I’ve always been a connoisseur of vibratos in Broadway singers.
Yes, I’ve always enjoyed theatre, I’m occasionally involved in theatrical productions, I sing, blah blah blah, etc. Anyway, something that has always intrigued me about singing is, of course, vibrato. There’s just something about this naturally occurring phenomenon with the human voice that seems to tell me a lot about a singer. ***DISCLAIMER: this blog post is merely opinions. Even if you think I’m wrong on my school of thought, I’m here to tell you that I am in no way a professional; merely an opinionist.***
My taste for vibrato is this:
1. It needs to not only sounds natural, it needs to be unrestrained NOR strained.
2. I prefer faster vibratos over wobbles. I will make occasional exceptions to slower vibratos if it isn’t distracting or annoying.
3. The thing that tells me whether a vibrato is natural or not is if it amplifies or strengthens the power of the sounds.
I have a few examples that help me prove my point. First is one of my biggest Broadway crushes, Marla Mindelle.
Okay, go to 2:34 for the time being (you can watch the rest later). Listen to that solid D#! And her vibrato naturally begins to oscillate and you can hear the sound pulsating violently (but naturally!) from Marla. Ah-mazing!!! Granted, Marla is a little bit slower on the speed, but she makes up for it without straining it and amplification.
Next is Company-revival cast lead Raul (pronouned “rah-woo-l”…I can’t get the accented “u” on here) Esparza. I have been extremely fond of this guy’s voice. There is such a warm, passionate sound that listeners can relate to. Esparza’s big break was his screamer role in “Rocky Horror Picture Show” on Broadway, but his lead role in Jonathan Larson’s Tick, Tick…BOOM! won him an Obie Award. One of my favorite songs from TTB is “Why.” “Why” is about Jonathan reflecting on his friendship with his friend Michael and if he’s able to take care of him as Michael’s AIDS begins to destroy his body. This is, perhaps, one of the hardest songs to sing for a guy…well, if you’re a tenor, then it’s no problem and I hope you die…kidding! (I’m a baritone, haha). Either way, there’s a lot to this song, and Esparza pulls it off flawlessly on the cast album.
My favorite part of this song (which also happens to be the second, and biggest, climax of the song) is at 3:57.
“I sing, ‘Come to your senses,
Defenses are not the way to go.’
Over and over and over till I got it right
When I emerge from B minor or A
Five o’ clock, diner calls
I’m on my way.”
Esparza literally lets his voice go completely loose. His belt is goosebump-inducing and his vibrato is just to my liking. I realize that many people hate his vibrato, but I believe it’s more of an acquired taste. If you do not enjoy TTB, I highly suggest giving the revival of Company. His voice is a lot more refined since he’s got a little more experience under his belt at this point.
My newest found love is Julia Murney, of Wicked fame. Murney was also one of the starring roles in Andrew Lippa’s The Wild Party. I found this video, literally, today and I think it really showcases Murney’s ability to quickly spin her air in her higher belt range (and let me say, this girl’s belt combined with her vibrato equals wicked and violent sound…I. Love. It.)
Murney does something with “creAtion” that I’ve never heard done before: no straight tone on the D, and she has a more long “a” sound as opposed to a darker “eh” sound (see: Natalie Weiss’ rendition). She vibratos the note from beginning to end. It’s something that’s almost unwanted by most people; I’ll go so far as to say almost annoying. It has really started to grow on me, though! It almost makes her straight-toned “-tion” a lot more fulfilling and satisfying (and her undertones on that last C are to DIE for). Another thing that I love about Julia Murney is that she doesn’t put the typical breath between “creA” and “-tion” like most singers do. If you want to hear Murney do other awesome stuff, I suggest hearing a performance of “Defying Gravity” on YouTube and “Raise the Roof” from The Wild Party.
I could go on, literally, forever about singers with fast oscillating vibratos and certain songs that they do justice. Here are some other singers you can find on YouTube that I also recommend: Nic Rouleau, Carolee Carmello (of Parade fame), Natalie Cortez (Broadway revival’s Diana in A Chorus Line), Audra McDonald (search Once On This Island by Flaherty and Ahrens), and Dee Roscioli (currently playing the principal Elphaba in Wicked on Broadway).
I will, eventually, make a blog post covering my favorite singers with slower vibratos since it only seems fair and I don’t want to come across as bias. As I said, it’s a preference, but there are singers who do slower vibratos justice, and I will make them known. Until then, have a merry Christmas and enjoy my favorite sacred choral piece for the holiday. Note: this choir is now named the Chamber Choir of Europe. Check out their Lauridsen album when you get the chance (it’s amazing!).
