Dale Kristien singing 'Think of Me', from one of the last performances of the LA production in 1993. Her cadenza at the end just goes on and on and on.
if iIm not mistaken, she's the only actress to play Christine full-time in the sense that she did every performance each week unless she was sick or on vacation.
Dale is honestly one of the loveliest Christine's I have heard. She is truly set apart from the others. The way she just flows into the cadenza at the end, in my opinion just epitomizes Christine
and she's the only one (at least to my knowledge) to do *EVERY* show of an 8 show week thus the only times her alternate ever went on was if she was sick or on vacation.
And that my friends is how you win an audience! She reminds me of Susanna Foster, the girl who played Christine in the 1943 film version of The Phantom Of The Opera. Her notes went on forever too. It was how it was done in the older style opera performances. And remember This show is set in The Victorian era & that is how they did opera back then :-)
I have to say... with an ending like that, and the audience cheering as they did, you really believe that THIS Christine Daae legitimately would have taken Paris by storm.
This wasn't the last performance. I was partners with a cast member and was fortunate to attend the very last performance in L.A. Dale's final performance was even better than this one, which is still awesome. A couple of you commented that she sounds like she's out of breath, but she's not. She's actually taking in a huge breath so she can hold that high note as long as possible. No other Christine can hit the notes like Dale. Her and "Piangi" had somewhat of a competition every night to see who could hold their high note the longest. At the last performance, she took a HUGE breath and the note went on forever. She seized the moment and went for it! When she finished, they actually stopped the show... the orchestra stopped, and a standing ovation lasted at least 5 minutes. Not a dry eye in the house. Then she nodded to the conductor and the show restarted. There are other videos claiming to be the last, but they're not.
Yes, someone already commented that this wasn't the last, so I am aware of that. I just need to update the description. Thanks for letting us know about what the actual last performance was like, it sounds pretty good.
In my estimation, Dale was perhaps the greatest Christine of all, in so many ways. Her lovely, crystalline high registers is what I think epitomized the role, and separated her from all the others.
indeed! especially since she is the only Christine (still?) to be allowed to play the role all 8 shows a week (typically the lead did 6 and the alternate the other 2)
Dale was by far the best Christine, and a really nice woman too. I was in college and taking singing lessons from on of the cast members who played one of the managers. (He was actually a neighbor who lived across the street from me and taught voice in his spare time.) I got to see 47 shows compliments of Michael Crawford giving me his guest seats, and play softball with Dale and the cast,crew and orchestra sometimes, too! I think that may have even been me yelling out at her in the end (woow!) when she finished! lol One of my favorite photos is of me an her hanging out after the show in her dressing room with her in sweats and her hair hanging down sopping wet after coming out of the shower. She is so down to earth and fun!
What an outstanding talent. This youtube performance shows a performer who is excellent in their craft. Brava Ms. Kristien and I wish you many more successes.
I remember seeing Kristien at a performance of Camelot at this tiny theatre at Upland, CA. This was after her great Phantom run. I kept thinking, this is one of the greatest broadway stars, and here she is having fun with a bunch of amateurs.
sounds good? she's the best christine to grace the stage.. working with Michael from Broadway to the LA stage on 300 perfomances LOL nasally is for the kids in your voice class.. nasally is for the hacks at a karaoke.. this woman is the BEST of the BEST when it came to this roll :) xoxo
This wasn't the last performance as it wasn't filmed. There are 2 different shows filmed from the house camera but they were filmed on the last double day which was Saturday, 8/28. I know this for a fact as I was a HUGE L.A. Phantom phan seeing the show over 50x there. I've been on the hunt for years to find the final show which sadly doesn't exist. This was taken from one of the two shows on Saturday. Sunday, 8/29, was the final show in L.A. I was there for the final show and couldn't stop crying that day. Someone add the L.A. news coverage of the final show to the Saturday evening show which makes people think it was coverage of the final show. Davis gives a speech at the end of the Saturday evening show saying something about the next day being the final show.
@gavrochemm I saw her perform in Phantom 4 times in LA and I have to agree with you that she could have shortened the end. Just because you can do something does not mean you should do it.
if iIm not mistaken, she's the only actress to play Christine full-time in the sense that she did every performance each week unless she was sick or on vacation.
True
Dale is honestly one of the loveliest Christine's I have heard. She is truly set apart from the others. The way she just flows into the cadenza at the end, in my opinion just epitomizes Christine
She sings the cadenza slower than most of the others but she has really poor breahe control if you listen.She sounds breathless.
and she's the only one (at least to my knowledge) to do *EVERY* show of an 8 show week thus the only times her alternate ever went on was if she was sick or on vacation.
And that my friends is how you win an audience! She reminds me of Susanna Foster, the girl who played Christine in the 1943 film version of The Phantom Of The Opera. Her notes went on forever too. It was how it was done in the older style opera performances. And remember This show is set in The Victorian era & that is how they did opera back then :-)
I have to say... with an ending like that, and the audience cheering as they did, you really believe that THIS Christine Daae legitimately would have taken Paris by storm.
This wasn't the last performance. I was partners with a cast member and was fortunate to attend the very last performance in L.A. Dale's final performance was even better than this one, which is still awesome. A couple of you commented that she sounds like she's out of breath, but she's not. She's actually taking in a huge breath so she can hold that high note as long as possible. No other Christine can hit the notes like Dale. Her and "Piangi" had somewhat of a competition every night to see who could hold their high note the longest. At the last performance, she took a HUGE breath and the note went on forever. She seized the moment and went for it! When she finished, they actually stopped the show... the orchestra stopped, and a standing ovation lasted at least 5 minutes. Not a dry eye in the house. Then she nodded to the conductor and the show restarted. There are other videos claiming to be the last, but they're not.
Yes, someone already commented that this wasn't the last, so I am aware of that. I just need to update the description. Thanks for letting us know about what the actual last performance was like, it sounds pretty good.
oh wow that sounds amazing.
In my estimation, Dale was perhaps the greatest Christine of all, in so many ways. Her lovely, crystalline high registers is what I think epitomized the role, and separated her from all the others.
how much is that doggie in the window
More like the most boringest Christine. You would have tired of her too if you saw her as much as I did (over 40x easily).
Now that is how you earn a standing ovation! :)
indeed! especially since she is the only Christine (still?) to be allowed to play the role all 8 shows a week (typically the lead did 6 and the alternate the other 2)
y
Too bad she didn't do 6 shows instead of 8. She rarely missed sadly.
Dale was by far the best Christine, and a really nice woman too. I was in college and taking singing lessons from on of the cast members who played one of the managers. (He was actually a neighbor who lived across the street from me and taught voice in his spare time.) I got to see 47 shows compliments of Michael Crawford giving me his guest seats, and play softball with Dale and the cast,crew and orchestra sometimes, too! I think that may have even been me yelling out at her in the end (woow!) when she finished! lol One of my favorite photos is of me an her hanging out after the show in her dressing room with her in sweats and her hair hanging down sopping wet after coming out of the shower. She is so down to earth and fun!
She oughtta been married!
The first time I saw Phantom was her and Davis Gaines ,in Los Angeles. I remember like it was yesterday that was 25 years ago.
Saw her 6 times in Los Angeles including the final performance in August 1993.
We might’ve been there on the same night 🙂
Yes! I had the biggest crush on Davis Gaines.
What an outstanding talent. This youtube performance shows a performer who is excellent in their craft. Brava Ms. Kristien and I wish you many more successes.
oh how this makes me miss the L.A. POTO cast! every single one of them!
A true operatic voice :)
I remember seeing Kristien at a performance of Camelot at this tiny theatre at Upland, CA. This was after her great Phantom run. I kept thinking, this is one of the greatest broadway stars, and here she is having fun with a bunch of amateurs.
She's amazing here!
I loved Dale as Christine in the Los Angeles production back in the day. She was my favorite next to Sarah Brightman and Sierra Boggess.
sounds good? she's the best christine to grace the stage.. working with Michael from Broadway to the LA stage on 300 perfomances LOL nasally is for the kids in your voice class.. nasally is for the hacks at a karaoke.. this woman is the BEST of the BEST when it came to this roll :) xoxo
She always made a shit grin just before her high note
Wtf!!! At the end! Why shouldn't it be like that for every Christine? Or is that too much
This was the second to last performance. So she went for it. The final show the next day was even better, but it was not filmed.
This wasn't the last performance as it wasn't filmed. There are 2 different shows filmed from the house camera but they were filmed on the last double day which was Saturday, 8/28. I know this for a fact as I was a HUGE L.A. Phantom phan seeing the show over 50x there. I've been on the hunt for years to find the final show which sadly doesn't exist. This was taken from one of the two shows on Saturday. Sunday, 8/29, was the final show in L.A. I was there for the final show and couldn't stop crying that day. Someone add the L.A. news coverage of the final show to the Saturday evening show which makes people think it was coverage of the final show. Davis gives a speech at the end of the Saturday evening show saying something about the next day being the final show.
I was at the final show as well. My partner was in the cast. It was an incredible night.
You sing beautiful I love your husband Peter Reckell ❤ you are so lucky my husband my soulmate ♥ March 4 2015.
Dale Kristien's Voice Is a Coloratura!
The music here seems different. It's great!!!
@gavrochemm I saw her perform in Phantom 4 times in LA and I have to agree with you that she could have shortened the end. Just because you can do something does not mean you should do it.
Can you put something with Davis Gaines, please?
Best performance yet.
She sounds like Glenda the Good Witch of the East...
she sounded a bit out of breath during the cadenza....
Whatever you say. I do think that Anna O'Byrne is really good for the roll, just sayin'....
she sounds good but her voice seems kind of nasally or something
Yeah >_< kind of ruins it. . .