LA MANCHA Joan Diener

[@terryhammond1253]

🎹 I saw Joan Deiner play Aldonza on Broadway in the original production. How she ever delivered that kind of energy and vocal power 8 performances a week is beyond belief.

[@glenneager3067]

She’s my favorite Aldonza

[@kaitlinquinnmoore2484]

Absolutely the best

[@peteralfano4278]

nice to see this clip--I never saw La Diener do La Mancha but I did see her Cry For Us All...and even Home Sweet Homer!!!! Great voice but she put the "d" in Diva. She did answer a fan letter I sent her when I was in college so that was nice...

[@williamwebb7917]

It was a true thrill and privilege to be able to watch this clip. Thanks for posting.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

You are so welcome--glad you liked it.

[@alanfischer1948]

I have always loved this show. Sadly I never got to see Diener sing it. By the time I saw the show both leads had changed and only Robert Rounsville was in the cast. I have hear all her recordings, the OBC, the London "complete" with Michell, and the French, but I must say that this performance, especially of Aldonza, is the most incredible I have heard. This song is so cruelly written, and the singer can get lost and start shouting rather than singing it all the way thru. Even Diener in my opinion never sang it as well on any of the recordings as she did here. As for the complaints about the tempo of Aldonza, I think it works better for the performer. Too fast and all you can do is scream it. Thank you so much for this and all your posts!!

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Thanks for this, and these tempi are clearly what she wanted.

[@bradylanier2702]

So grateful to have this, as there is precious little footage of Joan Diener online. I'd love to know more about this fascinating performer - been obsessed with her since my childhood in the '70s. Grew up with the London complete recording, it's still my favorite. Yes the tempos here are slower than in the original Broadway recording, but she had been performing this role for 15+ years by the time of this video so makes sense that her interpretation would change. Still sounds amazing, and being able to actually see her work in this production is such a treat.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

So nice to hear from a fellow Diener fan. I even caught her Aldonza when she took over in the 1992 revival.

[@bradylanier2702]

aurora spiderwoman How was it? I missed seeing it by 2 months 😓 The regret still lingers

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

She was remarkably unchanged. A little more careful perhaps but not notably different from the '60s.

[@rebeccae.5217]

Thank you so much for posting!

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Glad you enjoyed.

[@leomack4432]

If you listen to Diener in the London Cast with Keith Mitchell and the French recording with Jacque Brel she sings them very slow there as well. I get the feeling it was her choice, but it does allow her to show off her breath control, belt, head voice and pianos all in the same song. Truly amazing!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Yes, the slowing down is indeed noticeable on the London and French recordings and was also present when Diener appeared in the 1972 and 1992 Broadway revivals. I don't suppose we will ever know if she also did this in the original Broadway production after the recording was made, or if her numbers simply needed to be sped up for the LP to save time.

[@awesomemom533]

Omg chills

[@DavidRigano]

It's amazing to see her, but wow they took the tempos down! It must have been five hours long!

[@spn1007]

You can tell that the Orchestra is ahead of her constantly. She's clearly milking the song for all it's worth. Unfortunately dragging it so much loses the power of the song. But she's still was amazing!

[@swvacollings290]

I saw this production in Boston. It did seem the pace of her first song sucked the air out of everything for a bit, but her other numbers were fine. This production is readily available on the B-way collectors market, but it’s usually mid-labled as the 1972 Revival. (THAT would be something to see, but remember, no easily ported Vid cameras back then.) If the kids of the principals in the La Mancha company own any such gems, perhaps we’ll see them someday. At least there’s some decent tape of Kiley doing this signature role. He’d have been around 62 for this. He definitely still had energy. In fact I think he was actually trying to pick up the pace during the show. His lines with some cast members seemed very fast, almost starting before they’d finish. Perhaps he was trying to get things moving a little faster. Thanks for this.

[@swvacollings290]

I’m not a trader or really a collector myself. I did know some friends who were, one of whom kindly shared one with me. I’m embarrassed to say I was less than diligent with it’s up keep. I also saw the Raul Julia 92 revival. He was a good actor but his voice was not up to this. He was very funny in some scenes, but not anywhere near Kiley in terms of gravitas. I would think if you cruised the web searching for Broadway “Boots” as they’re often known, you’d eventually find collectors. Remember. This production is often Mis-labled as the 1972 Revival. It’s actually Boston, 82-83. It was a decent production, but not Brilliant. The Sancho was John Wheeler I think. He was “Opera Club” Guy from The Odd Couple. Beautiful Singer, but he didn’t quite nail the Comedy of Sancho. John Reardon was the Padre. He was frequently on Mr Rogers. In fact, the Sunday I saw it as a teen, Mr Rogers himself was there. I saw him in the Lobby, but didn’t have the guts to go up and say Hi to him. The 2002 revival with Stokes is also out there, but I hated it. Incredible singing, but OMG Terrible acting IMO. PAINFULLY bad and self indulgent. I think this vid is important simply because of the Kiley/Diener aspect. Good Luck in your internet searching. Look for “Boots”.

[@lilyhogwart]

I have repeatedly corrected people on the mislabeling of this video in various online discussions, sometimes getting arguments in reply. It's so obviously not the 1972 revival, but it keeps getting labeled that way. Just like the Frogs video that circulates is so obviously not the original production at Yale, but it keeps getting passed on as being of that production. Yes, John Wheeler was Sancho in this production. And in an oddity, Chev (aka Shev) Rodgers was the Governor but then played his original role of Pedro in the Quixote scenes, while Renato Cibelli (who made a career out of this show, The King and I and Oklahoma!) is the Innkeeper. A full cast list can be found by clicking on "See more credits" at the link. ovrtur.com/production/2900658

[@Tarotlynx]

All hail the Queen!

[@awesomemom533]

The tempo does seem way too slow but wow she’s incomparable. No one has ever played that role better. That voice!

[@malp1]

@Evil Monkey no, the tempo is way too slow, which is all about the self-indulgence of the performer. And those endless pauses in the dialogue are ridiculous. The original cast album is evidence of how great Diener was in the part when the show opened, but the tempos are too slow and she over-sings and overacts on the London cast album, and even worse on the French album with Jacques Brel. Really sad.

[@josiebrown5314]

@@malp1 to

[@sarahostrinsky4595]

She was a wonder

[@davidpayne697]

Thank you so much. I'm a Diener fanatic. Do you have anything of her in Kismet? I feel like i'm the only one who likes her slow pace btw

[@carolcarter6223]

Damn, Joan Deiner is 52 years old here.

[@aidanallen1976]

no she's 35 hahah, born in 1930 and this is from 1965

[@megwene6351]

No I think she's right. The video info says this recording is from 1982/1983 at performance in Boston.

[@theatreaficionado]

Do we know why they took out the key change in "It's All the Same"? That original version of the song as heard on the OBCR is Diener at the peak of her powers (fiery belt into operatic grandeur). In London and Paris, and well, here, she sang it more like an aria (and a little part of me is convinced she slowed it to give herself just a bit more stage time) in one set key that all other soprano Aldonzas also have sung. (I'm also curious when and why "What Do You Want of Me?" went third person)

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I tend to agree with you that the slowing down of "It's All the Same" was Joan wanting a little more stage time and presence; like Miss Hannigan, Aldonza is one of those leading roles that doesn't get a load of stage time. Perhaps by 1982 that key change had become more difficult for her so she chose not to attempt it. As far as "What Do You Want of Me?," I so wish I could recall what she sang when I saw "La Mancha" on Jan. 1, 1966, and whether or not it differed from the cast recording, which I had not yet heard.

[@theatreaficionado]

@@auroraspiderwoman5886 The key change is gone by London in '68. I wish a live tape existed of those early performances! Unrelated to this, I have a tape of her singing "I'm Going Moroccan for Johnny" and "Rahadlakum" for a Wright and Forrest tribute circa 1989 and she still had an astonishing vocal range. I wish she had done more musicals (We were denied her Carlotta and Heidi in Follies; there aren't many you can say that about!)

[@jarrodc7984]

It’s a shame they didn’t do it in her key, I believe this is the key they changed it to after she left. She’s still the quintessential Aldonza, and her voice is glorious, I just prefer the beginning the way they did it in the original. But still, what a find!

[@robertoayala]

GREAT

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Thanks. I agree.

[@chersteencolby6344]

I dont like the slow tempo of "Its All the Same: but man, she sure was amazing singing "Aldonza" (though the tempo of that is slower than on the recording too). The beauty yet raw pain in her voice, it does give me chills.

[@debralevine-artsmeme]

I am putting finishing touches to Jack Cole's biography. Although he died in 1974 and there was a terrible brouhaha over the rights to his choreography for "Man of La Mancha" (Jack sued director Albie Marre over its continued use), the staging on view in this Boston revival, is so clearly Cole's. It's dark but the first of two songs, "It's all the Same," has many Cole characteristics. Many!

[@lavoxii]

I come for love I come for love I come to Aldonza for love One pair of arms is like another I don't know why or who's to blame I'll go with you Or with your brother It's all the same It's all the same This I have learned That when the lights out No man will burn With special flame You'll prove to me Before the night's out You're all the same You're all the same So do not talk to me Of love I'm not a fool with starry eyes Just put your money in my hand And you will get What money buys One pair of arms is like another I don't know why or who's to blame I'll go with you or your brother It's all the same It's all the same Oh I have seen too many beds But I have known too little rest And I have loved to many men With hatred burning in my breast I do not like you or your brother I do not like the life I live But I am me I am Aldonza And what I give I choose to give One pair of arms is like another Its all the same It's all the same! Aldonza!

[@spiritosa0123]

What family do YOU HAVE Ritz.

[@brrr1315]

Thanks so much for posting! I absolutely adore this cast. Would you happen to know the date that this was recorded? I’ve only heard that it was early 1983, and the performance is even harder to narrow down since it’s often mislabeled as the ‘72 revival lol

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

At some point between Dec. '82 and Feb. '83, Boston Opera. I would guess it was done near the end of the run.

[@broadwaymike92]

Do you have b roll footage from the 2002-2003 revival

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

Hi Michael--Yes, seems I have a good deal of "raw" from that one. Thanks for the reminder, will have to get to it.

[@makeittrue]

What an amazing voice but I have to agree with others--the tempo is too slow. How the tempo is on the recording was fine.

[@michaeljj43]

she sounds amazing…but the tempos…so slow.

[@auroraspiderwoman5886]

I can't say that I recall the tempi when I saw Diener in the '65 original, but whenever I saw Diener play the role subsequently (London, Vivian Beaumont, Marquis Theatre), that's the way she did them. The original '65 recording doesn't reflect that at all, but you can definitely hear her slow way down on the French cast recording with Jacques Brel, and to some extent on the London recording with Keith Michell.

[@GG-xg5fk]

Powerful voice coming from such a tiny woman. First song was way too slow, however. I've seen this show a dozen times with different artists and always at a much faster tempo.

[@WolfGratz]

Well she might have finished the song in a respectable time had she just sung the blasted notes as written. This is particularly excessive but all her recordings milk tremolo for absolutely all its worth and then some.

[@sensobrando]

tiempo anestesiado.

[@glgree1]

She doesn't seem to understand the rhythm of the song. She is consistently not with the guitar. Slow tempo doesn't help, as she indulges.