Schumann's "Rhenish" Symphony

The program for last night's Utah Symphony concert was, once again, curated by guest conductor and creative partner David Robinson.  The pieces were selected to evoke images of specific places and I really enjoyed all of them because they reminded me of past journeys.  The orchestra began with En Saga (A Fairy Tale) by Jean Sibelius.  I became familiar with the music of Sibelius on a trip to Finland in 2003 so I already picture that country whenever I hear any of his music but this particular piece conjured of many more images.  I especially enjoyed an effect created by the strings which sounded to me like a frozen wind blowing across a snowy landscape during a hunting party.  I also enjoyed several plaintive themes played by the solo oboe and solo clarinet which I feel represent the yearning of the Finnish people to be free from the yoke of Russia.  Next came Three Pieces in New England by Charles Ives and all three movements are intended to make the listener have a similar experience to ones he had while visiting each place.  The first movement, The "St. Gaudens" on Boston Common, was my favorite because it refers to a bronze statue of Colonel Robert Shaw depicting his march with a unit of Black volunteer soldiers into a massacre at Fort Wagoner and, like Ives, I also had a very poignant reaction to seeing this statue on a trip to Boston.  I really liked the integration of the Civil War songs "The Battle Cry of Freedom" and "Marching Through Georgia" as well as the faint fanfares from the brass representing an attempt by the soldiers to rally.  After the intermission, the orchestra performed Symphony No. 3 "Rhenish" by Robert Schmann.  This was written in response to a day trip taken by Schumann and his wife to Cologne where they viewed the Rhine River.  I loved this piece because I once took a river cruise of the Rhine on a trip to Germany in 1997 and I could see all of the beautiful castles that line the banks and hear the lapping of the water as I listened.  I especially loved the solemn fourth movement with its haunting themes first performed by the horns and trombones and then expanded by the woodwinds and strings.  I recommend taking a musical journey of your own when this program is performed again tonight (go here for tickets).

A Christmas Carol at HCTO 2023

Last night I went to my third peformance of A Christmas Carol this season and this time it was HCTO's version.  To say that I loved it would be an understatement!  This is a brand new production featuring the most faithful adaptation of the novel by Charles Dickens that I have ever seen because the playwright, Rodger Sorenson, employs a technique known as "Chamber Theatre" which includes both the dialogue and the narrative descriptions.  This technique is brilliant because it brings the words written by Dickens very vividly to life!  Ebeneezer Scrooge is played by Ric Starnes and the rest of the cast is comprised of a large ensemble who narrate the story, portray the rest of the characters, bring the minimal set pieces and props on and off stage, provide sound effects, and perform all of the musical interludes.  This approach is simple but incredibly effective.  I especially enjoyed how the scenes at Fezziwig's warehouse, the Cratchit home, Fred's house, and the graveyard are staged because they make great use of the ensemble and the small and intimate space. I loved all of the music, particularly the inclusion of "Wexford Carol" and "Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella" because they are favorites of mine, but the use of "Lacrymosa," performed by the violin (Naomi White) and cello (Risa Bean), as Belle releases young Ebeneezer and "Coventry Carol" as the Cratchits mourn the loss of Tiny Tim are incredibly affecting.  The set is very simple but the costumes are anything but!  The gowns, capes (I think capes and cloaks should make a comeback), and bonnets worn by the women and the topcoats and waistcoats worn by the men are gorgeous and feature elaborate embellishments.  Starnes gives a beautiful performance because all of the emotions that Scrooge feels as he is shown his past, present, and future are clearly visible on his face and in his delivery.  His reactions to Nan, Belle, and Tiny Tim are especially poignant but it is his simple interaction with a caroler busking on the street after his transformation that brought me to tears.  I also enjoyed David Matthew Smith's performance as Bob Cratchit because he is so emotional in the scene where he mourns the death of Tiny Tim and Ryann Bailey Wawro's performance as Belle because her facial expressions in the scene where she is wooed by young Ebeneezer are so funny.  Jack Jewkes is adorable as Tiny Tim, especially when he sings "What Child Is This?," but Lilly Anderson absolutely steals the show as Fan and Sara Cratchit!  This is definitely my favorite production of A Christmas Carol (and I have seen a lot of them) and I highly recommend getting a ticket (go here).  It runs through December 23.

Lower Lights Christmas Concert 2023

I really love hearing Christmas music performed live so one of my favorite traditions is attending the Lower Lights Christmas concert every year.  I went to their first show of the season at Kingsbury Hall last night and I absolutely loved it!  The Lower Lights is a supergroup of amazing musicians, many of whom are popular in their own right, who periodically come together to record and perform folk and bluegrass renditions of hymns and Christmas songs (Sarah Sample called the group a band of misfits last night).  I really love their sound and I especially love all of their arrangements of Christmas songs (any Christmas song that features steel guitars, mandolins, and banjos is automatically great in my opinion).  The concert began with "I Saw Three Ships," "Angels We Have Heard On High," and "Beautiful Star of Bethlehem."  Then Kiki Sieger sang a beautiful version of "Pretty Paper" (which is new to their set), Dominic Moore and Paul Jacobsen performed an incredibly poignant acoustic rendition of "Happy X-Mas (War Is Over),"  and Debra Fotheringham (who is back with the group this year) sang "A Cradle in Bethlehem" while accompanying herself on electric guitar.  The crowd last night was one of the most subdued I've seen at a Lower Lights concert but they got a lot more animated during the next set which featured "Trouble the Water," "When the Roll is Called Up Yonder," and "Just a Closer Walk With Thee." Cherie Call sang a lovely version of "Away in a Manger" and then she was joined by Kiki Sieger and Marie Bradshaw for "Still, Still, Still" which was a highlight of the show for me because the three of them harmonize so well together and they always give me goosebumps!  Next came an instrumental version of "Carol of the Bells" and then Dustin Christensen, who has a beautiful voice, performed "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas."  There was an incredible violin solo by Megan Nay during "Maybe This Christmas" and then the crowd was on their feet once again for rousing renditions of "Go Tell It On The Mountain" and "Children, Go Where I Send Thee."  Sarah Sample asked the audience to dance in the aisles during "White Christmas" and then sang a tender version of "I'll Be Home For Christmas."  The whole group continued with "Mary's Boy Child," "Oh Come, All Ye Faithful," and "The River Jordan."  Another highlight was when they got down with an epic performance of "Didn't My Lord Deliver Daniel" with lots of extended solos from everyone in the band!  They ended their main set with "Calling You" and "May The Circle Be Unbroken" featuring lots of audience participation.  During the encore they performed a hilarious version of "You're A Mean One, Mr. Grinch" (which is a tradition), "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)," and "Once in Royal David's City" (one of their best known Christmas songs).  They concluded, as they usually do, with an audience sing-along to "Silent Night."  This concert never fails to give me a huge dose of Christmas cheer and I loved every minute of it!  There are three more shows and I highly recommend getting a ticket to one of them (go here).

Christmas in Connecticut at PTC

Last night I saw the musical Christmas in Connecticut at PTC and I really enjoyed it. Most theatre companies near me produce A Christmas Carol, Elf The Musical, A Christmas Story, or White Christmas this time of year and, while I love these shows (I will be seeing them all this holiday season), it was refreshing to see something new and different. Liz Sandor (Alyse Alan Louis) is a young and independent writer living in NYC while trying to find a publisher for her column about tomorrow's woman. However, when she meets with Dudley Beecham (RJ Vaillancourt), an editor from Yardley Publishing, she is persuaded to write a column about living on a farm in Connecticut as a traditional wife and mother using the pen name Liz Lane even though it is a lie. The column becomes popular with housewives all over the country as well as with servicemen fighting in World War II because it reminds them of the homes they left behind. When Alexander Yardley (Gerry McIntyre) receives a fan letter from Jefferson Jones (Christian Magby), a war hero who has nowhere to go for Christmas, he decides to invite him to the farm. To avoid being exposed as a fraud, Dudley coerces his brother Victor (Eric William Morris) into letting them use his Connecticut farm and into pretending to be married to Liz. Chaos ensues when Victor and Liz take an immediate dislike to each other and when Yardley's suspicious secretary Gladys Higgenbottom (Tiffany Denise Hobbs) arrives determined to discover the truth. The story is as light and predictable as a Hallmark Christmas movie but it is definitely a lot of fun. It features memorable original songs and I especially enjoyed "Capital Idea" because Yardley is hilariously oblivious about the deception going on in his company, "The Ornament Song" because, even though it is really silly, it represents the chaos of trying to keep up the ruse (with fantastic choreography), "Remember What's At Stake" because Victor and Liz declare how much they hate each other (which obviously means that they will eventually get together), and "Recipe for Success" because Liz learns that it is always best to be your authentic self. The performances are delightful and I particularly enjoyed Louis because she has a beautiful voice and can belt out a song and I really appreciated the comedic timing of the entire cast as the hijinks get going. As always, the set is amazing, especially the two-story wood-paneled farmhouse decorated for Christmas, and the period costumes are distinctive.  There were a lot of empty seats last night which is a shame because this show is charming as well as something new this holiday season. It runs at PTC through December 16 (go here for tickets).

Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse 2023

Last night I attended the second of four productions of A Christmas Carol that I have scheduled this holiday season. This version, the musical Scrooge: A Christmas Carol at the Terrace Plaza Playhouse, could not be more different in tone from the dramatic interpretation I saw at Parker Theatre last week because it is very lighthearted and whimsical which makes it perfect for families. Ebeneezer Scrooge (Kim Florence) is still visited by the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Jacci Olsen Florence), Present (Don Wilhelm), and Future (Cougar Spens) for the reclamation of his soul but he is a figure of fun who is ridiculed by those who owe him money rather than a villain who is feared. This version also features original music by Leslie Bricusse and my favorite songs are "Christmas Children" by Bob Cratchit (Jon Talbot), "December the Twenty-Fifth" by Mr. and Mrs. Fezziwig (Danny Hall and Carla Zarate, respectively), "Happiness" by Young Ebeneezer (Kelby Talbot) and Isabelle (Shae Wright), and "The Beautiful Day" by Tiny Tim (Lincoln Hall). As always, I was very impressed by the way the space on the small and intimate stage is used, especially with the large cast (many of whom are children), and the choreography is really fun and spirited! I really liked how all of the townspeople are featured in "Sing a Christmas Carol," I loved how the children make fun of Scrooge in "Father Christmas" (one of the littlest children was concentrating so hard on the steps and it was absolutely adorable), and I laughed out loud when Tommy Jones (Trey Cornell) dances of Scrooge's coffin in "Thank You Very Much." I also liked how the Ghost of Christmas Present conducts Scrooge all around the theatre to get to the Cratchit house and Fred's house. Victorian London is brought vividly to life with a cobblestone street depicted on a backdrop with Scrooge's Counting House on a platform to the right of the stage and the entrance to Scrooge's house on another one to the left (I loved how Jacob Marley's face appears on the door knocker). Various set pieces are moved on and off stage and my favorites were Fezziwig's factory, Bob Cratchit's house (I loved the fireplace), Fred's house (I loved the Christmas tree), and the white silhouettes used to represent Scrooge's childhood with his sister Fan. The period costumes are beautiful, especially the gowns worn by the female guests at Fred's Christmas party and the robe worn by the Ghost of Christmas Present. Kim Florence's portrayal of Scrooge is more humorous than other productions I've seen (I laughed out loud during his rendition of "I Hate People") but his reactions to Isabelle's parting from Young Ebeneezer and to Tiny Tim's fate are incredibly poignant. Other standouts from the cast are Wilhelm as the Ghost of Christmas Present, Wright as Isabelle, Danny Hall as Mr. Fezziwig, and Lincoln Hall as Tiny Tim (he is adorable). The ensemble gives their all and it is very heartwarming because you can see the love they have for this community tradition. My only complaint with this show is Jacci Olsen Florence's portrayal of the Ghost of Christmas because it is really silly and the shtick goes on far too long (it seems to be a tradition because other members of the audience liked it more than I did). I really enjoyed this production and, as I previously mentioned, I think this would be a great holiday tradition for families. It runs Mondays, Fridays, and Saturdays through December 23 and tickets may be purchased here.