"People either love me, or hate me," Patti Lu Pone said, in an interview I recently read. Well, I am certainly in the camp who LOVES Patti; have been ever since her name caught my eye on the cast list of "Working," on the back jacket of the 1978 Original Cast Album!!!!!!!!!!!
And on my vocally good days, I have been known to knock out a few bars of "Evita." Not all the time, dears, because let me tell you, some of those notes--WOW!!!!!! And I am not as young as I once was. and, strong though my voice may be, it certainly can't match Patti's!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Which brings me to "Regina," by Marc Blitzstein. What a curious history it has.
This is an opera, based on one of my favorite plays, "The Little Foxes," by Lillian Hellman. Hence, the title "Regina," for that woman we all just know AND love--Regina Giddens!!!!!!!!! The opera was written in 1948, but did not open until 1949 at--get this--a Broadway house!!!! Namely, the 46th Street Theater. So, darlings, long before anyone ever heard of "Les Miserables" the divisions between Broadway and opera were already being debated!!!!!!!!!!!! And--get this for camp, darlings--"Regina's" opening night in 1949, was on October 31, which is, of course, Halloween. Someone on that staff must have had one hell of a sense of humor!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not being a certified opera queen, but just ADORING "The Little Foxes" as a play, "Regina" has always held a fascination for me, yet I have never heard the score. Not being one of those nasty, Vicious Opera Queens, I cannot say if it has ever been done in New York, like at the Metropolitan or City Operas. But, in 2,005 Patti Lu Pone did a production down at the Kennedy Center, in Washington D.C., which I wish I could have seen, but one thing has me curious.
Hey, Patti!!!!!!!! Just about every note you have ever sung has been recorded for posterity--in the beginning on vinyl, now on CD!!!!!! How come no "Regina????" There is an older recording out there, but how about a more recent one, with you in the title role, and how about Jessie Mueller as Alexandra????????? Bernadette Peters, as Aunt Birdie, maybe?????????? I am telling you, the Theater Queens, Vicious Opera Queens, Bernadette followers, and LuPone-ites would all flock to buy this one!
Meantime, I have ordered tho older recording, just to hear the score! But not even on YouTube, darlings!!!!!!!!!!!! And I have seen Patti several times in concert, but have no memory of "Regina" songs.
So, how about it, Patti???????? You tear up our hearts with "Meadowlark," now how about setting the house afire with "Regina????????"
Meanwhile, I'll continue to work on my "Evita!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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