Hugh Panaro & Sierra Boggess: Point of No Return

From Sierra's first Broadway show! This was her run for Broadway's 25th anniversary. I believe I heard that this performance was professionally recorded.

[@MattTexas]

Hugh is such a talented performer. My very first Bway show was Phantom in 1992 where he was Raoul. This was a much better role for him.

[@elizabetesantiago8051]

Amo de paixão tudo isso!!

[@user-hc5qh9bi9b]

The best.Every move,every note.

[@Pango5697]

Hugh Panaro, Bravo!

[@mariejusto423]

🥰🥰🥰

[@jackboulter4901]

I can't wait to hear it :))

[@natekrieger5741]

I’m so Excited!!

[@orozcoboy]

Sometimes, because she is mentioned so frequently, I think Sierra Bogess is overrated as Christine. Then I watch this type of videos and I remember why she is one of my favorites. She embodies the music like very few can. She’s a quality top notch performer. She’s ubiquitous in this role because she is really the best in contemporary times

[@melissam597]

I’m not sure I agree about her being the best as there are many great modern Christine’s IMO, but I do really like her in both the Vegas and Broadway runs. Tbh I find the “Rierra” pairing super overrated (their voices don’t gel and whilst their chemistry is good, I’ve seen better) but as individuals both are great.

[@ReclusiveMountainMan]

Check out Lisa Vroman and Franc D'Ambrosio.

[@erik_operaghost]

@@melissam597 i believe that sierra is a very talented performer but rierra is the most overrated pairing of all time, the 2011 25th anniversary recording sounds terrible (my opinion)

[@natekrieger5741]

Just Viewed!! Thx so much Hun!!

[@AtMyHappyPlace]

Nice!

[@melissam597]

Thanks for uploading, prefer Sierra with Hugh tbh (not a popular opinion, I know!)

[@samirsedky3324]

I have two pairings: West End: Ramin and Sierra, Broadway: Hugh and Sierra

[@samirsedky3324]

Isn’t there a full version of Hugh Panaro performing the Phantom of the Opera with Sierra Boggess?

[@phanoftheopera]

Yep! This is a clip from that full video

[@samirsedky3324]

@@phanoftheopera yes, but is there a full version of this show?

[@phanoftheopera]

@@samirsedky3324 yes, this clip I shared is part of a full video of the two of them. I cannot post the full video publicly

[@samirsedky3324]

@@phanoftheopera I see, I meant the full performance of the show with them

[@phanoftheopera]

@@samirsedky3324 again, there is a full video of them together that I have.

[@brxzbze]

Am I the only person who isn't a huge fan of Hugh? I've seen so many of his videos in this role to try get why people are so into his version, and he does have his good moments as his base voice is nice (eg. the AIAOY reprise in this video is really smooth even if there are small breathing issues), but it's really inconsistent -- he also has so many bits where he just. doesn't. reach a note? (the note is flat) and the transitions between notes/registers often isn't smooth, sometimes his vibrato isn't consistent and breaks a bit, and a lot of the times his delivery feels lazy or something. Maybe it was an off day? Or maybe I've just seen the wrong videos? I mean absolutely no disrespect with this, and I get that he does inject variety in his performance and his portrayal is unique and all, but he makes a lot of phrasing and occasionally acting decisions that just feel unnecessary and just feel distracting or random... sometimes it just feels like he's doing things just to be different and to stand out. I guess you could say it's a way of conveying character but if it's distracting and pulls me out is it really a good choice? Maybe I'm just nitpicking, although I'm generally willing to look past vocal errors if the acting is good, but it just doesn't feel cohesive. Some of it could be due to the direction as well (both music direction and regular direction -- there are quite a few bits in some of his videos where it definitely isn't him and I feel the music direction is either too slow at tense moments or rushing the important moments and that just drags the pacing down and obviously negatively impacts the performers too) but still. It's also weird because I've seen him in other roles and although he has occasional problems with sliding/scooping up to notes it's definitely not as pronounced and I much preferred him there. Maybe he's just an acquired taste and not for me. I don't know. If somebody is willing to direct me to a really good performance from him I'm definitely open to that. I have respect for all performers and I'd love to see a video that would really showcase his best work.

[@BeWiL0991]

He’s my second favorite - and this isn’t one of the videos that got me into him. For me it’s his organic approach to it. He’s an actual character and interpretation of the Phantom, rather than just singing and performing it very well for the stage. That’s where your variety and uniqueness come in. I personally love Phantom as an organic character. He’s not a perfectly trained vocalist; he’s a savant, someone who figured out on their own and in their own way what sounds good - someone who’s spent decades alone in the sewers and dungeons and his own lair listening to his own voice speak out on his own loneliness and resonation and figured out what sounds best in pure intuition - and once that became his language, he began to eke that out into the world - to intimidate, with the operators of the opera house; or to convey his own earnest passions to the likes of those receptive to it, such as Christine. There’s a certain element to it that’s different than purely mainstream trained singers - something more organic and haunting, in a way - it conveys a more natural and earnest resonation than anything that we’re used to in structured settings. That’s “The Phantom,” and I think M Crawford and H Panaro are the only ones to capture that element of it. It won’t be perfect according to trained criteria; it won’t be fully consistent, bc this is an untrained, savant Phantom singing from the heart and self learned. Every imperfection, sung beautifully, naturally, and organically, is a work of art - and that’s what Panaro delivers on. I think the perfect “mix” of true Phantom and “stage” Phantom should go to JOJ, but in terms of living as close to “rugged reality” as the original Phantom story should be - Crawford originated it, and Panaro is his closest successor in those terms. That’s his critical appeal - at the very least to me. As a signer and a character: A natural, savant, unorthodoxly self-trained and organically-acting character and singer.

[@lazmush3846]

It is a kind of boyish texture why people like him. All the things he sings are gentle and coy, even if the Phantom is a villain. It is heartbroken. The point isn't about whether he hits the note or not or how he breathes or how he speaks the lines. The way he interprets Erik is just good.

[@brxzbze]

@@lazmush3846 I understand your concerns about acting. Believe me, I prefer people who act over people who can only 'sing pretty' as a singer isn't really interpreting a song or piece if they don't act it to an extent, and phrasing is what makes the music interesting. However, I personally can't enjoy a good acting performance as much if technical aspects keep pulling me out of it, and especially not if they get in the way of delivery. 'the point isn't about whether he hits the note or not': My issue here is I think the technical aspects get in the way of the portrayal as opposed to assisting it eg. him lacking articulation in areas which actually take away from the emotion in intense bits. Like I said, I think his base voice is fine -- the boyish texture you were referring to -- but I mostly have qualms with his delivery being too random in many areas. So I guess it's a portrayal thing, too? Though as I said before, I don't think I've listened to him enough, but I also don't wanna stockholm syndrome myself into liking a portrayal I'm not a huge fan of lol

[@lazmush3846]

@@brxzbzeIn musical theatre aspect, many professional show business people think that actors should "act on pitch", so the acting is more important than simply singing. Including some resident director and other ensemble members in the company of POTO, they just think the Phantom should sing in kind of a state of weakness and breathe weird, because those belong to the Phantom. Because there is a lack of details about why in your opinion he sings "at random", and why his singing disturbs the performance, I can just only interpret like that. By the way, besides being a musical actor, he is an active solo vocalist working with many symphony orchestras at the same time till these day. So, I dont think so, like he has some vocal problems.

[@brxzbze]

@@lazmush3846 Oh no I don't think he should sing in a state of weakness?? or uh breathe weird? Idk what you're referring to though. I think you mean certain phantoms making a weirder voice to stand out from the rest of the cast? I said before, I don't actually dislike his voice, just he usually doesn't seem to use it well in clips of him in this role. He seems okay in concerts though for some reason from what I've seen.