This is from a 1997 German production at the Niedernhausen. Helen Schneider receives a standing ovation at her mere entrance, this is just how amazing she!
Yes, Helen pretty much gave the definitive stage performance as Norma! (With Linda Balgord right up there with her.) Such a shame neither of them won't even be considered for the movie...
Helen Schneider - she is so unbelievable fantastic in this role. Such a intensity in every single song of this Show. Unmatched for me to this day. It would be great to see her and the original Cast of the 90s to do the show once again.
I heard one of the reasons the full scale English productions closed down in 1997 was because Webber couldn't find any leading ladies to replace Carroll, Paige and Clark. Well, if he had any brains, he'd import Helen to Broadway/West End, hell, I'd even settle for Helen leading the US tour! She'd actually make the scenery look good...
I said it was ONE of the reasons. There were numerous reasons why the original productions closed down; including bad publicity, loss of profit, lack of talent willing to work under Webber, etc.
Wow...I didn't know that about Helen. Damn...that role must have been hell on her lungs. I didn't realize the Minskoff was that old, either. For some reason I thought it was built in the 70s.
Not true..the reason why it closed was because it was too expensive to keep on running. The sales could not cover the costs of running an expensive production like this.
Really? She would have had that much trouble performing in older theatres? I knew that this was a brand new theatre, but I had no idea it was built specifically to suit Helen's needs... But still, I'm sure she'd have been able to do at least a limited run... Perhaps a US tour? Or maybe "Sunset" in concert... That would ROCK!
Actually, it was built in 1973, but I have no idea how great the advances in air conditioning were back then, LOL... But technically, Minskoff was out of date. I heard when RUG moved the sets from the LA production into the Minskoff Theater, they found out that machinery and some of the backdrops wouldn't fit onto the stage and spent millions re-tooling the production design. Apparently, it would've been cheaper if they built a whole new set for the Broadway run!
Ha ha...that's why I said it was worth it for ME... ;o) No I know that's probably why it didn't recoup. But still, greatest set in Broadway history. Which reminds me: you should totally go take a look at the Tony webpage. They have videos of panels with theatre people dating back to like 89 or so. There's a great one from '94 or '95 where Alan Campbell discusses the show a lot. His bit about the set is priceless.
Wow...I never realized that the LA to Broadway transfer cost that much in retooling. It was worth it though, for me anyways :) Incidentally the Minskoff feels very modern compared to some of Broadway's other theatres...but I guess that still wouldn't have helped Helen much.
Well, it was worth it for the AUDIENCE, but the extra cost pretty much sealed the show's fate... It now had no chance of recouping the production costs.
Probably wouldn't have worked..Schneider has asthma and wouldn't have been able to do a run at the Adelphi or Minskoff because of her condition as they are old theatres and it wouldn't have been possible to control the humidity. The theatre for the German production was built especially for Sunset, it was new enough with brand new heat/humidity monitors.
This couldn't be in 1997............ the NYC production started in 1993-4 and then other countries own production started soon after. There were 2 US tours that did NOT lasted top long.
James D. LeRough Nope, sorry. 1997. The German production opened in 1995 and was supposed to shut down in 1997 along with all the other productions, but the producers bought it off RUG and ran it for a little under a year until 1998. It was the last of the original productions to close. The first US Tour was part of the original Trevor Nunn-directed cycle. The Petula Clark tour that opened a year later had nothing to do with these productions.
Yup...this is actually filmed on Helen's first performance back. She had a limited run before Sue Mathys (the original alternate Norma) took over until he show closed.
![ILLSLICK - WINTER IS COMING [Official Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dwTMeM1zIhQ/mqdefault.jpg)
Yes, Helen pretty much gave the definitive stage performance as Norma! (With Linda Balgord right up there with her.) Such a shame neither of them won't even be considered for the movie...
Helen Schneider - she is so unbelievable
fantastic in this role. Such a intensity in
every single song of this Show.
Unmatched for me to this day.
It would be great to see her and the original
Cast of the 90s to do the show once again.
I heard one of the reasons the full scale English productions closed down in 1997 was because Webber couldn't find any leading ladies to replace Carroll, Paige and Clark. Well, if he had any brains, he'd import Helen to Broadway/West End, hell, I'd even settle for Helen leading the US tour! She'd actually make the scenery look good...
She's fantastic!!
Yes, Helen is the very best, isn't she? Gloria Swanson would be proud!
OMG, I'm getting chills just watching her entrance! I've never felt that to date!
Lovely old time
I said it was ONE of the reasons. There were numerous reasons why the original productions closed down; including bad publicity, loss of profit, lack of talent willing to work under Webber, etc.
Wow...I didn't know that about Helen. Damn...that role must have been hell on her lungs. I didn't realize the Minskoff was that old, either. For some reason I thought it was built in the 70s.
@jealousofmypuddin Helen will be playing Norma again next year in a new German production!
Not true..the reason why it closed was because it was too expensive to keep on running. The sales could not cover the costs of running an expensive production like this.
@tobiasli201 This is awesome! I really wish she'd play the role for the US audience someday. She's definitive.
😢❤😢🎉
Great in any language!!! She's magnificent. But, how do you translate:
"I am BIG it's the pictures that got small!".
It's been literally translated: "Ich bin groß, es sind die Filme die klein geworden sind"
Really? She would have had that much trouble performing in older theatres? I knew that this was a brand new theatre, but I had no idea it was built specifically to suit Helen's needs... But still, I'm sure she'd have been able to do at least a limited run... Perhaps a US tour? Or maybe "Sunset" in concert... That would ROCK!
Actually, it was built in 1973, but I have no idea how great the advances in air conditioning were back then, LOL... But technically, Minskoff was out of date. I heard when RUG moved the sets from the LA production into the Minskoff Theater, they found out that machinery and some of the backdrops wouldn't fit onto the stage and spent millions re-tooling the production design. Apparently, it would've been cheaper if they built a whole new set for the Broadway run!
Ha ha...that's why I said it was worth it for ME... ;o) No I know that's probably why it didn't recoup. But still, greatest set in Broadway history. Which reminds me: you should totally go take a look at the Tony webpage. They have videos of panels with theatre people dating back to like 89 or so. There's a great one from '94 or '95 where Alan Campbell discusses the show a lot. His bit about the set is priceless.
Wow...I never realized that the LA to Broadway transfer cost that much in retooling. It was worth it though, for me anyways :) Incidentally the Minskoff feels very modern compared to some of Broadway's other theatres...but I guess that still wouldn't have helped Helen much.
She looks like Carol Burnett when she imitated Norma Desmond.
Well, it was worth it for the AUDIENCE, but the extra cost pretty much sealed the show's fate... It now had no chance of recouping the production costs.
I know! Plus German wasn't even her first language! She's an English speaker! She totally could have done a US or UK production.
The German one or the one in London?
Could you please send me the German lyrics to With One Look? I would really love some material like that =)
Then you rock!
Probably wouldn't have worked..Schneider has asthma and wouldn't have been able to do a run at the Adelphi or Minskoff because of her condition as they are old theatres and it wouldn't have been possible to control the humidity. The theatre for the German production was built especially for Sunset, it was new enough with brand new heat/humidity monitors.
Umm..okay the more I see of Helen's Norma the more I like it. "Ich bin große." Friggin' hot.
This couldn't be in 1997............ the NYC production started in 1993-4 and then other countries own production started soon after. There were 2 US tours that did NOT lasted top long.
James D. LeRough Nope, sorry. 1997. The German production opened in 1995 and was supposed to shut down in 1997 along with all the other productions, but the producers bought it off RUG and ran it for a little under a year until 1998. It was the last of the original productions to close. The first US Tour was part of the original Trevor Nunn-directed cycle. The Petula Clark tour that opened a year later had nothing to do with these productions.
Yup...this is actually filmed on Helen's first performance back. She had a limited run before Sue Mathys (the original alternate Norma) took over until he show closed.
@orioletrail Helen bitte! Or Glenn for the movie.
I hardly think a single flop will bankrupt RUG...
Woa, that's a bit harsh, no?
Aw, shucks!
Only the gayest old men would want Babs.... Or maybe even Petula Clark!