Sweeney Todd in Concert

A review of the New York Philharmonic's Sweeney Todd which I saw this weekend.I'd ask, though, about this: "Thompson's partner in crime, however, could have asked her for a few acting tips. Terfel's intimidating bass-baritone is perfect for Sweeney Todd, and his 6ft 4in frame conveys menace, but Terfel's Sweeney comes across as a monster not a brute." Exactly why is "monster" the wrong interpretation? (He doesn't act as well as Emma Thompson, true - but damn, that's a high bar!) I'd rather agree with this reviewer: Terfel "showed the murderous barber as a tormented figure on an operatic scale. He was in great voice, and his experience in art song seemed to inform a vocally nuanced interpretation."

They both rave over Thompson - and rightly so! She was extraordinary.

Anyway, they were filming it the night we were there, and it'll be on PBS eventually, and you really must watch it. Wonderful theater, just wonderful.