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美国国家公共电台 NPR Bernadette Peters On Fulfilling The Red Dress Of 'Hello, Dolly!'

时间:2018-02-22 06:42:44

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(单词翻译)

 

SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

There's a big, glittering musical in a classic key on Broadway now, where the townspeople of Yonkers sing and dance, the New York Central train on stage toots steam and the audience starts standing1 in ovation2 from the moment the big-name star takes the stage.

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: OK, everyone, house is open.

SIMON: Bernadette Peters has seen a few people play Dolly Gallagher Levi.

BERNADETTE PETERS: One - oh, two - no, three now. OK, I saw Carol Channing the last time she did it and was overwhelmed. I was blown away. I just loved - I loved what she did. It was just so artful and amazing. And then I saw Bette, who was magnificent...

SIMON: Bette Midler probably, who played the role last year - Pearl Bailey, Mary Martin, Ethel Merman, Donna Murphy and many other big Broadway names have played Dolly Levi in "Hello, Dolly!", Jerry Herman's 1964 musical which won a record-tying ten Tony Awards and has become one of America's most enduring musicals. Barbara Streisand played the role on screen. Louis Armstrong's recording3 of the title song became the number-one hit in America and won a Grammy. Bernadette Peters, who is her own Broadway legend, knew she had to step into large sequin shoes when she agreed to play the Yonkers matchmaker, maven of all trades. Bernadette Peters told us she's learned from all the actors who have preceded her.

PETERS: I steal from the best, I always say.

(LAUGHTER)

SIMON: Well, what do you learn by watching others do the role?

PETERS: Hopefully, I'm entertained. That's what I learn. And I learn what's entertaining about it. I think when I took on the role though, I just - I started from scratch. I read the script. I read "The Matchmaker," the play that it was - Mike Stewart wrote it from. And I found this person - this woman - I found the woman that I would play in it - the Dolly that I would play.

SIMON: So who is Dolly as you see her?

PETERS: Well, she's a widow. And she's a matchmaker. But she also does - she does anything basically because she doesn't want people to know, but she's actually living from hand to mouth since her husband passed away. So she does everything from financial consultation4, instruction in the guitar and mandolin, short-distance hauling, varicose veins5 reduced. But she decides that she should get married again to this rich man for his money. But she's already set him up - because she's a matchmaker - with somebody else. But she decides, no, I should marry him. The way Jerry Herman describes it, which is really wonderful - he says she's decided6 to rejoin the human race after being in her haze7 after her husband had died. And the show was all about how she goes about rejoining the human race, which I think is a lovely description.

SIMON: Yeah. I had never seen a production of "Hello, Dolly!" onstage until I saw you.

PETERS: Really?

SIMON: And I was not prepared for the fact that when we hear that song...

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HELLO, DOLLY!")

ENSEMBLE8: (Singing) Hello, Dolly. Well, hello, Dolly.

SIMON: ...You almost couldn't get through it because of all the ovations9.

PETERS: (Laughter).

SIMON: And I looked around. And I was not the only one who had moisture in my eyes. I wonder if you have an idea as to why it affects people so much.

PETERS: I have no idea - "Hello, Dolly!"?

SIMON: Yes.

PETERS: I have no idea except they seem to wait for that number.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "HELLO, DOLLY!")

ENSEMBLE: (Singing) You're still glowing. You're still crowing. You're still going strong. We feel the room swaying for the band's playing.

PETERS: Tell me because I have no idea.

SIMON: OK, it ran through my mind, OK, because I was - certainly those ovations were for you. But they were also for Carol Channing. There were also for Pearl Bailey.

PETERS: Yeah.

SIMON: They were also for a feeling that song gives us - a familiarity but a feeling.

PETERS: Well, I think that's the moment between the audience and the person playing Dolly, where you - thank you's are going back and forth10. I'm thanking them for being there. They're thanking me for being there, for fulfilling that number again, filling that red dress again. I'm happy to be there. And they're happy to have me come down the stairs...

SIMON: Oh, boy.

PETERS: ...To fulfill11 that moment in that number.

SIMON: Tricky12 question - you are one of the great musical stars of all time.

PETERS: Well, thank you.

SIMON: Do the roles begin to run out after a certain point in your life?

PETERS: Probably. I mean, I've done so many of - I've been so fortunate. I've done so many of the great musical roles. There's not many left in musical theatre unless they start writing new ones. But there's always something to do. I'm in a show on Amazon called "Mozart In The Jungle," where I'm having a great time with Malcolm McDowell and Gael Garcia Bernal.

SIMON: Do you have a favorite Bernadette Peters song?

PETERS: No, I sing - you know, I sing so many wonderful songs.

SIMON: Personally, "Being Alive."

PETERS: I love "Being Alive." I love "Being Alive." That's an important message.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BEING ALIVE")

PETERS: (Singing) Somebody hold me too close. Somebody hurt me too deep. Still. Somebody sit in my chair and ruin my sleep and make me aware of being alive, being alive.

SIMON: It was - initially13 in the show company, it was sung by a male.

PETERS: Well, the thing is what happens to me when I'm in shows, when I'm in the wings, I'm hearing everyone else's songs. And usually I don't end up singing a lot of my own songs that I've sung on the show. I end up singing everyone else's song. I sing Johanna, which is a man's song.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "JOHANNA")

PETERS: (Singing) I feel you, Johanna.

But I saw Victor Garber, who was playing opposite me in this - I saw him sing it originally which made me love the song so much that I figured out a way for me to sing the song because I just love it. And it was inspired by Victor.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "JOHANNA")

PETERS: (Singing) Happily, I was mistaken, Johanna. I'll steal you, Johanna.

SIMON: Is there something you would tell young performers that you wish you'd known when you were 19, 20?

PETERS: I always tell them to never - there's so many talented - let me just say. The young performers are so talented nowadays. Our - the people in our show - you saw "The Waiters' Gallop14." How do they dance like that? And then you hear them sing. They have these voices. Some of them could be in opera. You can't believe it. And the physicality and the acting15 - I'm overwhelmed. But I tell people - young people to never copy anyone. That's all. You can be inspired by people. My - I had an acting teacher named David LeGrant who always said there's only one of you in the world. So why would you want to copy someone else? The emotion comes out of you. You feel anger only the way you would feel it. And that's what's important - to always let it come out of you originally and not try to copy anyone else.

SIMON: So when you get up in the morning these days, are you Dolly?

PETERS: Am I Dolly?

SIMON: Yeah.

PETERS: No, I'm the remnants. I'm the remnants of Dolly, and then I slowly get myself up and ready for - to go to the theatre and do this beautiful show.

SIMON: Bernadette Peters, she's in "Hello, Dolly!" on Broadway now.

(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "CALL ON DOLLY")

ENSEMBLE: (Singing) Call on Dolly. She's the one the spinsters recommend. Just name the kind of man your sister wants, and she'll snatch him up. Don't forget to bring your maiden16 aunts, and she'll match them up. Call on Dolly if your eldest17 daughter needs a friend.


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点击收听单词发音收听单词发音  

1 standing 2hCzgo     
n.持续,地位;adj.永久的,不动的,直立的,不流动的
参考例句:
  • After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
  • They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。
2 ovation JJkxP     
n.欢呼,热烈欢迎,热烈鼓掌
参考例句:
  • The hero received a great ovation from the crowd. 那位英雄受到人群的热烈欢迎。
  • The show won a standing ovation. 这场演出赢得全场起立鼓掌。
3 recording UktzJj     
n.录音,记录
参考例句:
  • How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间?
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
4 consultation VZAyq     
n.咨询;商量;商议;会议
参考例句:
  • The company has promised wide consultation on its expansion plans.该公司允诺就其扩展计划广泛征求意见。
  • The scheme was developed in close consultation with the local community.该计划是在同当地社区密切磋商中逐渐形成的。
5 veins 65827206226d9e2d78ea2bfe697c6329     
n.纹理;矿脉( vein的名词复数 );静脉;叶脉;纹理
参考例句:
  • The blood flows from the capillaries back into the veins. 血从毛细血管流回静脉。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • I felt a pleasant glow in all my veins from the wine. 喝过酒后我浑身的血都热烘烘的,感到很舒服。 来自《简明英汉词典》
6 decided lvqzZd     
adj.决定了的,坚决的;明显的,明确的
参考例句:
  • This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
  • There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。
7 haze O5wyb     
n.霾,烟雾;懵懂,迷糊;vi.(over)变模糊
参考例句:
  • I couldn't see her through the haze of smoke.在烟雾弥漫中,我看不见她。
  • He often lives in a haze of whisky.他常常是在威士忌的懵懂醉意中度过的。
8 ensemble 28GyV     
n.合奏(唱)组;全套服装;整体,总效果
参考例句:
  • We should consider the buildings as an ensemble.我们应把那些建筑物视作一个整体。
  • It is ensemble music for up to about ten players,with one player to a part.它是最多十人演奏的合奏音乐,每人担任一部分。
9 ovations 3b5e315279172fb53e174fefb4f76234     
n.热烈欢迎( ovation的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Everywhere they appeared there were ovations. 他们出现在哪儿,哪儿就是一片欢呼声。 来自辞典例句
  • There were notable standing ovations for the Iraqi and the Palestinian teams. 而且引人注目的是,伊拉克和巴勒斯坦代表团还受到了持久的掌声欢迎。 来自互联网
10 forth Hzdz2     
adv.向前;向外,往外
参考例句:
  • The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
  • He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。
11 fulfill Qhbxg     
vt.履行,实现,完成;满足,使满意
参考例句:
  • If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了,你就要履行你的诺言。
  • This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。
12 tricky 9fCzyd     
adj.狡猾的,奸诈的;(工作等)棘手的,微妙的
参考例句:
  • I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手,你能帮我吗?
  • He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题,只做了个笼统的表述。
13 initially 273xZ     
adv.最初,开始
参考例句:
  • The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
  • Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。
14 gallop MQdzn     
v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔;飞速发展
参考例句:
  • They are coming at a gallop towards us.他们正朝着我们飞跑过来。
  • The horse slowed to a walk after its long gallop.那匹马跑了一大阵后慢下来缓步而行。
15 acting czRzoc     
n.演戏,行为,假装;adj.代理的,临时的,演出用的
参考例句:
  • Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她,她只是假装的。
  • During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代,她的表演生涯黯然失色。
16 maiden yRpz7     
n.少女,处女;adj.未婚的,纯洁的,无经验的
参考例句:
  • The prince fell in love with a fair young maiden.王子爱上了一位年轻美丽的少女。
  • The aircraft makes its maiden flight tomorrow.这架飞机明天首航。
17 eldest bqkx6     
adj.最年长的,最年老的
参考例句:
  • The King's eldest son is the heir to the throne.国王的长子是王位的继承人。
  • The castle and the land are entailed on the eldest son.城堡和土地限定由长子继承。

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