Since he died in late 2021, Sondheim has seemingly develop into way more standard 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 blended 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 Night time Music at Lincoln Middle’s Geffen Corridor.

Cameron Waterproof coat’s manufacturing firm decreed that no press tickets can be made out there for Follies; nevertheless, after many emails, I nabbed a single press ticket for the ultimate efficiency of Night time Music, a mission 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 forged 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 buddies 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, Night time 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 season. 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 Without end 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 grew to become much less within the Kenley exhibits and ultimately we stopped attending.

After a number of years, nevertheless, I seen that Kenley was presenting Night time Music simply two years after it closed on Broadway. It was actual shock that Kenley produced two Sondheim exhibits that summer season, however I wasn’t tempted by A Humorous Factor Occurred on the Technique 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 transferring. A latest web search jogged my memory that her colleagues had 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 Night time Music which appeared very lengthy due to Hugh Wheeler’s very talky e-book.

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-based mostly staging (with everybody carrying binders) bought the job accomplished. The musical, based mostly on Ingmar Bergman’s movie Smiles of a Summer season Night time, traces the life-changing romantic entanglements of a number of upper-class Swedes and their servants. Sondheim imbued his rating with entrancing waltzes usually sung by 5 “Liebeslieders” whose frequent commentaries caught me this time as more and more intrusive, maybe as a result of the performers had been reasonably bizarre.

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 outdated. 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 had been the three dramatically miscast, none had been a super vocal match both, although Raines as soon as he warmed up within the second act confirmed he would have been a super Fredrik again within the day. Graham, the forged’s sole opera star, was uneven within the position 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 properly sufficient however failed to totally inhabit the insouciant but fragile diva-flair of Desirée. Hensley discovered the Depend’s music too excessive and often resorted to a gingerly attacked head voice for climaxes meant 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 “Day-after-day a Little Loss of life” sear with determined frustration. Miles additionally bought practically 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 outdated, 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 may really feel infinite even with one of the best Mme Armfeldt, dragged on and on due to Tunick’s funereal tempo. Mason, greater than anybody, appeared uncertain of her strains and fervently clutched her script. Jin Haselflessly wheeled her about as Frid till he bought his large restored quantity, “Foolish Folks.” He dealt with it properly, however its harshly bitter tone arising from out of nowhere prompt its early omission from the rating was appropriate.

Frequent commercials for Night time 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 position. She does, nevertheless, get “The Miller’s Son,” a hanging, show-stopping quantity about romantic aspirations. Ervio’s dialogue was usually 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 advised 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.

Night time Music’s “blissful” ending felt much less transferring this time with each lately deserted males–Fredrick and Carl-Magnus—settling for the girl ready selflessly by for them. I perceive that Tunick’s new orchestrations will likely be recorded, however I pray it received’t be with this far-from-ideal forged below his uninspired path, although the Orchestra of St. Luke’s performed gorgeously.

Although I missed the Follies carried out every week earlier, I’ve a pirate recording of the particular occasion which, in contrast to the 4 wildly overpriced ALNM exhibits that originally offered poorly, was an instantaneous sell-out. It was a novel dialogue-free presentation by which 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 at the very least 5 Sallys.

There have been many highlights (together with only a couple lowlights), and I’ll depart you with recordings of two choices 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 Women who Lunch,” I’ve heard her anthem far too many occasions.

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