Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street Essay Example

stage where Todd had a shaving contest with Signor Pirelli in the middle of the town square.

The musical attracted a wide range of people, including classmates from Music 101 and other music classes, faculty members, friends, family of the performers, and avid theater enthusiasts who had enjoyed previous productions of Sweeney Todd. The audience's reaction to the production was diverse and encompassed gasps, applause, laughter, and moments of awe.

The opening scene of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street sets the tone for the entire play, reflecting its dark storyline. A dimly lit stage is occupied by all the cast members, who are engaged in a burial ceremony. They bury a body bag in a shallow grave while facing away from the audience. Amidst menacing red lights, they passionately shout and sing the show's first line, "Attend the tale of Sweeney Todd." This captivating display leaves no room for uncertainty or hesitation in capturing the full attention of the viewers.

The musical features nine main characters with different types of voices. The lead role, Benjamin Barker/Sweeney Todd, is a miserable and gloomy barber seeking revenge on a corrupt judge. Todd's voice is a baritone, a deep and heavy sounding voice. The role is portrayed by a larger man, whose booming voice matches the baritone singer role. Another character, Mrs. Lovett, is a lively pie maker whose business has suffered due to a lack of meat. She joins Mr. Todd on his quest for revenge. Mrs. Lovett has a contralto singing voice, which is the lowest vocal range and texture commonly found in women.

Anthony Hope, a young sailor,

arrives in England with Todd and befriends him. He eventually falls in love with Johanna, Todd's daughter. Anthony possesses the tenor vocal range, which is one of the highest among male voices. Johanna, an exquisite beauty, was taken by Judge Turpin as his ward. Nonetheless, she rejects his proposal due to her affection for Anthony. Johanna herself has a soprano singing voice, which represents the highest range for female vocals. Judge Turpin is the corrupt individual who unjustly imprisoned Benjamin Barker for 15 years and violated his wife while claiming ownership over Johanna.

The characters in the text have varying vocal ranges. Turpin, accompanied by Beadle Bamford, has a bass voice - the lowest range. In contrast, Beadle Bamford himself possesses a tenor voice. Another character, known as the beggar woman, is mentally unstable and impoverished; she roams the streets bothering Todd and other main characters. She showcases a mezzo-soprano voice that falls between soprano and contralto. Adolfo Pirelli, also referred to as Danny O'Higgins, is an Irish swindler with a tenor voice. He disguises himself as an extravagant Italian barber and used to be employed by Benjamin Barker until discovering Todd's secret; subsequently attempting to blackmail Barker.

Tobias Ragg, a tenor voiced man who works for Pirelli, plays an important role in the musical.

Please write a review of the performance of Beauty and the Beast (NEIU Auditorium, April 10, 7:30 PM). Your paper should cover the following aspects:

1. Provide a brief description of the setting, including details about the concert hall, stage set-up, type of audience, and audience reaction.
2. Give a detailed analysis and critique of the music heard during the performance.
   

This should be the main focus of your paper. Use information from preparatory classes, program notes, and other relevant sources. Remember to cite these sources properly and incorporate musical terms.