It's not every day that one gets to hear a Doctor of Musical Arts perform. Having made her debut as a soloist in Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Anne Christopherson went on to sing Bach, Handel and Mozart in addition to roles in Candide, Pirates of Penzance and West Side Story, in which she appeared as Maria. Christopherson is currently on leave from the University of North Dakota, following her heart to wherever the music takes her.

Dressed in an eye-catching fuchsia dress, her chestnut hair worn short, Ms. Christopherson opened with a lively, bouncy Irving Berlin song, “Let Me Sing and I'm Happy,” the lyric—“Let me sing a funny song...and if my song can start you laughing, I'm happy, happy”—deftly capturing the evening's theme. Christopherson has a warm stage presence and joie de vivre, suggesting that she derives much pleasure from singing.

Any lingering doubts about the program's direction were laid to rest by a charming pairing of another Berlin tune, “If You Haven't Got an Ear For Music,” and “I Hear Music,” written by Burton Lane and Frank Loesser for the movie Dancing on a Dime. Regressing in style from a 1940s girl singer to the devil-may-care 1920s, “Metropolitan Scat,” reminiscent of “The Girl in 14G,” allowed Christopherson to showcase her operatic prowess and scatting skill as if mixing Carmen with Ella Fitzgerald.

Demonstrating a well-honed ability to convey emotion, tenderness and poignancy, Ms. Christopherson presented a powerful collection of ballads, including “Build My House” (Leonard Bernstein) from Peter Pan, “Home” (Maury Yeston) from Phantom and the beautifully evocative “I'll Imagine You a Song,” written by Carol Hall and Steven Lutvak as a tribute to the late cabaret singer Nancy LaMott.

“How Can I Keep from Singing?,” written by Robert Wadsworth Lowry in 1868 as a hymn—“My life goes on in endless song...I hear the music ringing...How can I keep from singing?”—the sentiment an appropriate finale to Christopherson's performance, had the sensibility of an appealing Scotch/Irish folk song. Directed by eight-time MAC winner, five-time Back Stage Bistro and three-time Nightlife Award recipient Lennie Watts, with award-winning Musical Director Steven Ray Watkins and bass player Matt Wigton, this was a production sure to succeed. Hopefully, Anne Christopherson's yearnings will bring her back soon.

Jerry Osterberg
Cabaret Scenes
June 20, 2011
www.cabaretscenes.org