With all this discussion about the Hadestown pro shot I wanted to share my potentially controversial opinion, which is that Reeve Carney is actually a great Orpheus. I know that a lot of people donât like his voice, or feel that his voice feels jarring or out of place next to his costars on the Hadestown OBC album and in the pro shot, but thatâs actually why I think heâs so impactful as Orpheus.
For starters, the entire Original Broadway cast of Hadestown is incredibly talented, and they all have very distinct voices that add so much personality and depth to their characters, but you can tell with the entirety of the main cast that they all still have that Broadway sound. While their voices are unique, they still feel very musical theatre. But Reeve Carneyâs voice doesnât feel like something I would expect to hear in a Broadway musical, itâs sits more in that folk-rock timbre. And while I donât think it would work for other roles on Broadway (see his run in Great Gatsby â that I was admittedly not a fan of) I think it actually works really well for Orpheus. Orpheus is the son of a muse. His voice has been blessed by the Gods themselves, and in a cast of incredibly talented people, Orpheus should stand out vocally. The colour and timbre of Reeve Carneyâs voice is very distinct from the rest of his cast, and provides such a stark contrast to the rest of the world around them, which sits at this intersection between your typical Broadway sound and jazz.
While I love many of the other (Orpheuses? Orphei? Whats the plural of Orpheus?) I feel that when Orpheus is singing with that typical Broadway or BFA sound, as beautiful as it might sound, that contrast that makes Orpheus stand out so much from the rest of the world around him is lost. Vocally and technically itâs a beautiful performance, yes, but I personally feel like the impact of Orpheus is lost when he sounds like the rest of his cast. Again, not a dig on anyone whoâs played Orpheus, theyâre all very talented. This is just my opinion.
Iâm not saying that you have to love Reeve Carneyâs voice. After all, art is subjective, everyone has different tastes, and Reeve Carneyâs voice does have a very unique sound to it that might not sit well with everyone, especially musical theatre fans who are more familiar to a certain kind of sound. But thereâs a difference between not caring for someoneâs voice and actively putting them down every time you get the chance to. Reeve Carneyâs portrayal as Orpheus had a huge impact on the show, whether you like it or not.
Anyways, I want more unique voices on Broadway and the Hadestown proshot was amazing to see in theatres.
