Ode to the belters and the style of belting

(photo courtesy of the most basic Google search)

I was having a discussion with one of my friends who is a choral singer. She is trained, talented, singer, paid to sing with a church choir and while we both respect most music, our favorites differ. She loves the pretty, choral, harmonies, and classic musicals like Rodgers and Hammerstein. I love R&H and some "pretty" musicals are some of my favorites, but I also respect the belters and the direction musical theater is taking in modern music.

Take for example, Idina and "Wicked" - she doesn't like it, can't even listen to it or her. (horrors upon horrors for me). We talked about the different style of song and how it may require a belter - the message, the music, the composer. But I never met someone who couldn't handle belting.

I do agree that some of the "belters" can't sing pretty, which I think was my friends point; however I think most can and more importantly belting is a style and there are some that are meant for it and others that weren't. Idina may be the best Elpeba, but I don't think she'll pull off an aria or pretty song. [In the concert version of "Chess" the song "You and I" just wasn't as heartbreaking as it could of been. Her voice is just too large] "I'm not that girl" was close, but not "The Hills are Alive" or "Tell me on a Sunday". It's not a slam, as I am the girl who was told by a director, "You're my Annie and great for stage, but this is choir and it's a different style. It's about blending." I know I excel in theatrical singing over "Ave Maria" and I prefer it. So I love Idina for belting what I could only dream to belt. Let the other choral songbirds rock out the arias - there's more of them anyway, and less who can pull off the belting and range that the belters must have.

So this is my ode to belters, some of which can do the pretty too, but I love them for their range:

Idina Menzel

Marian Mazzie

Alice Ripley

Sutton Foster

Bernadette Peters

Stephanie Block

Sherie Rene Scott