Since he died in late 2021, Sondheim has seemingly change into way more well-liked than he was when he was alive, with acclaimed latest revivals on Broadway of Into the Woods and Merrily We Roll Alongside, together with the posthumous premiere of Right here We Are which was greeted with decidedly combined responses. The 2 most up-to-date cases of native Sondheim-fever occurred in late June with starry(ish) concert events of Follies at Carnegie Corridor and A Little Evening Music at Lincoln Heart’s Geffen Corridor.
Cameron Waterproof coat’s manufacturing firm decreed that no press tickets could be made accessible for Follies; nonetheless, after many emails, I nabbed a single press ticket for the ultimate efficiency of Evening Music, a challenge which was strenuously promoted because the world premiere of a brand new, expanded orchestration by lauded Sondheim veteran Jonathan Tunick who additionally led the 53-member of the Orchestra of St. Luke’s.
Whereas the orchestrations revealed some slight, not all the time apt tweaking of his marvelous originals, Tunick’s leaden, unvaried conducting solid a damper over an earnest enterprise additionally marred by puzzling casting selections. On-line feedback in addition to pointed put-downs relayed to me from mates who attended earlier performances lowered my expectations, however I loved listening to Sondheim’s entrancing rating stay for the primary time in over twenty years.
Although I’d rank it fifth amongst his 70s exhibits, Evening Music was the primary Sondheim original-cast recording I purchased in addition to the primary of his exhibits that I attended. Once I was in grade faculty, my grandmother took me to a couple Kenley Gamers musicals every summer time. Memorable Saturday matinees included Ethel Merman (and Russell Nype) in Name Me Madam; Ann Blyth and Andy Devine in Showboat; On a Clear Day You Can See Eternally starring Shirley Jones; Vikki Carr as The Unsinkable Molly Brown; and Buddy Greco, Anne Jeffreys—and Dagmar–in Pal Joey. However as my curiosity in opera grew, I turned much less within the Kenley exhibits and finally we stopped attending.
After a couple of years, nonetheless, I observed that Kenley was presenting Evening Music simply two years after it closed on Broadway. It was actual shock that Kenley produced two Sondheim exhibits that summer time, however I wasn’t tempted by A Humorous Factor Occurred on the Strategy to the Discussion board starring Sonny Bono! I do remorse lacking Joanne Worley in Gypsy years earlier.
However as my mom had a buy-one-get-one-free coupon (as was her wont), I returned to Memorial Corridor for Eva Gabor’s Desirée. My reminiscence is that she was pleasant: elegant and shifting. A latest web search jogged my memory that her colleagues have been Earl Wrightson and Lois Hunt as Fredrik and Charlotte (I’d seen them beforehand in Blossom Time with Sally Anne Howes)–and Ethel Barrymore Colt was Mme Armfeldt—simply months earlier than she died at 65! New York Metropolis Opera’s manufacturing in 2003 with Juliet Stevenson, Jeremy Irons and Claire Bloom was my solely different stay Evening Music which appeared very lengthy because of Hugh Wheeler’s very talky ebook.
However Tunick’s model at Geffen used a succinct textual content abridgement by John Doyle who was initially to have directed. His place was taken by Marc Bruni whose modest Encores-primarily based staging (with everybody carrying binders) acquired the job completed. The musical, primarily based on Ingmar Bergman’s movie Smiles of a Summer time Evening, traces the life-changing romantic entanglements of a number of upper-class Swedes and their servants. Sondheim imbued his rating with entrancing waltzes typically sung by 5 “Liebeslieders” whose frequent commentaries caught me this time as more and more intrusive, maybe as a result of the performers have been relatively unusual.
The present’s central love (or intercourse) triangle of Desirée, Fredrik and Carl-Magnus was crippled by performers—Susan Graham, Ron Raines, and Shuler Hensley–a number of a long time too previous. The frustration expressed by a husband in his 70s about not having but taken the virginity of his very younger spouse had me squirming. Desirée’s teenaged daughter would counsel she’s in her 40s and having fun with the attentions of a sturdy Depend in his 30s.
Not solely have been the three dramatically miscast, none have been an excellent vocal match both, although Raines as soon as he warmed up within the second act confirmed he would have been an excellent Fredrik again within the day. Graham, the solid’s sole opera star, was uneven within the function written for a non-singer. “The Glamorous Life” proved manner too low for her, however she deftly carried out a rueful “Ship within the Clowns,” her greatest second. She dealt with her dialogue nicely sufficient however failed to completely inhabit the insouciant but fragile diva-flair of Desirée. Hensley discovered the Depend’s music too excessive and continuously resorted to a gingerly attacked head voice for climaxes supposed to ring out bravely.
Alternatively, Anne and Charlotte, the 2 mistreated wives, discovered splendid interpreters in Kerstin Anderson and Ruthie Ann Miles. Anderson’s crystalline soprano soared exquisitely, whereas Miles made her devastating “Every single day a Little Demise” sear with determined frustration. Miles additionally acquired almost all of the night’s laughs together with her sharp supply of the Countess’s many drop-dead quips. Like his father, Jason Gotay’s whiny Henrik learn as too previous, and he lunged painfully at his excessive notes.
Marsha Mason, cruelly miscast because the matriarch, was the night’s full catastrophe lacking her character’s witty imperiousness. “Liaisons,” which might really feel infinite even with the very best Mme Armfeldt, dragged on and on because of Tunick’s funereal tempo. Mason, greater than anybody, appeared not sure of her traces and fervently clutched her script. Jin Haselflessly wheeled her about as Frid till he acquired his massive restored quantity, “Foolish Individuals.” He dealt with it nicely, however its harshly bitter tone arising from out of nowhere advised its early omission from the rating was appropriate.
Frequent ads for Evening Music on Fb may need led unsuspecting ticket-buyers to consider that Cynthia Erivo was the present’s star when Petra is definitely fairly a small function. She does, nonetheless, get “The Miller’s Son,” a hanging, show-stopping quantity about romantic aspirations. Ervio’s dialogue was typically obscure (the amplification all through was in any other case well-handled), however she spit out the stinging phrases of her track with thrilling élan. I’m instructed she misplaced her place on the Saturday matinee and needed to start the track once more; no such accident occurred once I noticed her although she, like Mason, relied closely on her script.
Evening Music’s “blissful” ending felt much less shifting this time with each lately deserted males–Fredrick and Carl-Magnus—settling for the lady ready selflessly by for them. I perceive that Tunick’s new orchestrations can be recorded, however I pray it gained’t be with this far-from-ideal solid below his uninspired path, although the Orchestra of St. Luke’s performed gorgeously.
Although I missed the Follies carried out per week earlier, I’ve a pirate recording of the particular occasion which, in contrast to the 4 wildly overpriced ALNM exhibits that originally bought poorly, was an on the spot sell-out. It was a novel dialogue-free presentation wherein two narrators launched every quantity. The adrenaline-pumped viewers screamed vigorously for each Broadway veteran who carried out only one track which meant there have been not less than 5 Sallys.
There have been many highlights (together with only a couple lowlights), and I’ll go away you with recordings of two alternatives about which there could also be differing opinions. Christine Ebersole’s wonderful “In Buddy’s Eyes” made me tear up once I heard it, whereas Jennifer Holliday’s epic “I’m Nonetheless Right here” jogged my memory that, like “The Girls who Lunch,” I’ve heard her anthem far too many instances.
Stephen Sondheim: Follies (excerpts) (New York 2024)
“In Buddy’s Eyes” (New York 2024)
Christine Ebersole
“I’m Nonetheless Right here” (New York 2024)
Jennifer Holliday
Carnegie Corridor, June 20, 2024
Picture credit score: Joan Marcus
