An American in Paris in Concert

I love the movie An American in Paris so I was positively giddy with excitement to see it on the big screen while the Utah Symphony performed the score by George and Ira Gershwin last night!  Who could ask for anything more?  Jerry Mulligan (Gene Kelly) is an American ex-GI who decides to stay in Paris after the war to study painting.  One day he meets a lovely Parisian shopgirl named Lise Bouvier (Leslie Caron) and they immediately fall in love while dancing along the Seine.  However, Lise is engaged to Henri Baurel (Georges Guetary) and feels that she can't break her engagement because he kept her safe during the war.  Jerry also feels indebted to his sponsor, an American heiress (Nina Foch) who is in love with him, because she is helping him sell his paintings.  It takes an incredible dream sequence with Jerry and Lise dancing through Jerry's paintings of Paris for them to realize that they belong together.  I loved hearing the orchestra play all of those wonderful Gershwin songs, including "Embraceable You," "Nice Work If You Can Get It," "I Got Rhythm," "Love Is Here to Stay," "I'll Build a Stairway to Paradise," and "'S Wonderful."  However, my favorite moments from the score were Concerto in F for Piano and Orchestra and the American in Paris ballet.  The former is a piece that Adam (Oscar Levant), a composer living in the same building as Jerry, daydreams that he is performing and it is hilarious because he is also the conductor, several musicians, and members of the audience but I was too busy watching the same musicians in the Utah Symphony mimic him (especially the gong and the timpani) in those moments.  The latter is the music used during the extraordinary 17-minute ballet which is said to represent George Gershwin's impressions as an American visitor walking the streets of Paris and I especially loved the themes played by the oboe and horns.  I say this after every performance in the films in concert series but this was so immersive and I loved that the audience applauded after every number!  It was wonderful!

Note:  I had so much fun at this concert but I honestly cannot wait for the next one, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, because I get to hear "Kylo Ren Arrives at the Battle" performed live!  Go here for tickets.