DEBRA BYRNE SINGS "WITH ONE LOOK!" (Sunset Boulevard)

[QuinnHayari]

this is fabulous, thank you!

[TheGrAndJurOr]

wow! what a beautiful voice!

[dcnrmn]

Wow. That was amazing. Ms. Byrne combined fantastic singing and acting. The character came through. I wish I had seen her play the part in the US.

[dkeithhunt67]

Great video! I just watched this the other day. Funny thing is Gloria Swanson had a great singing voice I had no idea about. Too bad she didn't do a musical version after the movie. Type in: Gloria Swanson sings in "Perfect Understanding" She hits those high notes at the end.

[lloydeugenemoore]

Very nice!!!!

[anomistars]

Well done Debra, it's an astounding effort and will keep keeping on.

I believe you have reached the pinacle. Thanks for your amazing

strength .

[inawordwow]

The best Australia stage Norma.

[mcurt9]

i love this video!

[AmidTheFallingSnow]

Nice editing! I really love Patti LuPone's version of the song, but this is the first time I heard this version - it's good too! The ending of your video especially was very cool.

[kaiserinsissi1898]

love it. uggggh I wanna see the whole thing so badly!

[counteralto]

The best rendition of that number I've heard.

[sissyfrenchfry92]

love it :) 

[emlodik]

@sissyfrenchfry92 Yes, Debbie's among the best. If only she didn't have a breakdown, then she would have played the role for much longer and maybe even take it across the ocean to London and New York.

[joshwelljonesfirst]

@emlodik nice "BUT" who need's new york" when you have Australia'

[bobbiebenanzac]

Once you read her book .. you would understand so very much more about her... I always liked her... but understand so much more now...

[bobbiebenanzac]

How do you know so much about her... and you are so far away ??? just curious...

She is now in another show that opens... had opened ?? I am sure .. she will star in it ... she has always been a good mum that loves her kids... made mistakes.. but haven't we all...

[emlodik]

@bobbiebenanzac Well, I am a MAJOR "Sunset Boulevard" fan and heard most of the Normas, so that's how I discovered Debra. Yes, she's a wonderful woman, very talented, had a very tragic life, which is why her performances as Norma Desmond and Fantine really resonate with me; she just puts so much of herself into it.

[emlodik]

I know Debra currently plays the Bird Lady in "Mary Poppins," but I have no idea whether she's doing another big show... It'd be awesome to have perform as Norma again, especially now since she recovered from her problems and became a much more reliable worker.

[fatheranthony4pope]

@emlodik It is heartening that she has finally found away to connect with her characters, but not become them in her outer life. To be able to create that seperation. Not that he has said anything about actually performing it again, but Hugh Jackman said he would only ever play Joe again if he was playing across from Debbie. I think he said it when he was asked if he would play the role in a movie of Sunset. I would love to see it come back to Australia.

[bobbiebenanzac]

Where are you ????

It is an excellent book, if I find a copy in my book shop I can send it on, no strings attached, just postage a killer

[emlodik]

@bobbiebenanzac Denver, Colorado, sigh.

[bobbiebenanzac]

@emlodik

That is sad... if it wasn't too far away I would make sure you got a copy.. my friends loved the book and understand a lot more about her...

[emlodik]

@bobbiebenanzac Well, there's always paypal. ;)

[bobbiebenanzac]

Yes ! it must have been Maria Mercedes that was on the night we were there, she was brilliant.. but we did go to see Debra, as we all loved her, no one more than me !

Once the show started it didn't matter..just it was the first stage show I had seen for many years and was so excited about seeing Debra...

Did you read her book ????? I loved it and purchased 4 copies... to give to friends.. if you haven't read it , get a copy it is really, really good, I wish her well in all she does.

[panieorganista]

How absolutely wonderful! Thank you for putting this together and show casing, not only the great emotion of this song, but the brilliance of Gloria Swanson as the unforgettable Norma Desmond.

[pappawuzz]

Wunderschön

[bobbiebenanzac]

We went just to see Debra perform but she wasn't there on this night so dissapointed but what a wonderful person and voice

Great singer and person

[emlodik]

@bobbiebenanzac Did you perchance see it with Maria Mercedes? She's also amazing. I used to know a gay chorus boy who was stalking her and claiming to be her son, LOL.

[emlodik]

@bobbiebenanzac Nice. I tried to get Debra's book, but it's very hard to find outside Australia/New Zealand.

[carwyncymru]

thank you so much for uploading this, i'm a huge fan of the show, but what a vocal performance from miss Byrne.

makes my hair stand on end, wish i had goten the chance to see her. by far one of the BEST EVER normas

[matiaszapata]

Espectacular!

[emlodik]

@icecuboz1 I blocked that idiot. The moron didn't even know what he was blabbering about.

[kiddbabylon]

I usually dislike these home-made videos, but this is very nicely done. What a voice Ms Byrne has. I was unfamiiar with her. Thank you for introducing her to me.

[JeddtheJedi]

Wow, I thought I'd found the best version when I heard Linda Balgord's, but this is even better. There's so much passion and emotion and her voice is so termulous.

[emlodik]

@JeddtheJedi Linda and Debra are the most underrated performers/Normas of all time! I should reupload Linda's version, btw...

[macraeman]

What a SPLENDID rendition! I've seen a few Norma's (Betty Buckley, Linda Balgord, and a lesser known treasure we have here in the States - Miss Maureen Moore(!)) BUT, I have to say that I was bowled over by Ms. Byrne. The fragility, yet a strength, a resiliance - and in the original key, for cryin' out loud! Brava! Just one question: after hearing Ms. Byrne, and admiring Marina Pryor's SECRET GARDEN - just WHAT do you feed those girls Down Under? AWESOME!

[Mrphantomstalker]

They dont make films like this no more,this is truly a classic

[80sFanNumber1]

This rendition is spot on. I couldn't fault it.

[Greggie386]

I LOVE Miss Byrne....she is simply the best.....

[DvoinoiBekar]

i enjoyed the video. thank you for it!

[Chriswren9]

So once upon a time there was footage of Gloria Swanson's Sunset Boulevard the musical does anyone know where that footage might be?

Thanks for posting Great Video!

[HouseOnSunset]

Yes, it's here on youtube...

[revjekyll]

Debra Byrne is wonderful and the video was timed so well with the song!

[emlodik]

Thanks for that! By the way, you should check out the other two SUNSET videos I did...

[macraeman]

By the way -- In my focus on Ms. Byrne, I neglected to congratulate you on the video portion - I don't know how many times you had to view the film to find just the right images - or if the film is burned into your memory - but well and BEAUTIFULLY done!

[emlodik]

Thank you very much! Yes, the video was simple to put together because it's been imprinted in my mind ages ago. I loved Debra, she's in my top five Normas. It's tragic that her own life seeped into the character (and vice versa) and she had to drop out. She deserved to have been seen by many more people in this role.

[bm237]

Was an album ever produced for the Austrailian production, complete or highlights, or did Byrne just record a few songs like Betty Buckley and Petula Clark did? Regardless, is it possible to find this recording anywhere, she's wonderful.

[emlodik]

There was a promo recording done by Debra, but it's out of print. There were also plan for an Australian Cast Recording, but it was cancelled after the Australian production had to close down in less than three months due to Debra Byrne's sudden departure.

[paxxop]

I attended the final performance of that production. Byrne appeared, and was in fine form. In fact the highlight of the show, imo.

The show closed because ticket sales were too slow due to competition from the newly opened Crown Casino nearby.

[GoodbyeToBlueberyPie]

I think it's amazing how well ALW's music works with the film when you see the two together. I hope they revive this musical someday; maybe the film thats going be be released in 2009 will help encourage investors.

[Feareous]

I Have never heard Debra Byrne's version. She has a beautiful voice. She also represents Norma Desmond very well via her emotions and singing.

[emlodik]

That's because, like Gloria Swanson, at that point in her in her career, Debra WAS Norma Desmond!

[emlodik]

You see, at that point in her life, Debra was also a tragic, fading star trying to make a comeback. But, like Norma, she failed miserably, was rejected by the people she loved and suffered a breakdown. This lead to the show being shut down and becoming the biggest flop in Australian theatre history. It was also one of the reasons why Andrew Lloyd Webber decided to shut down the show world wide in 1997.

[Feareous]

Oh I understand. And it is too bad that the show had to be shut down after what, three to four years? I felt that it was a magnificent production, that given the right marketing and construction, could have turned into another Cats, or Phantom of the Opera. Mind, some of the songs weren't as good as the prior two mentioned musicals, yet some were better.

[ausbway]

Who are you???!!!! I was in Sunset Boulevard with Debra- let's get a few things straight; we performed the show for almost 10 months in a 2,000 seat auditorium- Deb NEVER left the show- she was off with illness- and it has been exaggerated as to how much she was off!!! She was amazing in the role- did any of you actually see this show?? She's extraordinary!! Hugh was brilliant as well! End of matter!

[emlodik]

Calm down! I love Debra Byrne in the role, she's one of my favorite Normas!

[kakadoodoo3000]

yay, hugh! :)