| . | 05/06/2009
The New York Pops 26th Birthday Gala
By: Elliot Rush
The one and only Liza Minnelli made the rounds in New York last week. If you happened to be at the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids Easter Bonnet Competition at the Minskoff Theater on Monday or Tuesday, April 27th and 28th afternoon, Liza was a surprise guest. Liza was also honored, along with Charles Aznavour at the Annual Backstage Bistro Awards on Tuesday night, April 27th at the Gotham Comedy Club. Monday night, there she was again, this time at Carnegie Hall, celebrating and congratulating her friend Michael Feinstein on the Tenth Anniversary of Feinstein’s at Loews Regency.
Photos by Rob Rich
But Liza was not the only celebrity on hand at the venerated concert hall that night. It was an evening of evenings to benefit The New York Pops. In addition to celebrating Feinstein’s, The New York Pops observed its Twenty Sixth Birthday, introduced Steven Reineke as their newly-appointed Music Director-Designate, and saluted New Amsterdam Rediscovered, a joint Dutch-American initiative celebrating the 400th anniversary of the exploration of New York Harbor and the Hudson River. Those fortunate enough to attend were treated to a wildly diverse, entertaining evening of great music and splendid performances.
In the program’s first half, The New York Pops paid homage to this 400th anniversary with the world premiere performance of a beautiful five movement suite by Stephen Flaherty, best known as the composer of the Broadway shows Ragtime and Once On This Island, along with lyricist William Schermerhorn, titled “American River Suite.” The guest artists joining the performance were Broadway stalwarts, Anika Noni Rose and Idina Menzel.
Other highlights of the first half included “Ceremonial Fanfare for Brass and Percussion” performed by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Brass Ensemble and “Who I’d Be” from Broadway’s Shrek The Musical performed by the musical’s star Brian D’Arcy James.
The evening’s second half was cabaret nirvana. The celebration to Feinstein’s began with a glorious rendition of “This Nearly Was Mine” from South Pacific sung by Brian Stokes Mitchell unplugged, that is, with no microphone. Just Brian and the Pops; and it can’t get much better than that. At least that’s what you think. Then Barbara Cook comes out and performs “No One Is Alone,” the gorgeous Sondheim psalm from Into The Woods and you are taken to heaven. This woman is 81 year old and her voice is still beyond belief. What a miracle!
Cheyenne Jackson sang a lively “Feeling Good” and continues to demonstrate why he has become a very popular figure in the New York theater and cabaret scene. Ashford & Simpson made an appearance and rocked the Hall before the evening came to a close with the powerful song stylings of Michael Feinstein himself. A tireless and enthusiastic Liz Smith, 88 years old, was on board as host of the entire concert.
Over 800 children were in attendance and filled the balcony of Carnegie Hall, part of a program called Kids in the Balcony. The New York Pops also gave 20 music students from the Pop’s Salute to Music program an opportunity to join the orchestra and perform with them onstage. It truly was a very special night.
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