Who Sang The "Glitter And Be Gay" Climax Best? (Eb6) 

No contest, Kristin sings it and acts it the best. Don't forget this is a theater piece and needs to be acted as well as sung

Well I just through 7 minutes of “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA” and I am not even mad

Mosquitos in my room be like:

I legit got frightened by Patricia’s tongue vibrato. If my vocal coach saw me doing that, she would have probably smacked me with a ruler

Watching this as an alto is infuriating 😂 I love listening to notes I wish I could hit

Me, half asleep: this isn’t phantom of the opera

patricia's tongue is forever haunting my nightmares

One of my teachers was listening to a girl perform this song and during the ending high notes she had a vocal hemorrhage burst and she had to just continue the end of the song and she didn’t tell anyone she had it because she didn’t want to lose the role

Kristin combines voice and interpretation so perfectly, what a performer! I also love Rose's crystalline pitch.

Me in the shower

Kristin's acting is amazing and she hits those notes so effortlessly... And her dress looks so much like Glinda's during popular.

At first I was like “what does everyone mean by tounge vibrato??” But then.. I KNEW

Patricia, thats not how you do a vibratto! Kristin had it in the bag, as usual :)

EDITA GURL WHAT ARE YOU DOING LMAO

Literally the way Diana was the only one to be able to maneuver that sustained note perfectly into a squeal and then a laugh??? That was perfect!!!

The way Kristin was able to act like an insane person is exactly why she is the best.

Kristin clearly mastered this like don't be dumb...

To be honest as an untrained listener all of these ladies sound great. I'll never be able to hit anywhere close to those kinds of notes. I like all of them except for Ms. Tongue Vibrato. It just looks disgusting. As a performer Kristin has it in the bag, but with vocal quality I'd have to give it to Diana.

Is nobody talking about how flawless Sumi was? Like, her notes and vibrato was perfect

The thing that gets me is how everyone is talking about how Kristen’s acting it while Scarlett is just standing there but she’s not even on a real stage and if you saw the rest of the performance, she was definitely acting the whole time especially since it was during a televised show.

Sumi’s tone is just so pure! Her Eb definitely deserves applause!

omg what is happening to patricias tongue

I'm just wondering how you do vibrato with your tongue i'm confused-

There really is a fine line between hitting super high notes and a screech .

The tongue vibrato is so off putting and scary....

For me it's a three way tie between Kristin for her performance and stage presence, Diana for her smoothness and clarity, and Natalie for going higher than anyone else and for her technique.

Patricia's tongue be like: 👆 👇 👆 👇 And it makes me uncomfortable

I’m a now convinced that Kristen Chenoweth is a goddess... 💚

Diana Damrau for voice quality... For showmanship and comedy, I like Kristin

No one has touched Barbara Cook in this music, and almost no one has sung the Hs in hahahaha the way Bernstein wanted like Barbara. Her E-flat was great, and she did this 8 times a week and twice on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Diana Damrau, including tipping the upper octave as a little garnish.

Barbara Cook is really here originating the role and y'all aren't even saying she did it the best. She never knew how to read music, but she could still DO THAT

My girl Diana Damrau had like the most deviously infectious laugh at the end and I love it so much. Kristen Cheneworth also made me laugh so much with her facial expressions and movement.

Well, it's very hard to choose, because you have two type of performers here- Opera Singers and Actresses Singers (and few who do both), and between the Opera singers you have the Lyrical Sopranos who can hit the note, but you can tell are a bit scared of it, and you have Coloraturas who can do it more easily (for example Sumi Jo, Damrau and Dessay are all famous for singing Queen of Night which goes to top F, so Glitter's Eb sits really comfortably on their voices). Personally, I prefer it when an actress sings it- Barbara Cook (who originated the role) and Scarlet are brilliant, but for me Kristin the all-round winner as she does it perfectly in every sense! ALSO, please note that the LEGENDARY Edita Gruberova is in her 60s in this video (even late 60s!!), so give her a mother-f***ing standing ovation!!! Thanks again M.G for another brilliant super-cut x

While Kristen's was more comical, I truly think Barbara's Cook's performance was purely phenomenal. The class and power she commands with her voice makes her sound like so very lavish. I listen to her version all the time. I love it.

Diana Damrau is so special. 😍😍😍 She feels what she sings. And that makes her a Diva for me.

Technically diana and Natalie sang a whole octave above their last note lol

I think the best were Kristen, Diana, and June. The worst were Patricia (THAT TONGUE WTF) and Edita.

Once again, Barbara Cook.She sings without exaggeration and any trace of “ham” and the irony is delivered in a subtle way, without recourse to the burlesque of miss Chynoweth , great artist that she is. A prime example of less is more, plus a gorgeous voice and the clearest diction, she lets the music and lyrics do there work, never stooping to low comedy, sheer brilliance.

Including technique, sound and the character portraying: 1.- Kristine 2.- Scarlett Straller 3.- Rose Sawve. I was putting in here Patricia Petibon, but her tongue really triggers me, she's not using a correct techinique.

It’s probably Diana followed very closely by Natalie, although I enjoyed the dynamics used by Sabine. And Kristin’s is just a classic!

That's some interesting climax... and title for a song

okay y’all sleeping on sumi jo’s vocals tho 🥺 kristin definitely had the best performance but natalie absolutely killed it sowwy

Sumi Jo was AMAZING! Diana had the ending just right with that hearty laugh. Christine is just iconic!

Hmmm....it's so shady to include Edita singing this aria at 70 when there are plenty of good recordings available (and everybody else here has clips in their prime....). I like many of the ladies, but I didn't know Rose Sawvel. Going to look her up!

I’m a coloratura connoisseur. I like to think. Kristin - theatrically & vocally is outstanding in this aria, and is and has been for years my 2nd favorite performance of all time. When I think of “Glitter and Be Gay” I do think of her performance, though she is not my #1 performance of all time. This is quintessential Cunegonde though. Slayage Kristin. Daniela - cute. Sabine - vocally, she is a coloratura monster. She needs to watch for going sharp though. Edita - I’m disappointed. She knew better than to sing that at that age. It was funny though. 😂 Edited: Not being agist - she is a Queen thru and thru.....but she could’ve left this song alone. June - YASSSSS QUEEN. What Red candy did she have before going on. 😂 Simone - theatrically, I’d pay to watch that! That spin is glorious when she’s actually singing. Scarlett - THAT is a pretty damn voice! Top note was questionable. Barbara - cute! Edit: HELLA cute - she sounds so lovely actually! Petibon - no words. She’s singing flatter and flatter. I do love one of her recordings though, just not this one. #tongue 😐 Rose - sing Diva. Constance - I’m not sure....that dress. Edit: she nailed every note but like 1.5 of them. Hahah! Megan - was decently great but that orchestra up to the climax....😒 Sumi - THAT VOICE. Piercingly gorgeous. She did go a little flat at times. Dessay - IS MY QUEEN and slaysssss her performance to artistic mastery (voice, acting, technique). She is in my top 2 coloraturas of ALL TIME. Definitely my third best performance ever! WHEN I NEED A COLORATURA FIX, I GO THE DESSAY ROUTE. Diana - IS THE BEST HANDS DOWN. WATCH. THE. WHOLE. PERFORMANCE. I get chills every single time I watch it.

What are you guys talking about? They're *_ALL_* spectacular, marvelous, and wonderful ! Every one is great, even June Anderson, who has the wide vibrato that I don't care for.

Maegan Miller's note is ENORMOUS and gorgeous. That is what happens when a spectacular Wagnerian soprano does a coloratura showpiece.

3:44 lmao, her tongue is... freaky

@1:24 she did a sforzando on the E-flat... She's a witch!!! 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿

All the voices that made it like a stage performance and not just a piece of music were all my favorite. Even if it wasnt like extreme, facial movements, tone, the little giggles at the end of them, all great

Barbara Cook. No question. Unfortunately by the time she started a concert career, she was no longer singing that, or to quote her, "I ain’t been gonna singing that for a long time"

You can't beat a legend: Barbara Cook. Pure vocal prowess - no theatrics needed.

Natalie, I love her. Diana makes everything seem so effortless, I'm jealous! And I like Kristin's...she makes it seem effortless in her own way, where people can focus on the acting and the singing just goes along with it, no struggle. I liked Patricia Petibon's too, I was surprised. June and Rose were strong, too.

Natalie of course. The whole performance is amazing, voice and acting !

Kristin smile and scream when she saw the crown then wears it, always put a smile on my face. its a definition of pure excitment 🥰🥰🥰 This song deliverance of character is one of its main key point and Kristin definietly took the crown!

Natalie Dessay!! Not only is she perfect acoustically, she is also able to give total credibility to the character making it her very own. Bravo !

The definitive version has to be the original version done by the incomparable Miss. Barbara Cook who originated the role in the musical Candide when it opened on Broadway at the Martin Beck Theater on December 1, 1956 the musical ran for only 73 performances but because the score was recorded Candide is the only musical flop to come back later with a different book and staging to become a hit. It was Barbara Cook's coloratura soprano range that won her the role of Cunegonde in Leonard Bernstein's 1956 operetta Candide, in which she debuted the show-stopping and vocally demanding comic aria "Glitter and Be Gay."

2:46 What I imagine I look like yelling at my kids:

Everyone be dropping names & making lists & here I am with my own: it's a tie for first position between the first pink gown lady & the elegant white gown lady. Then the old lady in gold, then the young lady in gold, then the green one, & lastly the one in black who stood on the sofa simply coz she had spirit.

Scarlett's first note here has always given me chills

Barbara Cook was the first person I’ve heard sing this, and to me she’s perfection.

Barbara Cook with no contest! Beautiful crystal clear notes, plus she hits all of the Ha Ha's as written, without eliding through them!

I agree Kristin TOTALLY nailed it, but can we give a lil love to my girl Diana Damrau? She was pretty incredible as well.

Patricia’s tongue

Kristin, best comic actress and best interpreter of the song.

June's voice is classically perfect. Nothing out of place at all!!

2:26 when the musics just too damn good

3:44 “PATRICIA” vine references daily thank you v much

As a person who isn't familiar with musicals, my personal favorite performance-wise is Kristen because she was the most hilarious to me and she sang it in her own way, and added a bit of her personality to the song and i feel like she genuinelu enjoyed singing it! But voice-wise? I don't think anyone can beat Barbara Cook. I just love how clear and bright her voice is! She sang the 'h's when 'hahaha'-ing so clearly and the high notes are just impeccable! So yeah that's just my personal opinion. I think they all sang it really well, but these two are my absolute favs ❤

They are all great! Barbara Cook, the originator of the role, will always be my favorite

June Anderson ..... stunning, especially when you hear her sing the whole thing.

Hands down the goddess Barbara Cook

I adore Edita Gruberova in this video so much. She's maybe 70 years old or more than this. But, she still can sing this aria even there are some mistakes with her. But, she's amazing. 😍😍😘😘

Okay, now I want to see a performance of Phantom of the Opera with Kristin as Christine and Diana as Carlotta.

Glitter? Check. Gayness? CHECK. I won.

Perfection... Barbara Cook, of course Beautiful voice plus incredible stage presence... Kristin Stunning and Crystal clear (took my breath away)...Sumi

Scarlett Strallen. I love her and she acts so well too!

Everyone here sleeping on Sumi smh (5:49)

Natalie’s FACE when she hit that last high note!!! 😂 She couldn’t believe it either!

In my opinion, I just love the stage presence of Kristin in theatre, but I love the way Daniella performed it in concert with orchestra, no strain, just naturally!

Scarlett's notes leading up to the top note have a really smooth quality

I am utterly charmed at her giggle at the end followed by the cutest face of confusion! Her style is not to really penetrate the fourth wall, she is much more subtle and less campy then Chenowith bit she plays the camera so that we see bits of her then she is off again in her fantasy!

3:11 when I'm singing in the shower and i see a spider

The way Patricia petibon’s tongue moved... is um... something

Kristen or Barbara for me

Me, an alto who can only reach this in my whistle tones: TwT

You can really tell who performed after Kristen and who didn't. Kristen's performance was the first time Candide was performed on a solely comedic basis while every version of Candide before was performed as an opera.

Opinions -- Kristin - I love her presence Daniela - Sounding a little forced there you okay? Sabine - Weird Crescendo much Edita - vibrato / Idk what else. June -Niiice Simone - She sounds like she's screaming Scarlett - I really like her Barbara - She didn't hold the notes long enough? Patricia - THAT TONGUE THO Rose - Good job! Constance - Good Job! Meagan - Dang that's a long note there Diana- WOW YAY *cough cough* Lovely stage presence and range. Sumi Jo - I love you Natalie - She kinda scares me

Scarlett Strallen did the best job of both singing AND acting it. (Watch her sing the entire thing sometime - it's delicious) Kristen was great at hamming it up, but that nasal tone makes for a seriously unpleasant listening experience. On the singing front, I enjoyed several of the opera singers (particularly Anderson, Jo and Dessay), but there's always a great fondness for the original...

i’m so obsessed with the orchestra in this song!!

Gotta love Kristin! She's the best! I heard that Madeline Kahn was a classically -trained Soprano and she could also sing this song. If there's a video of her singing it, I'm sure everyone would love to see and hear her singing it.

Diana Damrau all the way! How is everyone here sleeping on her? Probably the most technically sound singer here and also has the performance down! Natalie Dessay is crazy as well :D

Diana Damrau always be my favorite

I always come back to this video at 2:26, I don’t know why it’s so funny to me how the director just starts banging his head and arms like crazy to make it super fast, and then the zoom out of the singer 😂 Hilarious

1:35 I just can't with that face

I loved hiw Diane turned her high note into a laugh, but I just adored how Natalie just went "oops I think I let out a little too much hysteria." Adorable!

Barbara Cook did an astonishing job!! She should have done more opera music. I love Diana's version too! They both did the best jobs!!!

Me, an alto with little vocal training and no professional music career to her name: Patricia what are you DOING

Kristin and Rose kept such rich notes combined with adorable acting! Love them!