“With her eyes of night and lips as bright as flame,” Sigali Hamberger (or just “Sigali,” as she was introduced to her audience at her impressive Metropolitan Room debut), was resplendent in a shimmering, jewel red sheath with her jet black locks swept up in a classic French twist that Johnny Mercer and Victor Schertzinger’s “Tangerine” herself would envy!

Winner of this year’s 1930s Idol contest held at Don’t Tell Mama (run by Big Night Out, an open mic that has been at various venues), the raven-haired beauty and Ivy League graduate handled a challenging set of contemporary and complex standards, art songs and Broadway gems, in a show she called Solstice, with grace, charm and good instincts. There were moments when her riveting interpretations seemd to mesmerize fans, family and friends.

One senses, however, that there’s much more to Sigali than a good actress with a pretty face, a lovely soprano voice and an unusual name — and those more fascinating qualities were left somewhat unexplored. Hints of her quirkier, less demure, more rebellious personality shone through on Sondheim’s “Everybody Says Don’t” and Jerry Herman’s “Look What Happened to Mabel” and, given the number of ballads in her set, they were refreshing. As she settled in vocally, she became more focused and her siging, more poignant. A trilogy of wrist-slashers — “Since You Stayed Here,” “The Right Look” and “Please, Let’s Not Even Say Hello” — were convincing and beautifully sung. Her keen intelligence was evident in choosing the lyrically loaded songs “What a Movie,” from Leonard Bernstein’s Trouble in Tahiti, and Craig Carnelia’s “Flight,” and she soared on both.

Her most touching moment may have been in her encore of John Bucchino's "Grateful" when, moved to tears, she appeared genuinely appreciative for the opportunity to follow her passion and perform.

I suspect that as "Sigali" becomes more at home and comfortable on one of New York’s finest cabaret stages, her considerable potential will be fully realized. Then, like "Tangerine," she'll have us “all on the run” to catch one of her next shows!

Sigali was directed by Eric Michael Gillett with arrangements and accompaniment by Ido Alexander and support on bass by Steve Doyle.

Lynn DiMenna
Cabaret Scenes
March 20, 2010
www.cabaretscenes.org