Dame Judi Dench sings "Send in the Clowns" - BBC Proms 2010

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  • Опубліковано 4 сер 2010
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    Dame Judi Dench sings "Send in the Clowns" from 'A Little Night Music' at the BBC Proms 2010, Sondheim's 80th Birthday Celebration.
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КОМЕНТАРІ • 3,1 тис.

  • @joanhallhovey
    @joanhallhovey Рік тому +440

    I've heard every version: Frankie, Barbara, Judy Collins, etc. And this one, by far, strikes the marrow of the song. It is the most moving version. It is not about who has the most impressive voice.
    She made me cry.

    • @bekindnomad7415
      @bekindnomad7415 10 місяців тому +15

      Yes, she doesn't have the refinement of many of the other legendary artists but her expressions and the inflections of the words shows how masterful she is at her acting

    • @butchie2752
      @butchie2752 10 місяців тому +21

      Her version reminds me of somebody washing the dishes in an empty house and seeing their reflection in the kitchen window.
      Reminiscing on life.

    • @johngouker3887
      @johngouker3887 10 місяців тому +8

      You can feel the love & pure passion ! ❤

    • @royaehodges
      @royaehodges 9 місяців тому +10

      Yeah... it's a master's rendition. It is fortunate to bear witness to such master throughout a life of wisdom developed, and communicated. Thank you for sharing this Joan.

    • @kellymarieapplebee
      @kellymarieapplebee 9 місяців тому +4

      Yes Joan!!! You have hit the nail on the head, absolutely makes the words to this song hit you in the chest the way in which she performs it!

  • @mattbarneveld815
    @mattbarneveld815 4 роки тому +1050

    An actor who sings! Not a "vocalist", but an actor who conveys the story with the talent required. Stunning!

    • @tristonst.romain4336
      @tristonst.romain4336 3 роки тому +3

      she was a singer i think. a surgery had cost her voice though

    • @ewingshannon
      @ewingshannon 3 роки тому

      Like Sinatra did.

    • @ThomasDawkins88
      @ThomasDawkins88 3 роки тому +8

      @@tristonst.romain4336 She sounded much the same when she was the original London Sally Bowles. The reviewer went twice and said something like "I can confirm having seen this show for a second time that Miss Dench is not suffering from a cold; she just sounds like that." But that's the point in Cabaret, and it's the point here.

    • @shirleykurtz
      @shirleykurtz 3 роки тому +5

      Glenn Close is superb at this song. I think judi and Glenn are tied for 1st place.

    • @MrCrowebobby
      @MrCrowebobby 2 роки тому +6

      @@ThomasDawkins88 Christopher Isherwood, the creator of Sally Bowles, hated Liza's portrayal of her because she was too good a singer and too obviously a star. Sally was neither of these.

  • @ronaldfichera3488
    @ronaldfichera3488 4 роки тому +957

    The silence in the auditorium during her rendition of the song is all you need to know about how mesmerizing and beautifully she performed.

  • @blanchefan
    @blanchefan 3 роки тому +440

    She's a great actress; she's seriously thinking, concentrating about what she's saying; she's using what actors call sense memory; and heaven knows what else. She's mesmerizing, magnetic; she's a marvel. Thank you for this, Dame Judi.

    • @ncard00
      @ncard00 3 місяці тому +2

      Didn't know M could sing...

  • @zoolander78
    @zoolander78 9 років тому +587

    This is a masterclass in understanding a song.

    • @CrassusCazius
      @CrassusCazius 4 роки тому

      adam marshall Where are the finance bros?

    • @track9music2007
      @track9music2007 4 роки тому +2

      Yes there is type Stephen Sondheim masterclass from the 80s

    • @beagle7622
      @beagle7622 3 роки тому

      Cleo Laine was similar, just bought the song alive. This is just brilliant though.

    • @anonymouspeacefulperson6199
      @anonymouspeacefulperson6199 2 роки тому

      Sad nobody understood her Adam Graham dude! Trying to steal her mother's jewelry then tried to take her money! Nobody Understood Vanessa Wogan Phillips English. She just wants to disappear from the abusers!

    • @fernpetit7765
      @fernpetit7765 2 місяці тому +1

      A beautiful performance by a beautiful woman..thank you.

  • @myoldmansanonion
    @myoldmansanonion 10 років тому +3629

    For all those who think she can't sing, she's not trying to sing it, she's performing it.

    • @maximilianraphael9853
      @maximilianraphael9853 6 років тому +132

      She's feeling it truly.

    • @jaypeckay5898
      @jaypeckay5898 6 років тому +8

      darling, performing........indeed, but what a shit performance......maybe in your parish hall.............?

    • @kayjay12341
      @kayjay12341 6 років тому +172

      Jay Pecquay it's a stunning performance. Clean your ears out

    • @DocTheGuitar
      @DocTheGuitar 6 років тому +46

      Exactly right, well said.

    • @TheKASOT
      @TheKASOT 5 років тому +125

      You also have to listen with your soul, with your whole being, with empathy, connecting with the performer and the performance..Sad, that you are unable hear the magic, the longing, the sadness, the everything that her great talent has presented.

  • @charlesmiller3268
    @charlesmiller3268 11 місяців тому +160

    Truly the ultimate, definitive, heart wrenching performance. She knows and means every syllable of every word. No other actor has gotten to the depth of the soul of the character. Her performance literally takes the air out of your lungs.

  • @debkosteniuk1
    @debkosteniuk1 3 роки тому +733

    I still find this the most beautiful performance of Send in the Clowns ever; I don't care if she misses notes ... she has lived this song, you can tell by how she performs it. It is mesmerizing.

    • @alexdiaz4181
      @alexdiaz4181 3 роки тому +8

      It's a beautiful thing I love her performance...how are you doing today?

    • @frankwilliam2070
      @frankwilliam2070 3 роки тому +2

      She's indeed wonderful...how are you doing today?

    • @shelteredsparrow2736
      @shelteredsparrow2736 2 роки тому +14

      In acting and singing, notes can be wrong and even add to the story. The acting must be on spot.

    • @blanchefan
      @blanchefan 2 роки тому +4

      Maria Callas would approve of this performance. For Callas was a great singing actress...

    • @mkspangenberg
      @mkspangenberg 2 роки тому +2

      I know right? I cried at the end.

  • @MarkLuyk
    @MarkLuyk 8 років тому +1277

    And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you tell a story!

    • @tompouceful
      @tompouceful 8 років тому +19

      Right, that's the way how you do that.

    • @KenHowardLCSWGayTherapyLA
      @KenHowardLCSWGayTherapyLA 7 років тому +12

      Amen!

    • @charlesdavis7087
      @charlesdavis7087 6 років тому +5

      Dear Mark, yes, that's how you tell a story. Bless you and all you love. CVD

    • @jaypeckay5898
      @jaypeckay5898 6 років тому +1

      you poor fool........with a surname like yours sweetheart you will never be a gentleman............x

    • @1plus1b2
      @1plus1b2 6 років тому +4

      Mark Luyk , you are right

  • @scattysafari7742
    @scattysafari7742 4 роки тому +592

    I never 'got' the song until I saw this performance. I was in tears. I will never understand how she makes emotion look so natural, real & effortless.Amazing.

    • @levimacdonald5188
      @levimacdonald5188 4 роки тому +8

      Dame Judi dench is Britain's greatest actress🎭.. ❤

    • @prrr446
      @prrr446 4 роки тому +2

      It is all fake. She is an actress.

    • @ShadyKray
      @ShadyKray 4 роки тому +16

      @@prrr446 It's Dame Judi a national treasure. She can do what ever she bloody well likes. Show some respect.

    • @prrr446
      @prrr446 4 роки тому +2

      @@ShadyKray I don't like her.

    • @michaelshanks6932
      @michaelshanks6932 4 роки тому +6

      @@prrr446 It's all a matter of taste. Some of us have it, some don't; simple as that.

  • @badabing8884
    @badabing8884 2 роки тому +152

    RIP Stephen Sondheim. Thanks for writing this classic.

  • @skygerspacher6891
    @skygerspacher6891 3 роки тому +171

    Sometime when I am writing, sitting on the couch in the evening, I notice, out of the corner of my eye, that my husband is staring at me . Because I am now comfortably into my 60's and secretly insecure, maybe because I have unconsciously bought into Hollywoods portrayal of Older women. I wonder if he stares because there is a booger on my nose , or because of the way my skin now hangs just a bit below my chin, or because my eyes are not quite as round and fresh my body not as lean and quick. But then when I look over at him I realize it is for the same reason it has always been. Age gives and takes, and what it gives is far more lovely than what it might take. Judi Dench is such a perfect example of that. How one becomes more beautiful as you rub elbows with time. Such a graceful, lovely woman.

    • @e.conboy4286
      @e.conboy4286 3 роки тому +4

      Sweet! When my husband looks that way, he wants a 🍺 !

    • @suzawilo
      @suzawilo 2 роки тому +7

      What a lovely comment❤️
      Bless you and your husband🙏🏽

    • @MontanaMomma1
      @MontanaMomma1 2 роки тому +5

      Beautifully put! He’s a lucky fellow 🥰

    • @benswindlehurst1857
      @benswindlehurst1857 2 роки тому

      Maybe he’s staring at how many times you’re hitting that space button.

    • @skygerspacher6891
      @skygerspacher6891 2 роки тому +8

      @@benswindlehurst1857 ahhhh, I'll steer clear of you. My typing and grammar skills would not stand up to your eagle eyed critical scrutiny. (oops, did I forget a comma?) You will probably see that I often times forget my socks and miss button holes too. Next time I'll put in a purposeful misspelling, just to brighten your day. :)

  • @errolflynn4984
    @errolflynn4984 6 років тому +270

    I Believe THAT is how that song was meant to be sung. With feeling. With pause. So much more elegant.

    • @JohnTaylorMusicClips53
      @JohnTaylorMusicClips53 3 роки тому +2

      Easy for you to say, being as famous as her

    • @adlegacy56
      @adlegacy56 3 роки тому +3

      Completely agree! Sondheim wrote A Little Night Music with Glynis Johns in mind to play Desiree, he was a huge fan of hers. Glynis Johns was a brilliant Actress, not a singer, but Sondheim knew she could carry a tune and perform the song, so he composed Send in the Clowns knowing what Glynis Johns was capable of doing with the song. I cringe every time I hear a well trained singer perform Send in the Clowns, it wasn't composed for trained singers.

  • @Pocahontas-jh1cq
    @Pocahontas-jh1cq 4 роки тому +115

    I love how she mentally prepares for this performance and gets into character before she sings one note.

  • @coastalseasider4634
    @coastalseasider4634 Рік тому +66

    Dear Dame Judi Dench, adding *ANOTHER* reason as to why she is so highly regarded & so downright lovable. Her emotions ran quite deep doing this. I felt her husband, Michael Williams had a role in her thoughts during this as well. Brava! 🇬🇧 Beautifully done.

    • @dennisdougherty7538
      @dennisdougherty7538 Рік тому

      Sung with style but...who is the idiot that asked her to do this?!?!

  • @mcass68
    @mcass68 7 місяців тому +23

    Oh, Lord, she is not just singing, she is giving life to the music music

  • @andriancurshen3586
    @andriancurshen3586 8 років тому +610

    Oh the aching sadness in her face. I cried before she sang a word. Surely no one felt the sorrow in the song more.

    • @DocTheGuitar
      @DocTheGuitar 6 років тому +11

      Beautifully and perfectly put Andrian.

    • @Rainmaker65
      @Rainmaker65 6 років тому +16

      I'll politely disagree, as I began tearing up as soon as I saw this selection in my side-bar. This song has seemingly waited for Dame Judy to come along since being written. Now that the performance is over, the song can now bask in the warm glow of success. In any event, all I needed to see was the title to start tearing up, and I knew this was going to be a VERY worthwhile performance.

    • @AlanHope2013
      @AlanHope2013 6 років тому +18

      With respect, the song is made for actors, not singers, as another commenter has pointed out. You can't do this song justice at age 20; you have to by Glynis Johns or another of the many mature actresses who have tried their hand. This is a perfect performance because she understands the lyrics and relates to them. Forget the big blasting voices of The Voice, a song like this is a story, and someone who has lived the story is in the best place to tell the story. Imagine as a woman of her age and skill in the theatre, how many times she's thought to herself, "Send in the clowns, don't bother, they're here".

    • @dw070
      @dw070 6 років тому +1

      you must have been feeling some type of way before you started this video 😂

    • @jeremygaiser4407
      @jeremygaiser4407 5 років тому +3

      @@Rainmaker65 I'm going to disagree with you...i started crying when I woke up knowing I would go on UA-cam looking for instructions on how to fix my dishwasher, but somewhere in the back of my mind, knowing I would see forlorn face of Judi Dench.

  • @misfittoys5873
    @misfittoys5873 4 роки тому +622

    The way she snaps "Don't bother" with so much anger and then her voice just breaks at "they're here". It's brilliant and deeply tragic

    • @Magekind
      @Magekind 4 роки тому +16

      I originally thought the anger in that line was a bit too much, but in retrospect, it's exactly right. There's a little bit of reprimand coupled with self-deprecation there. So yes. Absolutely brilliant delivery.

    • @NYCRhythm
      @NYCRhythm 4 роки тому +13

      I truly think she’s merely referring to herself; what a fool I’ve been and what a buffoon I am now. Angry at her own poor judgement, her poor choices. You agree?

    • @cannibalisticrequiem
      @cannibalisticrequiem 4 роки тому +10

      @@NYCRhythm I definitely agree! She's angry and frustrated with herself, and the choices she made in life. She chose to focus on her career, and while that brought her fame and accolades, it ultimately didn't make her happy. She lost out on a meaningful relationship with Fredrick-- twice, and she barely knows her own daughter as Mme. Armsfeldt is raising Fredricka, so they're practically strangers. At best, they're penpals, but they don't really have a Mother/Daughter relationship. And while we know that she gets her happy ending, Desiree is unaware of that during this moment, and it's in this song that she realizes how truly alone she is. It's rather heartbreaking.

    • @michaelshanks6932
      @michaelshanks6932 4 роки тому +2

      @@NYCRhythm Well, hers and his too; and it's all beautifully summed up in one line.

    • @mckavitt13
      @mckavitt13 3 роки тому +1

      Darby Turnbull Yes, it’s Judi Dench.

  • @Amon9575
    @Amon9575 Рік тому +52

    As some one who is in music education this has to be one of the most charged literature based performances I have seen so far… such love and innocence in the sound is just 😘😘👌👌

    • @hermannsteinpilz4581
      @hermannsteinpilz4581 Рік тому

      I pity your students.

    • @Amon9575
      @Amon9575 Рік тому +5

      @@hermannsteinpilz4581 I respect your humble opinion but their is far more here than what is given credit for. Anyone can say yeah you sound good, but not many can understand what is being done

  • @claudiaengberg3520
    @claudiaengberg3520 3 роки тому +208

    She is magnificent!! Her timing, her facial expressions, her beautiful voice. There was not a sound coming from the audience during her performance. No one wanted to miss one moment of the story she was telling. I've seen this song "sung" before, but she acted it out, and it was perfection!!!!

    • @ReneeVanasse
      @ReneeVanasse 6 місяців тому +1

      Incredible. Every note she sang was pitch perfect. No one has ever given such a moving performance. The perfect blend of notes, story telling, emotion. Brava Brava Brava

  • @headings50
    @headings50 4 роки тому +49

    People say Leonard Cohen couldn't sing either, but either you get it or you don't, this is a heart felt wonderful performance of a great song .

  • @n40tom
    @n40tom 5 років тому +186

    Perfect . This song was written for an actress not a pure singer, hence the emotion. Just beautiful.

    • @jamessim1858
      @jamessim1858 3 роки тому

      Your easily pleased dude she murdered the song

    • @bennyrobertson
      @bennyrobertson 3 роки тому +17

      @@jamessim1858 You have no idea what you are talking about. It's not a pretty ballad as sung by Judy Collins or Frank Sinatra, it is an integral part of "A Little Night music" by Stephen Sondheim. Dench played the lead female role in the London premiere. As the previous poster noted, the song was written for Glynis Johns, an excellent actress who was not an especially good singer, hence the short phrases, necessary because she could not sustain notes. Dench perfectly captures the meaning of the song, which is a reflects on the ironies and disappointments of the character's life.

    • @freethrice
      @freethrice 3 роки тому

      An actress Not acting!

    • @zaimokoya
      @zaimokoya 2 роки тому

      Well, it was written to fill in a crucial moment in the drama but Sondheim saw that it could also be sung as a pure melody.

    • @babawali3021
      @babawali3021 Рік тому

      @@freethrice Yes, this version is refreshing, different and very moving.

  • @monikamylonopoyloy6223
    @monikamylonopoyloy6223 3 роки тому +51

    GLORIOUS is the only word for it. Her performance is so powerful it can break your bones.

    • @frankwilliam2070
      @frankwilliam2070 3 роки тому

      Yes good performance...Hello friend..How are you doing today?

  • @margueritatime
    @margueritatime 6 місяців тому +22

    i can’t help but cry at just how beautiful this rendition is. the emotion is so powerful and it really brings the story to the forefront, rather than a performer favouring vocals over anything else. stunning

  • @sarachivers5464
    @sarachivers5464 6 років тому +117

    The emotions in the way she sings it is off the scale. This is what musical theatre is all about. It is not about hitting every note perfectly, but telling a story and this is just perfection

    • @carolinemitchell5241
      @carolinemitchell5241 2 роки тому +2

      though she does hit the notes perfectly in tune as well as the brilliant performance :)

  • @lindseymurrayevje1534
    @lindseymurrayevje1534 4 роки тому +38

    Sondheim writes music for actors who can sing. Not singers who can 'act'. What an astonishing woman. Happy Birthday Dame Judi! xx

  • @pennyceline15
    @pennyceline15 3 роки тому +43

    She has the gift of story telling and only a few actors or singers have that gift.

  • @leecoiltman2554
    @leecoiltman2554 11 місяців тому +63

    I am not a fan of non-singer interpretations of great songs...and coming here after Sinatra's seminal, eternal reading. But...Judi Dench proves the exception. And here I am left in tears. A brilliant performance. Her glances, expressions, and voice tell a story of tragedy, mistiming, farce, and aging. Beautiful.

    • @Kixcomments
      @Kixcomments 8 місяців тому +6

      And how subtly she did everything. The little glances spoke volumes! I love her

    • @lpburrows
      @lpburrows 5 місяців тому +1

      The song was originally written for Glynis Johns, who was a non-singer, too. This is precisely what the song should sound like.

    • @meesamagill1193
      @meesamagill1193 20 днів тому

      A non singer is more authentic

  • @MrAkashvj96
    @MrAkashvj96 8 років тому +355

    I don't know why I'm even surprised. She's far & away the greatest theatre actress who has ever graced the stage.

    • @austinpearce5442
      @austinpearce5442 7 років тому +18

      And the best M.

    • @alansbinnie1446
      @alansbinnie1446 5 років тому +1

      Tell that to Ellen Terry.

    • @sharongower5848
      @sharongower5848 5 років тому +2

      Such a fantastic actor no matter what the subject, my hero

    • @jackgandolfo1328
      @jackgandolfo1328 5 років тому

      @@sharongower5848 All well and good that she's your "hero" (should be "heroine", actually) but the point is that "Send In The Clowns" is a SONG, and it is supposed to be SUNG... by a SINGER, not an "ACTOR". Regardless of your "girl crush" it would be nice if you could bring just a bit of objectivity to the subject... which is singing, not acting (fantastic or not).

    • @sharongower5848
      @sharongower5848 5 років тому +4

      Grow up too many nasty people in this world already. Also we don't differentiate between gender anymore.

  • @brucecolemancfo5087
    @brucecolemancfo5087 5 років тому +58

    I'm in tears. It's her face, so expressive, so sad.

  • @adamfilewood3416
    @adamfilewood3416 Рік тому +15

    Sobbing watching this in 2023

  • @robgweston965
    @robgweston965 Рік тому +47

    Have you ever heard a song, and thought - that, is just what I’m feeling right now.
    Just heard this performance for the first time and that is exactly what DJD does. She doesn’t “Sing” it as the title says, she feels it.
    Most of us, would sound exactly like this if we were truly expressing our feelings, raw, emotional, heartfelt, angry, sad, disappointed, depressed and failing.
    This is not a song. This isn’t sung…
    This is a soul expressing its deepest feelings, and it is one of the MOST BEAUTIFUL things I’ve ever heard in my life. I feel blessed to have heard it, seen it, felt it, lived it.
    Open your hearts, not your ears.
    That silence as she shows her soul, is exactly what you should be. Silent. Embracing this wondrous emotion.
    Not a sound amongst the thousands there.
    Simply open to what was her bearing her soul.
    Beautiful
    Thank you so much Dame Judi Dench. Thank you so much ❤

    • @coastalseasider4634
      @coastalseasider4634 Рік тому +1

      Your words are *_PERFECT_* , Rob. 💞

    • @robgweston965
      @robgweston965 Рік тому +1

      @@coastalseasider4634 thank you.
      It is truly a remarkable thing to hear this “performance”
      X

    • @estelleevert6734
      @estelleevert6734 Рік тому +2

      My favorite version of this song. Judo Dench also originated the role of Sally Bowles on Cabernet. Puts Liza to shame. See it on UA-cam.

    • @coastalseasider4634
      @coastalseasider4634 Рік тому

      @@estelleevert6734 ~ Thanks for this. Had never seen nor heard of this before. Have thoroughly enjoyed her since her delightful series, As Time Goes By, through PBS stateside. Have found other series & delightful movies, Lavender Ladies, Tea With Mussolini + so much, I have quite a collection. Talented & just comes across as a delightful person. Oh, & love her on The Graham Norton show. (Apologies for all the babble.)

  • @sydismine
    @sydismine 5 років тому +152

    Brava to the audience in this theater that GETS it. Dench is sublime. Period.

    • @fraserkatie
      @fraserkatie 4 роки тому +2

      Its the Royal Albert Hall in London, England. Ive sat in there such a lovely place

    • @e.conboy4286
      @e.conboy4286 3 роки тому +2

      Yes! Thank God they refrained from yelling ‘ In the hole!’ or other stupid comments. So many performances are rudely applauded waaaaaaaay too soon and the magical spell is broken. It must annoy the artists and musicians who enjoyed creating the wonderful sounds so beautifully.

  • @amartinblueplanet
    @amartinblueplanet 9 років тому +1119

    This is such a perfect performance. This beautiful lament was made for the more mature voice whose life experience could truly witness the regret that this song portrays. Great face, great voice, great memories in her twinkling eyes. For those who don't get it, I think as the years roll on it will come to you. Just magnificent.

    • @nessiediamond
      @nessiediamond 9 років тому +12

      Absolutely right amartinblueplanet!! :-)

    • @gucciboy1952
      @gucciboy1952 9 років тому +17

      yes absolutely Extraordinaire

    • @12magus
      @12magus 9 років тому +38

      amartinblueplanet
      It's clear that Dame Judi is not a professional singer but this is one song that is ruined when it is sung perfectly beautifully. Dame Judi won't sell many records, but she sings/talks through this as one would when the feelings she portrays are real, immediate, enough to close off half the throat. IF sung beautifully, the feelings the words elucidate are lost When half talked, half sung, those feelings are as realistic as a heart break. Well done, Judi.

    • @mylesgarcia4625
      @mylesgarcia4625 6 років тому +18

      Uhmmm, Dench played the original London Sally Bowles when CABARET played in the West End in 1967. I saw her as a very young thing back then in 1968 in that role. She IS a professional singer -- but she has that cracking voice. It's a matter of taste.

    • @lohphat
      @lohphat 6 років тому +20

      Couldn't have said it better.
      This performance demonstrates what the theater is for...telling the human story.

  • @kevk9894
    @kevk9894 9 місяців тому +26

    This never gets old, even after 13 years it was gorgeously performed by the Great Dame herself. 🥹🥲
    She commands the stage with her presence and with the sensuous sound of the orchestra serenading along with her only then this pin drop silent in the hall can be achieved ❤ Thank You again for this remarkable performance.
    I need tissue please 🥲🥲

  • @ER-uy7ct
    @ER-uy7ct 5 місяців тому +12

    I never understood this song, until now that is. Listening to Dame Judi Dench's version is....for lacknof a better phrase, transformative. I felt every word, every syllable.
    I know she will never read this, but thank you ma'am. This version brought me to tears. You were perfectly imperfect, and I was spellbound. I've listened to your version about 10 plus times now. And I will continue to listen to it.
    Thank you.

  • @curaeus007
    @curaeus007 4 роки тому +65

    She isn't just singing this-she's living every word! Utterly magnificent.

  • @patricke2088
    @patricke2088 9 років тому +36

    I love how she smiles for the initial applause and then right before your eyes becomes the character

  • @modernpoet3997
    @modernpoet3997 Рік тому +24

    I come back to this every few months and each time I'm still in awe. The quintessential performer of this song, understanding what Sondheim intended.

  • @ginarubinoseymour1936
    @ginarubinoseymour1936 2 роки тому +26

    An article honoring Sondheim mentioned to check this performance out and so glad I did. Lovely and now sobbing. Gosh I love that song and her perform was spot on.

  • @PickedPlum1
    @PickedPlum1 8 років тому +62

    This is one of the saddest songs. So beautifully performed with all the regret and irony

  • @mikem1966
    @mikem1966 9 років тому +323

    Simply stunning and awesome, one voice holding the whole of the audience in the palms of her hands. You don't blink or look away from that performance for one single second.

  • @mikezinn7212
    @mikezinn7212 Рік тому +16

    The absolute silence of the audience says it all. Stunning performance!

  • @lorenzonotarianni1667
    @lorenzonotarianni1667 3 роки тому +45

    54 year ol d male here. The very last part of the song, with Judy Denches intense stare towards her inner thoughts, got me into tears. So stunningly beautiful and moving.
    Greetings from Italy.

  • @mgoskay
    @mgoskay 9 років тому +826

    well this is what singing a musical theatre song supposed to be. not hitting the notes perfectly or as they are written. saying the words however you feel. bravo

    • @pingpong4811
      @pingpong4811 9 років тому +1

      .

    • @mgoskay
      @mgoskay 9 років тому +24

      Obviously that's not what i meant but anyway. I think being uptight about art is stupid and just stands in front of creativity of especially singers. Songs are not belong to the composers but to the singer once they are being performed. I strongly believe that's what makes opera feel ancient rather than classical most of the times. Blindfold commitment to the standardized execusions.

    • @track9music2007
      @track9music2007 9 років тому +2

      Most agreed!

    • @sarahm5936
      @sarahm5936 9 років тому +27

      muge oskay I would rather have emotion than perfect musicianship any day.

    • @pingpong4811
      @pingpong4811 9 років тому

      ,

  • @chrismiccolupi2506
    @chrismiccolupi2506 9 років тому +94

    This was my Grandpa's favorite song we played it at his funeral. I think why he like this song so much because he was a clown himself miss you grandpa!!!

    • @silverfeigner
      @silverfeigner 6 років тому

      Chris Miccolupi sorry for your loss. This song means a lot to me too because it was sung at my mom's funeral. When she was alive, this was the song she would do for karaoke.

  • @TheAyurvedic
    @TheAyurvedic 3 роки тому +23

    Just when I thought there was nothing more she could do to outdo herself. Wow! What a performance.

  • @caleb-benji
    @caleb-benji Рік тому +13

    This song always breaks me but this rendition is absolutely beautiful and so genuine. She’s a Dame for a good damn reason!

  • @jjh2456
    @jjh2456 10 років тому +262

    This is how the song is supposed to be sung. It's a haunting lyric and the voice is supposed to hoarse as if the singer is crying at reminiscing about the past.

  • @noopieflace
    @noopieflace 9 років тому +179

    My God....one could hear a pin drop while she sang. She had them after her first sentence! Sondheim was and is never concerned with one's voice. He once said "save the vocal beauty for other singers on their CD's. All I want is the audiences attention and appreciation.....regardless of the vocal brilliance from the singers." " I want the audience to walk out of the theater saying they loved EVERYTHING THEY JUST SAW AND HEARD.....not just any particular performer. PERFORMANCE...YES---PERFORMER ...NO."

    • @anniehart3021
      @anniehart3021 5 років тому

      Absolutely and he said of Glynis Jones that she had a silvery voice that couldnt hold long notes which is why it was written for her

    • @judithhand4987
      @judithhand4987 5 років тому

      Thanks for that input and quote; she did Sondheim proud then, didn't she? I thought it was beautiful...

    • @karenlewis6711
      @karenlewis6711 4 роки тому

      I was thinking the same..WHAT A PERFORMANCE x

  • @boebie100
    @boebie100 10 місяців тому +5

    The first time I saw her lerform this song, she was sitting on the edge of a two people bed. Alone. With that special voice of hers. I broke down and cried. She is such a fantastic actress! The depth she gives to this, already great song, gives me goosebumps, everytime I hear it.

  • @jerrera45
    @jerrera45 3 роки тому +13

    Just when I thought I have heard enough versions of this song, I come upon this gem. It literately brought tears to my eyes.

    • @peterd788
      @peterd788 Рік тому +2

      Sondheim said that he had never been more moved by the song than when he experienced Judi Dench's interpretation of it. When he first heard her he said he thought he had never heard it before.

  • @annakateputter_littlered
    @annakateputter_littlered 5 років тому +42

    "To flirt with rescue, when one has no intention of being saved."
    This whole notion is why I'm here. I'm grateful Dench's performance is here. It helps me hang on by that most tenuous of threads.

  • @TicklishBellyscales
    @TicklishBellyscales 2 роки тому +16

    She can wring so much emotion with each word, with each pause. So empathetic and human. So much talent. So many feels. I love this.

  • @johnhoward563
    @johnhoward563 3 роки тому +27

    The clowns that think she’s making a bad effort at this piece,she one of the very best actors in the world.
    That’s what she’s doing utter class. Watch her a lady Macbeth with Ian mckellen. Pure genius. Regards. John h

  • @wns1503
    @wns1503 Рік тому +5

    Sings it with a passion it's like her talking about her life showing such feelings in the words

  • @STOCKLAND78
    @STOCKLAND78 6 років тому +31

    Oh my..this is how to interpret a song ..wonderful judi dench

  • @Disneyfan82
    @Disneyfan82 8 років тому +104

    I didn't know Judi Dench ever sang a song before. She may not have the best singing voice in the world, but she was fantastic enough to remind me of what I seen in a classic musical.

    • @berrie23
      @berrie23 8 років тому +6

      +Disneyfan82: She played Sally Bowles in the London production of "Cabaret"
      That role was supposed to be an aspiring singer with not a great deal of vocal talent but a lot of heart. Judi was perfect for this interpretation.

    • @RussTube59
      @RussTube59 8 років тому +4

      +Disneyfan82 She played the part of Sally Bowles in 'Cabaret' before Liza Minnelli.

    • @NickE361
      @NickE361 8 років тому +5

      She also played Desiree in the 1995 West End version of A Little Night Music (where she sang this originally)

    • @sdsures
      @sdsures 7 років тому +6

      I like how she doesn't try to force her voice to sing. Have you seen the 1996 movie of Evita? Jonathan Pryce, as Peron, made a conscious decision to not sing, but instead to sing-talk, and it REALLY works in "She is a Diamond" because his character is wracked with grief. /watch?v=JlEofxOm1j8

    • @jaypeckay5898
      @jaypeckay5898 6 років тому +2

      sweetheart you need to get out more...........poor you

  • @dawnhanwell2032
    @dawnhanwell2032 Рік тому +6

    Her version was beautiful she's so soft and gentle I cried she's beautiful

  • @davem8129
    @davem8129 4 роки тому +8

    This fantastic performance is exactly the reason they made Judy a Dame.
    She was brilliant playing M in the Bond movies,especially her moving last scene.

  • @chrisblake1918
    @chrisblake1918 8 років тому +234

    What a glorious Dame she is.

    • @lilpold9192
      @lilpold9192 7 років тому

      Chris Blake Dame(German)=Lady?

    • @BrightS0l
      @BrightS0l 7 років тому +7

      It's actually the female version of a Knight. Googled it

    • @anthonygulliver2880
      @anthonygulliver2880 6 років тому +1

      Dame Judy you are exceptional this rendition is beautiful

    • @koreukii
      @koreukii 5 років тому

      Dame (French)= Lady

  • @soonerboy9831
    @soonerboy9831 10 років тому +25

    Love Judi and her infinite character. She gives such expression to this sensitive song.

  • @ursafan40
    @ursafan40 2 роки тому +12

    No matter who is singing, this is one of the most beautiful, sad, deeply moving songs ever written.

  • @cak400
    @cak400 Рік тому +6

    I saw her perform this when she was on stage at the National and it was as mesmerising as it is here. She is note perfect and emotionally spot on too.

  • @stephenhicks7632
    @stephenhicks7632 6 років тому +113

    Well she sang it six nights a week and on a matinee for nearly a year back in 1995/6 at the National. Got an Olivier I think. Went to see it with my then missus. Never cared much for the song when belted out by some diva, but Dench nailed it then and she does it again here...

    • @mairedaly4548
      @mairedaly4548 4 роки тому +4

      Yes, folks, Judy Dench was a very famous 'Desiree Armfelt'.... A stunning role, with a stunning song, written for a mature romantic leading lady...

    • @robertjohnson2885
      @robertjohnson2885 3 роки тому

      Yes, I saw it and it was awesome

    • @mckavitt13
      @mckavitt13 3 роки тому

      Stephen Hicks Sure does.

  • @nacki612
    @nacki612 9 років тому +132

    whoa! Wow!
    now, i don't understand how people can say, "she can't sing". her interpretation, the character of her voice and her face made this musical performance just unbelievably beautiful.

  • @charitobasa
    @charitobasa 3 роки тому +10

    She's magic! I have no words.... Long live, Dame Judi Dench!

  • @katannyaalven1087
    @katannyaalven1087 3 роки тому +8

    Judy Dench and her powerfully moving delivery of Send in the Clowns. Beautiful.

    • @alexdiaz4181
      @alexdiaz4181 3 роки тому

      She's a wonderful lady so perfect

    • @frankwilliam2070
      @frankwilliam2070 3 роки тому

      Cold song...Hello friend...How are you doing today?

  • @Tenortalker
    @Tenortalker 9 років тому +32

    She has understood that she just has to 'be' Desiree and let the song and emotion well up from deep inside. Total identification with the piece.

  • @StevenTorrey
    @StevenTorrey 6 років тому +24

    It is such a simple song, such an evocative song--anyone could wish they had written it, so obvious and so lovely. Her rendition is spot on!

  • @thomasquiroz384
    @thomasquiroz384 9 місяців тому +5

    I love her. She's so amazing. She should perform more often thank you Dame Judy. You are a treasure for the years

  • @seanjamescameron
    @seanjamescameron 2 роки тому +6

    I had the great pleasure of interviewing both Judi Dench and Stephen Sondheim when I worked in London's West Theatre. Theatres will be dark this weekend as a mark of respect following the news that Stephen Sondheim died this evening, age 91.

  • @ScialomRoland
    @ScialomRoland 9 років тому +15

    Wow! Before watching this performance, I was already a great fan of Judi Dench. Now, my passion increased even more.

    • @HeySlowPokes
      @HeySlowPokes 8 років тому

      +Roland Scialom ... Yes, she's got some balls, doing that !

  • @patriciarodger6619
    @patriciarodger6619 2 роки тому +13

    Stunning performance from Dame Judy..

  • @tfer1977
    @tfer1977 Рік тому +6

    Magnificent Dame Judi Dench. That is a statement of fact! Her performance here, as usual, is amazing. This is the way Sondheim meant it to be conveyed.

  • @JTATTHEMOVIES
    @JTATTHEMOVIES Рік тому +9

    This performance is exquisite. Never fails to move me and choke me up

  • @maquifrikis
    @maquifrikis 8 років тому +337

    Love her as an actress, but she does the same singing, gorgeous!

    • @vima8680
      @vima8680 6 років тому +3

      yes and listen also to Sara Vaughan

    • @PL73LC1
      @PL73LC1 6 років тому

      Potigirls I

    • @kimberlysmith8299
      @kimberlysmith8299 6 років тому +16

      Matra Simca This isn't suppose to be a " singing"performance per se but a persons interpetive prespective of the song.And it is beautifully done.Captures the meaning of the song to perfection.Dame Judi Dench's version is Shakespearean.Cuts like a knife....

    • @kimberlysmith8299
      @kimberlysmith8299 6 років тому +8

      Matra Simca Oh, you're so funny.NOT.First, no I'm not British...second maybe you should do some research on the song written by Sondheim.The original artist was Glynis Johns , he wrote the song for her for a play "A Little Night Music"..clearly you don't have the slightest comprehension of theater, or art and all your taste is in your vulgar big mouth.You probably think the song is about a circus...duh.

    • @kimberlysmith8299
      @kimberlysmith8299 6 років тому +9

      Matra Simca...what a phony ....You are wrong he wrote the song in 2 days for Glynis Johns.I'm not going to get into an argument and dog Collins ...hers is a beautiful "SINGING VERSION" of the song.Listen to Johns, Elizabeth Taylor, J.Dench...they are "ACTING" the song.Give it a rest, you're getting to be a BORING pest now.Funny how people fill theatres to see this play and how many positive comments there are.But of course with your superior knowledge of all things I guess we're suppose to kiss your ass and say you're ABSOLUTELY right, an be grateful for sharing your expert opinion so eloquently and with such class.Be careful when it rains, cos' your nose is so high up in the air....you may drown.Really? Dream on.

  • @telavivi64
    @telavivi64 10 років тому +52

    this is how this song should be sung

  • @carlharding5311
    @carlharding5311 2 роки тому +12

    Oh my dear Lord, this is do beautiful, such a performance, full of emotion power and vulnerability. I keep coming back to it and I’m in tears every time. Bravo Dame Judi, bravo.

  • @michellekeeling3392
    @michellekeeling3392 Місяць тому +3

    Perfection, pure perfection. Watching this great lady is such a privilege. 🥰

  • @christineannemarsden
    @christineannemarsden 7 років тому +39

    How can anybody dislike this? It is fabulous communication?

    • @ludovicainman8069
      @ludovicainman8069 7 років тому +2

      I remember a couple years ago my choir teacher called this bad! I completely disagree

    • @RichelleBremner
      @RichelleBremner 4 роки тому

      They just don’t appreciate it like us.

    • @seansilence2697
      @seansilence2697 4 роки тому +1

      Some people can't tell the difference between a pretty voice and a good performance

    • @frankwilliam2070
      @frankwilliam2070 3 роки тому

      Good performance...Hello friend..How are you doing today?

  • @oliverbonney9632
    @oliverbonney9632 9 років тому +26

    WOW, what a perfect performance of this number.
    She had the audience enthralled.
    What a talent.
    BRAVA indeed.

  • @rodhall1454
    @rodhall1454 3 роки тому +11

    Sublime!!!! I never really understood this song but after seeing Dame Judi perform ........... I not only understand it's meaning, It's become one of my all time favourite songs.

  • @scottishlore
    @scottishlore 3 роки тому +6

    A beautiful performance. The audience holds onto her every word.

  • @annebenham-clarke4139
    @annebenham-clarke4139 3 роки тому +11

    Moves me to tears every time I watch it... she is the best.

  • @mandybarnett3647
    @mandybarnett3647 2 роки тому +10

    A beautiful story teller..she can emote more than most singers…no movement..just those engaged eyes..focused on the unseen…and a voice built to take people on journeys! The break of her voice in that last word…divinity!

  • @DD-ft7zi
    @DD-ft7zi 8 місяців тому +10

    She’s on of God’s most talented creatures. We have been graced by her genius. Brava!

  • @michaelkrupar9808
    @michaelkrupar9808 2 роки тому +8

    My favorite version of one of my favorite Sondheim songs. Thank you, Dame Judy.

  • @GoAndStay
    @GoAndStay 9 років тому +19

    To me one of the best interpretations of this haunting song

  • @bmills9535
    @bmills9535 4 роки тому +4

    a nine year old video, but the woman does now and always has taken my breath away. She is what the performing arts is all about. I think she is one of the greatest actresses of our time.

  • @joanneryder-pollard6152
    @joanneryder-pollard6152 2 роки тому +13

    GOOSEBUMPS!!!!!! THANK YOU DAME JUDY DENCH for such an emotionally powerful performance. Felt every bit of that...simply beautiful ❤🎵🎶

  • @twistywillow
    @twistywillow 3 роки тому +6

    Bloody hell... I don't think I have ever heard a better version of this.wow.😢so powerful.

  • @holly6067
    @holly6067 8 років тому +21

    Gorgeous performance. Sung with real emotion and the audience felt it

  • @BeatGoat
    @BeatGoat 10 років тому +45

    What a beautiful performance.
    Some of the people commenting here should realize that singing is not always about hitting all the right notes, or vocal acrobatics, or belting. Dame Judy was absolutely on point with this performance. She wasn't off-key, and she conveyed emotions through her voice perfectly.

    • @bubbles6853
      @bubbles6853 5 років тому +2

      This is exactly what is said about someone who can't sing. Apparently everything else matters all of a sudden.

    • @dMGraymusic
      @dMGraymusic 5 місяців тому

      @@bubbles6853 When a song is genuinely sad, you want to hear the singer cracking. You've heard of blue notes too, right?

    • @bubbles6853
      @bubbles6853 5 місяців тому

      after 5 years i don't care about this topic@@dMGraymusic

  • @amyoakes1348
    @amyoakes1348 4 місяці тому +2

    Dame Judi is amazingly beautiful and we are all so lucky to have this to enjoy. She should be cherished ❤

  • @saintpaulschurchonlakeofth3916
    @saintpaulschurchonlakeofth3916 2 роки тому +22

    You can find multiple video clips of her singing this over the years, but this is by far the most poignant, most human performance there is - brings tears to my eyes every time. Brava.

  • @aminbazdeep6417
    @aminbazdeep6417 6 років тому +42

    More than forty years ago a lovely lady that I knew tried to "turn me on to" this song. I did not have the maturity or sense to appreciate it or her then. Hmm sometimes you don't always make the right decisions or choices in life. Listening to this incredible rendition now almost brings a tear to my eye about what could have been.

  • @psperrazza
    @psperrazza 10 років тому +38

    this is the way it should be sung! with meening!!

  • @julieodonnell885
    @julieodonnell885 Рік тому +8

    She's absolutely wonderful, I adore her!

  • @gregamour7377
    @gregamour7377 Рік тому +5

    One of my favorite actresses. Classy, beautiful, and full of so much talent.