this is a blog!

Obviously he sounds a bit older (not a bad thing and very fitting for the role!) but some of those notes could have been right out of 1995 I swear! Among others “theeere” (out in the darkness?!?!) I think it comes down to his vowels— “Honest maaaan” and “bllloood” are so recognizable; and then you remember that while half of the Bishop's lines are the Empty Chairs melody, what are the other half? the police melody, which of course is because he's replying to the gendarmes but belongs mostly to Javert (and of course is later used mockingly at him by the students) But it's so much softer and gentler here that you almost forget it's the same tune he sung so sharply 30-35 years ago. "but my friend you left so early, surely something slipped your mind" -> "well of course he now denies it! you'd expect that of a con." and "so messieurs you may release him for this man has spoken true" -> "tell me quickly what's the story who saw what and why and where" etc. So that was just super special for me to realize. And he's still an enunciating king

and those EYES! PEOPLE those eyes!!! It’s not as clear in the low res video but every time he looked up as if looking at God, I just kept going WOW I’ve seen those eyes do that before, except 30 years ago he was looking at the Stars instead with just the same amount of reverence

Seeing him hold the candlesticks and hand them off to Géronimo Rauch was also such a profound and spiritual moment as well, kind of like when Colm hands them off to Huge JackedMan

final note-during intermission the lady and her daughter behind me were talking about which singer's voices they liked and they both went “actually the guy who had the best voice was the one who played the bishop” (reads program) "oh he played Javert before" like ladies you don’t even know

obligatory disclaimer that I was as respectful as possible while recording, with my phone screen absolutely never visible and I am only doing this with the utmost love in my heart for the show and this man, I am only a servant of the people