Broadway

Last year NCO's modern popular concert was film music and it was a roaring success.  This year it was musical theatre and again the audience loved it and so did I.  Wicked was new to me but West Side Story is a particular fave and we played selections, along with Wicked.  Otherwise single songs from Cats and Candide, My Fair Lady and Les Mis and Phantom of the Opera. Some are real tear jerkers and were particularly so with a 70+-piece orchestra and some decent singers, 2 men, 2 women, one only 14 (15?) and singing her heart out.  Alira Prideaux, soprano, seemed to feature a different garb for each tune.  Otherwise the young Zahra Zulkapil was warmly welcomed, as were the two tenors, Joe Dinn and Jared Newall, one being of the touring Ten.  The first act was a bit touchy for me, having missed some practices for family duties out of town, but act 2 just settled and swung, with touching cuties like Do re mi and Over the rainbow and a singalong called and even Louis leading unexpectedly with a mic.  The waltz from Carousel was a dear sweet thing and the whole rose to a finale with rousers from Phantom of the Opera and Les Mis.  Huge amount of fun on mostly pretty sightreadable music and the lure of romance and song.  Great fun and hugely well received.

National Capital Orchestra performed music from Broadway at Snow under Louis Sharpe (conductor, occasional vocals) with vocal soloists Alira Prideaux (soprano), Zahra Zulkapil (soprano?), Joe Dinn and Jared Newall (tenors).