Citation :'Idol' coaches panel: Finalists must show strength in show tunes
Stage star: Andrew Lloyd Webber's work will challenge the finalists, but coach Charlie Toft predicts the composer's experience will make him a great mentor.
The Idols survived Mariah Carey Week — more strongly than many expected. But can they handle the theatrical perils of Andrew Lloyd Webber? Our coaches ponder the puzzle.
'IDOL' CHATTER: The coaches have even more to say
Charlie Toft: Good mentoring
I think Lloyd Webber stands a good chance of being an excellent mentor; he is used to dealing with young and inexperienced performers.
Jason Castro has a struggle ahead, because he's going to be performing a song written to be belted from a stage, and he's often difficult enough to hear when he's miked up. Perhaps he could do something from Cats and perform his embarrassed little Michelle wave, as if to say, "Look, we all know this isn't the theme for me — but vote for me anyway."
I don't think Syesha can do justice to Memory, but it's too famous to go completely unchosen, and I doubt she'll be afraid of it.
Rona Elliot: Classic 'Idol' fare
His biggest songs, such as Music of the Night, All I Ask of You, Memory or Don't Cry for Me Argentina, are virtually indistinguishable from the soaring pop hits of a Celine Dion or a Whitney Houston. The drama, the big build, the final musical payoff are all there in his work.
Brooke can personalize I Don't Know How to Love Him and do it intimately. David Cook can direct his laser intensity to Heaven on Their Minds, sung in Jesus Christ Superstar by Judas.
Gene Sculatti: Crass 'Idol' fare
I don't know how to like him, much less love Andrew Lloyd Webber. Like Mariah Carey's last week, his songs are low on essential nutrients (like melody), crammed with artificial energy and do little more than extend the craving of the show's producers for pompous balladry.
I can almost picture the scene during rehearsals: Carly flexing her formidable tats, threatening to punch David A. in the kisser if he even thinks about picking Jesus Christ Superstar; nice girls Brooke and Syesha squaring off over who'll have the honor of doing Don't Cry for Me Argentina.
Don Waller: 'Memory' wars
Any relationship between Andrew Lloyd Webber's catalog and contemporary pop music has always been thin at best. At least in America, where all those long-running musicals have spawned exactly three pop hits.
Carly's got to go for Don't Cry for Me Argentina. It's another one of those lungs-bursting-in-air ballads that she's staked her claim to. And whether it's Syesha or David A. who wins the coin flip for Memory, I think we all know what either of 'em will do with that three-hanky tearjerker. Syesha's going to get all, "but mama, I want to sing!" with it. And David A.'s going to give us yet another variation on his Basket-of-Puppies-just-died act.
As for Jason and David C., I fully expect them to get on the Internet and find something that's not too demanding vocally that they can rearrange in their respective mellow-dramatic and sensitive rock-boy styles.
source:
http://www.usatoday.com/life/television ... bber_N.htm