Ben Crawford as The Phantom - 2nd Performance vs. Final Performance Comparison
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- Опубликовано: 10 сен 2024
- This is a remake of a video that I made and posted a couple of months back comparing the way Ben Crawford sounded in 2018 vs. 2023.
This time around I used the earliest recording of Ben that is currently circulating, which comes from his second ever performance in the role on April 17, 2018 - and comparing it to the most recent recording of Ben from his final performance on the evening of April 1, 2023.
The audio quality of the 2018 recording is cleaner this time around - all the same moments that were compared in the previous video are used here. I still find the way his voice completely changed to sounding like a completely different person fascinating, and I mean none of that in a negative way as both are entirely valid vocal approaches to the role. But its really cool to compare, you know?
Anyway enjoy!
Since I’ve seen some folks mentioning this I’d like to say for whatever it’s worth that the way Ben sounds in the final performance recording is pretty much how he sounded at all the performances of his that I saw this year, which was 17 total from February to April. In fact that was likely one of his strongest nights I’d heard from him vocally. He doesn’t sound so different there just as a result of the unfortunate condition his vocal cords began to suffer - his voice had started to sound significantly different long before April. You can see my previous 2018 vs. 2023 video if you’d like to hear some clips from an audio from earlier in the year
This is interesting because I saw him about 5 times total, twice in 2019, and 3 times post-pandemic, and every time he sounded much closer to the first clip here than the second. The second sounds much more strained with a few notes flat, and he's putting on a bit more of an accent which I've never heard before. His recent sickness definitely makes sense for this recording, but I'm surprised to hear you say he's been sounding like this for a year
He has such a rich and wide baritone voice. I am sorry that he had to push that weird prononciation because the make up caused tension on his muscle. I hope he could recover soon and get back to stage.
Ben sounds AMAZING in both versions. I like his final performance more. He sounds magnificent in both 2018 and 2023, but I think he was more fluid in 2023, even though he had/has his vocal health issues. He’s my favorite Phantom
It's obvious his voice deteriorated due to those reasons he mentioned on Reddit, wishing Ben a speedy recovery🥲
He sounds awesome in the 2018 version. Definitely has a different resonance in his voice now. Is there a full audio recording of the 2018 performance? I’d love to hear it.
I saw Phantom for the first time on January 10, 2023. And prior to that point the only other phantoms I had heard were Ramin and Michael (Because they both had cast recordings, though Ramin’s was a live performance). My expectations were high, and I didn’t even notice the weird vowel until Wandering Child. That’s when I realized he was turning “you” into “yew”, etc. I saw it on April 15, as well, the true final performance which wasn’t handled by a crappy lottery. Laird was absolutely fantastic, but Ben’s weird vowel will always give me the most nostalgia out of any phantom I’ve heard.
Down once more to the darkness deep as HEEEEAAAAAL
While it sounds different between the years a bit he sounds wonderful, and truly excels in the role and was outstanding both times I saw him post-Covid. This recent performance someone shared sounds beautiful to me.
ruclips.net/video/Y_PtCF4PBfI/видео.html
Yeah I agree. He changed his vocal technique for the better and sounds MAGNIFICENT! I really like how he sounds in both 2018 and 2023. His portrayal of the Phantom is perfect. Obviously a performer is not a going to sound the exact same 5 years doing the same role. Ben likes to change things up and I appreciate that. He is my favorite Phantom. His rich and gorgeous baritone voice is wonderful. I just wish he was the one who closed out the show on April 16.
I’m seeing him in Beauty and the Beast this summer!
As far as I know he had a serious problem with his voice...
He had a bacterial infection on his vocal cords.
🥰🥰🥰
I’m honestly surprised they kept him in the show after the lockdown. His voice had clearly changed, and not for the better regarding this score. I’m not trying to be rude, but there’s a standard to be met with that role.
I think it's an unfair comparison given that the reason that was his last performance was due to an infection affecting his vocal health. I saw him just this past summer and he did not sound like the final performance recording; much closer to the 2018 recording. I would say that the timbre of his voice / overall resonance may have changed slightly, but the lack of power and purity you hear in the final recording seems due to his health more than anything.
@@Reeal15 I’m not comparing it to his last performance, mainly bc he probably was sick at that point. I’m looking at his overall performances post-Covid. Even if he was hit or miss, you can’t have that with this role. It’s nothing personal against him, as his pre-Covid performances I think were pretty solid.
@@Reeal15 For whatever it’s worth, Ben sounded like that final performance recording pretty much every single time I saw him this year - which was 17 times. In fact that final performance was one of the strongest vocally I had heard from him surprisingly.
Knowing when to quit is a responsibility in performance. People sacrifice a lot to see Broadway shows...He was extremely disappointing. It was almost insulting that they weren't handing out refunds the night I saw him. He couldn't even maintain pitch. I don't think I would ever see a production of ANYTHING with him because of that.
@@MattTexasFor most of 2021 and 2022 he sounded absolutely amazing, only this year he struggled, i see no reason they would've removed him post covid