The New York Pops, led by music director Steven Reineke, opened its 33rd Season with a Tribute to the songs of Rodgers & Hammerstein starring guest artists Sierra Boggess and Julian Ovenden.
Steven Reineke, Sierra Boggess, Julian Ovenden
by Linda Amiel Burns with Photos by Magda Katz
On October 9, 2015, The New York Pops, led by Music Director Steven Reineke, opened its 33rd season at Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage with “My Favorite Things: The Songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein.” The concert honored this legendary songwriting team’s timeless work, and featured guest artists Sierra Boggess and Julian Ovenden, alongside Judith Clurman’s Essential Voices USA. The program included numbers from all eleven of the collaborations between Rodgers and Hammerstein and was presented in Chronological order starting with Oklahoma! (1943) to Sound of Music (1959).
Conductor Steven Reineke writes “It’s always a joy to program the songs of Rodgers and Hammerstein. They are the songwriting team that revolutionized musical theater and paved the way for many songwriters today. They dared to interject real pathos and social issues into their stories.” The songs of this timeless duo couldn’t have been a better choice to open the season as the lush melodies of Richard Rodgers soared throughout Carnegie Hall and Sierra Boggess and Juiian Ovenden sang the brilliant lyrics of Oscar Hammerstein to perfection. The concert opened with the exciting Overture to Oklahoma! and Julian entered singing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” and the pair dueted on “People Will Say We’re In Love.”
It is said that Carousel was Rodgers favorite show and Julian sang a terrific rendition of “Soliloquy” followed by a thrilling “You’ll Never Walk Alone” sung by the two guest artists with the Essential Voices USA, a pre-eminent choral ensemble led by Judith Clurman. South Pacific was well represented and Julian scored with “Some Enchanted Evening,” and Sierra with “A Wonderful Guy” – – Essential Voices singing “There is Nothing Like a Dame.” In an evening of highlights, some of the outstanding songs were the duet from Me and Juliet “No Other Love” and Sierra’s playful rendition of “I Enjoy Being a Girl” from Flower Drum Song. The closing number was “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” (The Sound of Music) as everyone on stage joined in on this inspirational anthem. Just when you thought the show was over, the surprise encore was the iconic “My Favorite Things” and the audience couldn’t help singing along, giving Steven Reineke, The NY Pops and the wonderful performers a standing ovation!
The New York Pops’ 33rd season continues on Friday, November 13, 2015, 8:00PM at Carnegie Hall with Sophisticated Ladies, featuring guest artists Montego Glover, Capathia Jenkins, and Sy Smith. Commemorating the centennial year of Billie Holliday’s birth, this concert will showcase the influence of Lady Day and other groundbreaking icons of American popular song, from Ella Fitzgerald to Sarah Vaughan to Dinah Washington.
Visit www.newyorkpops.org for more information. Follow The New York Pops on Facebook (facebook.com/newyorkpops), Instagram (@thenewyorkpops), and Twitter (@newyorkpops).
TICKETS
Tickets are available at the Carnegie Hall Box Office, 154 West 57th Street, by calling CarnegieCharge at 212-247-7800, or by visiting the Carnegie Hall website, carnegiehall.org. Single tickets are priced $40–$122.
Photos: Magda Katz
