Happy Retirement to Elizabeth Horner Miracle

The great lady sitting at this pipe organ is Elizabeth Horner Miracle.  I just learned that, after over 50 years as a church accompanist, she is retiring from First United Methodist Church of Kermit, Texas. 

I first met her at church when I was a pre-teen.  We had inherited our great grandmother's piano when I was in eighth grade.  I longed to play the piano, but it was my sister Mary who started taking lessons from Mrs. Miracle (then Horner) almost immediately.   Funnily enough, Mary was the spitting of her at age five, as evidenced by a portrait of herself that hung in her dining room.

I was already playing French horn in band and I guess my parents didn't realize my desire for piano too. 

I would attempt to play after church services - somehow I picked up Fur Elise and a few other pieces by ear.  Mrs. Horner noticed me and finally convinced my parents that I should take lessons too.  I started lessons in earnest when was a freshman. 

I was never very good - playing more from ear than by sight - but I did have the joy of being able to sit down, read sheet music and actually play a full song even if somewhat choppily.  I served as the Kermit Downtown Lions' Club Sweetheart when I was a senior in high school, a job she put me up for - it entailed accompaning the men while they sang the Lion Song and other popular tunes and then I would play "dinner music."  I can still play My Country 'Tis of Thee, My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean and The Eyes of Texas from memory    It was not only fun but an honor.   She also managed to teach me enough to get me into a competition in Odessa - a harrowing experience, but somehow I did it. 

In the summer time, she taught me to play pipe organ - or at least she tried.  I did play at Christmas a time or too and often served as her page turner.    It was all a thrill to me to be at her side. 

Also a French hornist in her youth, she often tutored me on horn and also accompanied me in solo competitions, including at State UIL.   She accompanied for the entire band and choir and at school musicals as well.  

Sometimes, she would even take a group of us to see a movie or have a meal in Odessa, a treat to say the least.    Her thousands of students were extremely fond of her to say the least, not to mention all of the worshippers who enjoyed her accompaniment and sacred music solos at services.   Her tiny music room was a sight to behold too - three pianos were crammed in along with a love seat and an asortment of mutts - including Alice, a St. Bernard and Basset Hound mix badly scarred from the mange, who never missed a lesson. 

Liz also played for my Dad's funeral in 2000.  At our request, she included a joyful rendition of the Marine Corps Hymn.  She told us that she had never been that nervous in playing.   But that was her - she knew what it meant to us.

There are few people from my youth who I admire more than Liz.  I spent many happy hours in her presence, learning about music and life in general. So, I wish a very happy retirement to her.   I hope her beautiful fingers are not completely idol from music.

Tonight: Hamlet at the Metropolitan Opera

Tonight, we're seeing Hamlet at the Metropolitan Opera.  We had planned to get $20 orchestra seats via the Agnes Varis and Karl Leichtman Rush Tickets program . However,  I received comp tickets from the Met thanks to my membership in the Independent Theater Bloggers Association!  

Hamlet!  It hasn't been at the Met in 113 years.  It's a five-act French opera by Ambroise Thomas that premiered in 1868. Louis Langrée conducts.   Simon Keenlyside plays the brooding Danish prince.  Jennifer Larmore plays Queen Gertrude and James Morris plays Claudius.   Natalie Dessay was previously announced to play Ophélie, but pulled out at the last minute due to an injury.  Marlis Petersen came in a mad dash, no pun intended, to save the day. 

Marlis spoke with All Things Considered about performing Ophélie on such short notice.  Click here to listen.

Renée Fleming: Dark Hope

La Diva Renée Fleming took a break from opera, or more likely squeezed in some time in her already overwhelmingly busy schedule, to record an album of pop and rock covers.  It's titled Dark Hope and will be released on June 8th.  It's available for pre-order via Amazon. While, I'm unfamiliar with most of these tunes, I have no doubt that it will be a hit with me.

Renée has one of my favorite voices, hands down.  I love her creamy operatic soprano on the arias from Manon, Der Rosenkavalier, Eugene Onegin, etc...but I also love her voice on the Broadway and jazz covers.  She shows off on Rodgers & Hammerstein or Lerner & Lowe, but takes it down to sensual and warm on the jazz.  

Her first departure from jazz was Haunted Heart, one of my favorite albums hands down.  I was lucky enough to see her perform songs from that album at the intimate Joe's Pub.  Renée knows her ways around a jazz standard: when was still in college, she was invited by Illinois Jacquet to tour with him. Fortunately for opera lovers, she didn't take him up on the invitation. But she did reunite with him on WNYC's Soundcheck in 2003, an episode I often return to time and time again.

In "Renée Fleming: Diva goes to the dark side", Peter Conrad of The Observer , via guardian.co.uk covers the why and how of getting this project off the ground - especially why this particular diva. Renée also discussed the project with Jamie-James Medina via guardian.co.uk:

Michael Feinstein & Dame Edna: All About Me on Broadway

When I first heard that Michael Feinstein would be coming to Broadway, I was thrilled.  I love his recordings and I frequent  his nightclub, Feinstein's at the Regency.

Then I heard that it wouldn't be a solo show.  Dame Edna, that cross dresser from Down Under, would be joining him.  I had seen her perform at Children & Art, a benefit for Sondheim's Young Playwrights, five years ago.  I was not a fan.

However, not wanting to miss this performance by Michael, I accepted the invitation from their producers to see the show.  The show is titled All About Me.  The premise is that each of these performers thought they were putting on their own solo show. 

I was pleasantly surprised!  The evening, while at times awkward and/or silly,  was highly amusing!   Dame Edna had me holding my sides with her routine.

How delightful she is!  She is warm and silly and oh so sparkly.  She changed costumes at least 5 times, each time changing into something even more sparkly and fabulous, and definitely outrageous.  This comedienne, sort of a grand doyenne, is larger than life in so many ways.  Sure, her singing voice is like nails on a chalk board, but she wins you over.   And you won't see anything quite like her rendition of "Single Ladies"!

Michael did spend a little time some of his vast knowledge of the great American songbook and I could listen to him sing all the live long day.  However, he doesn't seem as at home standing in front of the terrific big swing band as he does behind the baby grand.   Fortunately, the show is about half revue and half comedy, and Michael doesn't disappoint when he's crooning.

This show is closing on Sunday, April 4th.  To spend a delightful 90 minutes laughing and clapping along, get  tickets via telecharge.com.  Henry Miller's Theatre is on West 43rd, between 5th and 6th Avenue. 

The Mark Hellinger Theatre

For a couple of years, I had been hearing Kevin, the Theatre Affionado, lament the loss of the Mark Hellinger Theatre. It's now a church.  Last year, Kevin finally succeeded in pursuading Jimmy, Byrne and me to accompany him there to pray to the theatre gods. There was a service going on, but we still took the opportunity to wander about a bit and drool.. The space is unlike any other existing Broadway theatre. It's grandeur is awe-striking.

Built in 1930, it was first known as the Hollywood Theatre and was a movie house. After several name changes, it finally became the Mark Hellinger in 1949, named after the writer and producer. Its final production as a Broadway house was Legs Diamond. Among my shows that I wish I had seen there were My Fair Lady in 1956, the Sound of Music in 1962, A Funny Thing Happened ont he Way to the Forum in 1964, On A Clear Day You Can See Forever in 1965, Dear World and Coco in 1969, Man of La Mancha in 1971, 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1976, and A Dolls Life in 1982.

In today's NY Post, Michael Riedel discusses how it moved from Broadway to an interdenominational church. He says, "Yet Broadway's power brokers still covet it. It is the Holy Grail of Times Square theaters."

Quote of the Day

[Lin Manuel] Miranda added, “You know, he could seriously just, like, smack people around all day and just be like, ‘I’m Sondheim; cook me a steak.’ But he’s actually still really nice and really generous and really generous to younger artists.”

Theater Stars: Stephen Sondheim ‘Terrifying’, New York Magazine, March 25, 1020

Tonight: The Grapes of Wrath, at Carnegie Hall

Tonight I am attending Collegiate Chorale's concert of  The Grapes of Wrath, at Carnegie Hall. The music is by Ricky Ian Gordon and the libretto is by Michael Korie. 

Jane Fonda, Narrator
Nathan Gunn - Tom Joad
Victoria Clark - Ma Joad
Elizabeth Futral - Rosasharn
Sean Panikkar - Jim Casy
Peter Halverson - Pa Joad
Stephen Powell - Uncle John
Andrew Wilkowske - Noah
Steven Pasquale - Al
Christine Ebersole - Mae
Matthew Worth - Ragged Man/Connie/Truck Driver
Madelyn Gunn - Ruthie
Accompanied by American Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Ted Sperling, Conductor

Edward Barnes, Producer
Eric Simonson, Director
Noah Himmelstein, Assistant Director
Frances Aronson, Lighting Designer
Wendall Harrington, Projection Designer

Last month, the first ever Paris production of  Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music was on at Le Théâtre du Châtelet.  It starred Leslie Caron as Madame Armfeldt and Greta Scacchi as Desiree.   (My dear  Karigee was there! She took this gorgeous shot of the show poster.  See the rest of her breathtaking Paris pictures at Flickr).

Fortunately, one evening of the performance was recorded and will be broadcast on the internet on Wednesday, 24 March 2010 at 8:00 pm (20:00 hours) local time in Paris,  3:00 pm New York time that same day.

The link: http://sites.radiofrance.fr/francemusique/em/concert-soir/emission.php?d_id=400000750&e_id=80000056

To listen to the broadcast at that time, a listener should select écouter le direct on the left-hand side of the screen.

Et voilà! The broadcast will be archived for your listening convenience in their archives for 30 days. To listen after the initial broadcast, listeners should instead select concerts à la réécoute on the left-hand side at the above link.

Tonight: Sondheim the birthday concert at the New York Philharmonic

Artists
David Hyde Pierce    
Laura Benanti    
Matt Cavenaugh    
Michael Cerveris    
Victoria Clark    
Jenn Colella        
Jason Danieley    
Joanna Gleason
Nathan Gunn    
George Hearn        
Patti LuPone        
Marin Mazzie        
Audra McDonald    
John McMartin    
Donna Murphy    
Gillian Murphy    
Laura Osnes        
Mandy Patinkin    
Bernadette Peters    
Bobby Steggert        
Ethan Stiefel        
Elaine Stritch        
Jim Walton        
Chip Zien        
Paul Gemignani,Conductor
Josh Rhodes, Choreographer    
Lonny Price, Director and Producer
Matt Cowart, Producer

Oh, it's important all right...

Not that I needed reminding, but my excitement level rose to a new level when this notification arrived from the New York Philharmonic.  In just a couple of days, my Season of Sondheim begins in earnest.   It seems that the world is taking the opportunity to wish Stephen Sondheim a happy birthday.  He turns 80 on March 22nd. 

I'm going to this Phil concert on both Monday and Tuesday night and at the end of the week will see Sondheim on Sondheim, a new revue of his music at Studio 54.  In April, I'll be going to another "birthday party" at City Center  and will be taking in Encores! production of Anyone Can Whistle and the Signature Theatre's production of Sweeney Todd in Arlington.  I wouldn't be surprised if I see A Little Night Music , if only to see Angela Lansbury on stage again at least one more time.

While this season of Sondheim is extra special because of all the live performances,  every day is a sort of Season of Sondheim  - his music permeates my playlists, posters of his shows decorate my walls, my Playbill collection is full productions of his shows from around the world and over the years, I have many books about him and his work, my video collection is full of his interviews, shows, skits, etc., I subscribe the quarterly magazine The Sondheim Review, and my best friends are devotees as well.

My first Sondheim show was Gypsy, starring Bernadette Peters, in 2003.  My daily devotion began in October, 2004 when I saw Opening Doors at Zankel Hall.  It was a Sondheim revue devised and directed by David Kernan.  The cast included Kate Baldwin, Victoria Clark, Gregg Edelman, Jan Maxwell and Eric Jordan Young.   I also saw revivals of Assassins, The Frogs and Pacific Overtures in 2004.  I also ventured to the upper east side to see community theatre productions of Passion and Follies.

Then, on March 19, 2005, my friends Noah, Vicki and I attended Wall to Wall Sondheim at Symphony Hall.  We were there for every minute, 12 hours plus.  It was like a master class in how to be an uber fan of Sondheim and I soaked it up.   Since then, I have seen productions of Sweeney Todd, Gypsy, A Little Night Music, West Side Story, Sunday in the Park with George, Company and one failed attempt to see Anyone Can Whistle in Philadelphia.  

It's not hard to explain why I love his music - I think it's a combination of the smartness of the lyrics with the tunes, but above all the fact that he writes characters I understand.  He also writes for actors who sing - it's not the sound or beauty of the voice that makes the difference or gets the point across, it's the conveyance itself.   His music gives me pure joy in my heart and soul.

When you see a mostly complete list of Stephen Sondheim's shows, it's easy to see why his contribution to musical theatre is so awesome. 

• 1954 Saturday Night Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1957 West Side Story Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1959 Gypsy  Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1962 A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1964 Anyone Can Whistle Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1965 Do I Hear a Waltz? Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1966 Evening Primrose Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1970 Company  Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1971 Follies Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1973 A Little Night Music Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1976 Pacific Overtures Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1979 Sweeney Todd  Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1981 Merrily We Roll Along Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1984 Sunday in the Park with George Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1987 Into the Woods Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 1994 Passion Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 2004 Assassins Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 2004 The Frogs Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 2003 Bounce Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
• 2008 Road Show Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Being Irish at Carnegie Hall

My friend Joe and I, both us with a wee bit o' Irish blood, went to the New York Pops Saint Patrick's Day Celebration at Carnegie Hall on Friday.  Pops is usually high on the groan factor - lots of cheesy "pop" covers - there was no exception here, but it was also full of wonderful surprises.  The NYPD Pipes and Drums of the Emerald Society opened the evening - they grandly marched in from the rear of the orchestra, filling Stern Auditorium to the rafters with the traditional highland sound.  They looked and sounded fantastic!   Also a true treat were Kieran O'Hare playing the Uilleann pipes and tin whistle and his wife, Liz Knowles on violin.    The Darrah Carr Dance troupe performed thrilling Irish step dancing.  Méav, one of the Celtic Women, and Ronan Tynan, one of the Irish Tenors, rounded out the evening.

My favorites were especially a duet of Ashokan Farewell performed by Liz and Sara Caswell, a violinist with the Pops, and the Pops Orchestra's performance of "Far and Away" by John Williams, which features the brass.   Joe was especially keen on the dancers.    The final song was When Irish Eyes are Smilin', performed by the whole cast and the audience.  The whole evening was great fun - the only thing missing was a pint of Guinness!

Quote of the Day

"[Mrs. Lovett] believed in taking advantage of ways and means." Angela Lansbury, TimesTalks, 1/10/10

Tonight: Kate Baldwin at Birdland!

Kate Baldwin will perform songs from her bestselling PS Classics album Let's See What Happens in concert tonight at Birdland.  

Birdland is on West 44th. To make reservations call 212-581-3080. Visit www.birdlandjazz.com for more information.The concert begins at 7:00 pm. 

Coming up for Kate is an ensemble concert of Life Begins at 8:40  in Washington, D.C. at the Library of Congress on Monday, March 22, 2010.   The cast includes Broadway and recording veterans Kate Baldwin, Phillip Chaffin, Christopher Fitzgerald, Montego Glover, Rebecca Luker, Brad Oscar, Faith Prince, Graham Rowat and Jessica Stone.  An album featuring this cast will be recorded by the PS Classics and produced by Tommy Krasker.  The Library’s Coolidge Auditorium is located on the ground floor of its magnificent Thomas Jefferson Building at 10 First St. S.E. in Washington, D.C. A limited number of tickets will be made available to the public directly from the Music Division. For more information, please telephone or email Elizabeth Auman at (301) 974-5820 or eaum@loc.gov or Michele Glymph at (202) 707-8656 or mgly@loc.gov.

Don't forget to click here to become a Fan of Kate on Facebook!

Sondheim on Sondheim in the Vanity Fair

From the April issue, The Sound of Sondheim.  Says Sondheim, "I could not not write," he says. "What else am I to do? I like sitting at a piano, and work is fun."  

(See the issue also for pictures of Michael Feinstein &Dame Edna of All About Me, the cast of Come Fly Away, & Kristin Chenoweth & Sean Hayes of Promises, Promises).

Sold out, so here's an exchange ticket...

Imagine! In 1969, there was something called the Sports & Play Club Plan.  The owner of this ticket must have tried to see Dear World on a Saturday night and found it sold out...so they were given an exchange ticket.  And only $10 for an orchestra seat to see Angela Lansbury in a Tony winning performance!  Dear World, indeed.  I guess they didn't use it by May 2nd, and unfortunately Dear World closed after only 132 performances on May 31, 1969. 

Tonight: God of Carnage on Broadway

I'm finally seeing God of Carnage!  It started previews last year on February 28th and is now on it's third cast.  The play, by Yasmina Reza, won the 2009 Tony Award^® Best Play, 2009 Tony Award^® Best Actress in a Play for Marcia Gay Hardin in the role of Veronica, and 2009 Tony Award^® Best Direction of a Play for Matthew Warchus.  The main reason I am finally getting around to seeing it: JANET MCTEER!  She originated the role of Veronica in the West End.  

Donna Murphy will be Cora Hoover Hooper!

Yes! Just as I've been dreaming, the one and only Donna Murphy has been cast as Cora Hoover Hooper in the upcoming Anyone Can Whistle at Encores!. Donna hasn't been on the New York stage nearly enough in recent years and she is sorely missed.  Fortunately, she performed "Me and My Town" at the Drama League Gala honoring Angela Lansbury on February 8th. I was lucky enough to see her perform that and she completely, absolutely and thrillingly nailed it.  The pictures below show Donna in her sparkly gloriousness, but hardly relay what it was like to see and hear perform live.  My heart still races thinking about it.

"Me and My Town" is one of my favorite theatre songs, originally performed by Angela Lansbury on the 1964 cast album.  In fact, it's one of my favorite scores period. Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents' Anyone Can Whistle is one of the most famous flops of the Broadway stage: it ran for only nine performances. Angela says that if all the people who have told her they saw one of those nine performances were actually there, it would still be running.  Luckily for lovers of this cult favorite, the cast was rushed into the recording studio the morning after closing. It's a flawed but absolutely fabulous album and it was Angela's first musical. It also starred Lee Remick as Nurse Faye Apple, and Harry Guardino as Hapgood.

In 1995, benefiting Gay Men's Health Crisis, a concert of Anyone Can Whistle was presented at Carnegie Hall and was recorded live. That's another must-have cast album. Bernadette Peters was Nurse Apple, Scott Bakula was Hapgood, Madeline Kahn was Cora Hoover Hooper and Angela Lansbury made a marvelous cameo as the narrator. It's blockbuster after blockbuster song after song. It was Sondheim's first work on the music and the lyrics.

Just like the last time Donna Murphy was at an Encores! production (Follies!), I have tickets for April 9th, 10th and 11th and  I won't be alone in my multiple viewings.  I absolutely can't wait for this one!!!

The view from my new day job

I started my new day job today. The location is fancy! There are opportunities for mega shopping and/or time in Central Park. The CBS Morning Show films there. The Apple Store and FAO Schwartz is there too. The Paris movie theatre (the premier of Remember Me is there tonight) and The Plaza are across the street. Toward the east, 59 E 59 Theatres , The York and Feinstein's at the Regency are just a few blocks away.  I think I'll adjust to the neighborhood just fine.