Should Opera Lovers Listen To Sondheim?

Sondheim is GREAT for opera lovers! Stephen Sondheim composed sophisticated music for Broadway us to be open-minded, to be nuanced storytellers, and to be receptive to change. Learn about his life, his work, and what he can teach us all in this video!

0:00 - You should listen to Sondheim
1:14 - Sondheim’s childhood
2:25 - [skip]
3:12 - Sondheim grows up
6:39 - Sondheim and opera
8:30 - Sondheim is operatic
11:20 - “Swiftness is important”
13:08 - Sondheim teaches acting
14:40 - How to practice acting with Sondheim pieces
16:55 - Sondheim is a good example!
18:45 - Sondheim’s shows change over time
24:00 - Genderbending!
24:50 - Opera for the modern age
26:34 - Thank you, Sondheim
27:32 - Bloopers!

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#Sondheim #Opera #MusicalTheatre #Composer

[robinhahnsopran]

I wanna be clear that of course, I know composers make art when they write music, and that their art is AWESOME. It just requires some assembly to share that art. ✨What's YOUR favourite Sondheim piece? For me, there's no contest: it's Sunday from Sunday in the Park with George - a piece about art itself. Drop yours here!

[SewBiased]

Favourite Sondheim factoid (prepare for feels): when the Tick Tick Boom movie came out, just weeks before Sondheim's death, Lin Manuel Miranda (who directed the movie) got a ton of comments from aspiring and now professional composers, musicians, performers, and assorted theatre people on how much Sondheim helped them in their career, how much support he gave them, and how he was fundamental in getting their careers. Sondheim's response when Lin told him about all the heaps of praise? "Maybe I've finally paid back some of the debt I owe Oscar." 😭😭😭😭

[Tryunderstandingsarcasm]

This is such a good YouTube channel explaining opera. I’m so happy I found this.

[brendanmooney]

THANK YOU for putting so much time & effort (and so many of your spoons) into this stellar project! I've been looking forward to learning more about Sondheim from you since you first mentioned the project! And a special shout-out to the return of Camera Two 😁

[nikkicafeina]

Loved this!
I personally came to know about opera through RENT. To me, opera and musical theater have always been essentially sisters.
Being a theatre kid, I'm all about reimagining shows--if you're not trying to SAY something with a staging (even if what you're saying is just "hey, wouldn't it be really cool if...") then are you really doing the most? And as theatre people, isn't Doing the Most like, our raison d'etre?

[operamariposa]

Thanks for all your hard work in making this in-depth video! We love blurring the line between opera and broadway. 🤩

[MunthApollo]

This is very timely as I just watched Tim Burton's version of Sweeney Todd last night, my first time watching a rendition of one of his plays. I honestly did not enjoy it, but it had more to do with how awkward the film felt than anything, the score is wonderful. I had no interest in his work before, but I visited a music teacher the other day, who suggested I learn something from Sweeney Todd. I had been trying to teach myself to sing, and I was singing in the mezzo soprano range. She said this was the wrong vocal type for me and that I needed to use more head voice. I started working on Green Finch and Linnet bird but I'm a little intimidated, I have to try and sing a such a detailed song in a register I am not used to, while somehow managing to look crazy and also my sheet music reading skills are lacking... If anyone knows an easier Sondheim song for beginner sopranos I'd love for you to let me know about it...

Thank you Robin, I am a new viewer and really enjoying your content!

[birgiteder]

So impressed with all the hard work you put into this, Robin!

[lindsaygillis]

What a fabulous video, Robin! I really enjoyed your commentary on the benefit of change in the face of changing social ideas, audiences, and needs of artists. I agree that the opera industry and opera performers can learn a lot from the late great Sondheim!

[TheCAPTAINDESTROYER]

You deserve way more views. Great video

[dt]

Big Sondheim fan here, and I learned stuff about him in this video I never knew. Super well researched!