Lots of people are getting standing O's, and the look on the faces of actors were more somber than entertained.

You see that with every music performance artist as they get older. Their bodies, no matter how well taken care of, cannot hit the same kinds of notes as they can in their prime. It's an instrument and time will wear it down no matter what. She did fantastic though.

And she was great as usual.

Idena Menzel not so great imo.

But all the musical artists, except for U2 seemed to struggle. Nerves? Or cameras right in their faces...

I wonder if she's been sick?

and she said something about this being intimidating - I think she cried because she nailed it - she never went for the big notes. She had me in tears - it was a beautiful rendition.

but I still love her...

Plus, she looked absolutely marvelous. At 68!

I love Bette!

and i wanted to see/hear what she had to say and they did a fucking cut-away then broke for commercial.

way to go.

I got the impression she knew a lot of the people in that Memoriam and that is why she kept her voice down in a range she could control.

And yes, a 68 year old woman can't hit the high notes she once did but it was a very touching performance & I think it was just fine.

I heard no applause during the In Memoriam section, and I usually hear some for well-known actresses and actors.
The last person in the in memoriam section was Philip Seymour Hoffman.

Everyone was very quiet and respectful.

Thanks for posting this thread. I would have never known she had performed had you not done so. Here is a link:

http://news.moviefone.com/2014/03/02/oscars-2014-bette-midler-sings-the-wind-beneath-my-wings/

I thought she did a very lovely job and she did start to cry when the audience gave her a standing ovation.

Bette Midler has brought a lot of joy to my life with her performances. I wish I could thank her personally.

Sam

I'm sorry but, one of the worst moments of the night!

Nerves perhaps, but that song always struck me as a little off.

invested. Or, her voice is pretty much gone and this was her last hurrah. She's still a great performer..

The song (in that key) has a brief C#5 which is a moderately high note for a female. The chorus tops out at A4 which for most women is just around the beginning of the break.

IMO she was consistently under the pitch the entire song. My friend with a better ear than me explained that she always sings that way, nothing really different about tonight.

figure it is the years. Just the same, she was beautiful and her performance was great.

But Bette Midler remains awesome.