With My Fair Lady perhaps being the greatest musical Broadway has to offer, Lerner and Loewe have served up some shows with books of lesser quality, but many unforgettable tunes that have entered the Great American Songbook.

This celebration was a mixed bag, often good and sometimes great, the latter due to Kelli O’Hara (pictured). O’Hara is a classic Broadway star, possessing a surprisingly strong and beautiful soprano with all registers being equally smooth, with a clear, strong top which provided some simply thrilling vocals. The total opposite of the overly nasal Disneyesque heroine, this classically trained singer was loose and in the pocket, providing a humorous “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” as well as passion à la the duet “Almost Like Being in Love.” She nailed every number brought her way.

Her partner in Broadway’s South Pacific, the Brazilian-raised Paulo Szot was not the ideal choice for interpreting Lerner and Loewe. His sonorous voice, while ideal for the Frenchman in that musical was not always suited to these songwriters, whose work often depends on precise diction, be it with American or English accents. Having the Latin baritone attempt to portray the English diction teacher, Henry Higgins (definitively interpreted by Rex Harrison), was a tad silly. While excellent in a portion of songs from Gigi, this world-class baritone’s presentation was a bit ungainly in its overly played dynamics and garbled vowels. He did possess a charming stage presence, though, and was upbeat and game the whole time.

The trio was completed by the honeyed tones of tenor Michael Slattery. Much of his singing was lovely (“On the Street Where You Live”), but at times his vocal production seemed a bit shaky. There were no glaring mishaps, but it sounded as if he were a thread strained, as in the high sections of “Come to Me, Bend to Me.” I wonder how much of this has to do with lack of rehearsal and not having the time to get the music in “his bones.” With sufficient rehearsal, perhaps it is possible that his tenor would shine in this repertory.

The final responsibility for the ensemble lies with the conductor, Steven Reineke. Was he chosen by committee to lead this group? His tempos were often rushed, not giving the singers enough time to caress the phrases of this lilting music. He stood behind the soloists while leading the solid choir – The Clurman Singers. Perhaps his position added to the disconnect.

It would have been nice to have some real character singers aboard as much of the team’s music is not meant to be interpreted by “legit” singers. Brigadoon’s Meg Brockie’s comedic belting tunes (for example, “My Mother’s Wedding Day”) were ignored. The rowdy “Get Me to the Church on Time” lacked irony, being performed by the chorus. 

Perhaps one should not be such a stickler making such commentary on a “Pops” concert, but I feel that, with just a bit more effort, this pleasant evening could have been more “loverly.”

Melody Breyer-Grell
Cabaret Scenes
April 16, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org