but his criticism is valid and understandable when you acknowledge his love and devotion to musicals. He judged the performance with a very different set of criteria and from the perspective of a musical theater composer.

I mean, I object to your use of the word queer and the way you are putting down musicals when the whole point of Gaga's performance was to honor one of the greatest musicals ever made.

That is so right on. I was kinda taken aback with Stephen's critique. I respect his opinion as the musical theater legend that he is but yeah, he's a bit judgmental there. Gaga took the liberty to tweak the musical genre of the piece, I thought it was incredibly refreshing and still respectful to the music. I think a lot of people rediscovered that music in a new light, maybe even Julie Andrews.
It was the Oscars, it was one performance that was meant to be entertaining. Indeed that style of singing would be ridiculous in an actual musical, it wouldn't make sense. And I think that's what he meant. She turned the music into songs, and did not treat it as the sung dialogue/musical storyline that it was in the movie. (In a musical, you couldn't have you character go from spoken words to operette, it would be ridiculous.)

I personally think those artistic choices made for a beautiful ode the The Sound Of Music. It served both the music and Gaga in that aspect, it was successful.

Anyway, I guess there's really two ways to look at it. You either like the liberty Gaga took with the piece or you don't. I guess Stephen Sondheim is more of an old school theater fan and doesn't respond to that interpretation, and that's okay.



​

[Der Meister 3,000]

People need to understand that she went through months of training with her personal vocal couch and the oscar producers (some of them are broadway directors) if they choose a semi operatic style for Gaga to sing on their show, it's because they know what they're doing and they wanted  to show her vocal abilities for the whole world. If your old theatre nazi grandpa stuck in the 1800's doesn't liked it then it's his problem, because the world loved it.  

[darkwolf 590]

The amount of pressedness and ignorance is nauseating in this thread. Just because what he said was silly, it doesn't take anything from his talents or what he has accomplished.

 

...........I don't know who Stephen Sondheim is.

​You should though, he's responsible for this masterpiece

 

 

[Didymus 34,379]

Whether or not you agree, the "no one cares about your opinion" comeback is the real travesty here

[Charliie 1,829]

Aww Nick Jonas 

[Haroon 49,685]

 He has quite an unpopular opinion, and it's still just an opinion at the end of the day  He has his reasons for not liking it and that's fine; let's not attack him for not liking a performance, that's just ridiculous  

I don't understand why so many of you feel attacked by what Mr. Sondheim said about Gagas performance. Clearly, he has a vast knowledge about music and his name is widely known. It's a fact no one can deny. Anyway, his opinion on the performance does not affect mine, nor should it affect yours. I loved it, even if he as a respected composer and lyricist did not.

​I totally echo this  

[Contra 145]

yyyaasss sistah nicholas show ha your support

he can have his opinion though, i stay unbothered

 

[Guest]

I love how Nick defends her out of the blue.  

[Spock 20,290]

I don't understand why so many of you feel attacked by what Mr. Sondheim said about Gagas performance. Clearly, he has a vast knowledge about music and his name is widely known. It's a fact no one can deny. Anyway, his opinion on the performance does not affect mine, nor should it affect yours. I loved it, even if he as a respected composer and lyricist did not.

​I agree!

[Nemo 4,293]

 He has his reasons for not liking it and that's fine; let's not attack him for not liking a performance, that's just ridiculous  

​It's one thing to not like it, it's another to call it a "travesty", which is outrageous IMHO.

[Haroon 49,685]

​It's one thing to not like it, it's another to call it a "travesty", which is outrageous IMHO.

​Well he explained why he thought that and it seems kinda reasonable  Like if he thinks she didn't fit the bill properly with her performance to how he thinks it should've been done then that's that really  I think too much weight is being given to the word "travesty" here