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

[Bebe 16,995]

Ouch! That cuts....

People don't tend to appreciate "versatility" unless it is done well though. I loved the performance.  There was a hint at lack of breath control at the end of certain phrases, which her smoking certainly won't help but I thought it was fantastic.

I'm just glad Julie Andrews liked it really. 

​

​Um, he composed and wrote lyrics to Into The Woods, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story, Gypsy, among other American classics. He has more Grammys that Gaga, has an academy award, and 8 Tony, including one for a Life Time Achievement in Theatre. Aka awards you actually had to be good to win. 

Cameron Mackintosh described Sondheim as "possibly the greatest lyricist ever." AKA the same Cameron Mackintosh that produced Anything Goes, brought Cats, Phantom of the Opera, and Les Miserables to the London stage, giving all three of world-wide acclaim and popularizing them. 

Also, not you downplaying the role of composition in music.  Obviously, YOU don't know anything about music. A majority of the emotion in music relies on its composition. Secondarily by dynamics and primarily by the tension and resolutions in the score, including key and time signatures, as well as chord progressions. Composition can even control the tone of the singer, which is probably what you're thinking is more important. But even ten, tone is greatly affected by the way the music is composed. If you have a swift and soft piece, you're not going to belt and groan the **** out of it Three Non-Blondes style, for example. In some ways, I agree with Sondheim. I don't think her performance was an travesty, but there were most definitely pockets in which Gaga didn't seem connected to the song, and overall I think she could have benefited from physical movement, as she mostly stood in place besides a few arm movement. However, I don't discredit her completely. She hit almost every note right on key, had an amazing vibrato, and used portamento ingeniously.You don't have to agree with what Sondheim says, nor does he have to like Gaga's performance. Trying to downplay his relevance and expertise when he's a billion times more respected than Gaga just because you don't agree with his criticism shows how immature and ignorant you are. 

​Drag

[darkchylde 14,857]

The "who" comments

Ever heard of Into the Woods? Sweeney Todd? Yeah, he wrote those. Arguably, the greatest living composer.

Having said that, I (obviously) completely disagree. It wasn't her "versatility" that brought tears to people's eyes.

​I also know about Grease and I don't care who the **** wrote it. And it's not like Sweeney Todd is a masterpiece. 

[Bebe 16,995]

​I don't care how many points you have or how much of a legend you think you are, if you're insulting someone by calling them a travesti, you are dirt. Disgusting dirt. He sounds like those old imbeciles that think they're above anyone else "not share his taste for contemporary pop music".

Julie Andrews herself praised it and loved it, end of this thread.

​Right. It's ok to call somebody toxic but not ok to call a performance a travesty.

It isn't like Sondheim was like: "OMG MISS REDUCTIVE FLOPGA IS SO OVER HA PERFORMANCE AT THE OSCARS WAS HORRIBLE AND SHE LOOKS LIKE TRASH!!" 
He provided a legitimate critique of Gaga, and while I disagree with it, I can understand where he is coming from.

I myself detected a hint of lack of proper breath control at the end of certain phrases, probably due to her past smoking habit, but I think it was a brilliant live performance and I'm glad Julie loved it.

 

[Willy Wonka 4]

​I don't care how many points you have or how much of a legend you think you are, if you're insulting someone by calling them a travesti, you are dirt. Disgusting dirt. He sounds like those old imbeciles that think they're above anyone else "not share his taste for contemporary pop music".

Julie Andrews herself praised it and loved it, end of this thread.

​Like Bebe basically said, you're being hypocritical. Craig was no more in the right with his comment than Sondheim was with his. 

As someone familiar with Sondheim and his choice of actors, it's not surprising that he wouldn't like Gaga's performance. He's never really been interested in performers with technically beautiful voices. He's always featured performers who can emote and connect with a song on a deep, deep level.

Gaga's performance was a vocal performance, not a theatrical performance. And I'm sure in his eyes, that's not doing justice to the work.

He's really one of the most brilliant musicians to have ever lived. He's arguably the greatest musical composer to have ever lived. He's anything but an imbecile.

And furthermore, really? Because he didn't like a performance, that would make him "dirt" and an "imbecile"? I'd argue that having such an irrational reaction to someone's opinion makes you much more deserving of the label "imbecile."

[freebit 6,148]

Mess, lol.

He could have done without the "toxic" and the last part of his sentence (& that hashtag). Sondheim was pretty OTT himself though with calling her performance a "travesty." Theatre people are pretty dramatic though, so I can't say I'm surprised.

[Floppy 7,951]

Arguably Sondheim had a point, but I disagree and it was phrased in a terrible manner.

 

That being said, Sondheim is an actual living legend and the lack of respect that Craig displays is disgusting. 

​I guess we all have opinions. 

[Willy Wonka 4]

​I guess we all have opinions. 

​Sondheim is a living legend. It's not an opinion.

[jsn 1,644]

niiiiiiiiice

[Floppy 7,951]

​Sondheim is a living legend. It's not an opinion.

​I'm sure not EVERYONE agrees with that because that's definitely an opinion. Hell, most people probaby don't even know who he is, I didn't until he said something about Gaga.

[Willy Wonka 4]

​I guess we all have opinions. 

​

​Sondheim is a living legend. It's not an opinion.

​Like literally. The Library of Congress has labelled him a living legend.

http://www.loc.gov/about/awards-and-honors/living-legends/stephen-sondheim/

[ryhanna 3,507]

Yikes. I appreciate this fella's good intentions, but it could have done without the indirect jab and name calling.

That said, Sondeim himself was quite disrespectful, despite having genuine criticisms at the core of his statements. I think they both went overboard...

[Willy Wonka 4]

​I'm sure not EVERYONE agrees with that because that's definitely an opinion. Hell, most people probaby don't even know who he is, I didn't until he said something about Gaga.

http://www.loc.gov/about/awards-and-honors/living-legends/stephen-sondheim/

It's a title, and it's a fact.

[Floppy 7,951]

​

​Like literally. The Library of Congress has labelled him a living legend.

http://www.loc.gov/about/awards-and-honors/living-legends/stephen-sondheim/

​Ok great. That changes everything. What an icon.

[vertigostick 2,251]

He's a dirty old swine with a young lover boy who should take his pills.

Alzheimer hurts.

[Willy Wonka 4]

​Ok great. That changes everything. What an icon.

He really is though. There's even a Broadway theater named after him. It's literally called the Stephen Sondheim Theater. That's how iconic he is in musical theatre. Occasionally he will do live discussions with interviewers in theaters, and tickets have sold out in three minutes before. He's earned a lifetime achievement award from the Tonys and he's had several musical revues dedicated to his work. There's really no living person more significant than him in musical theatre. He's about as big as you get.