Cabaret Review: Melissa Errico happens to like Stephen Sondheim

Melissa Errico 

“I happen to like New York,” wrote Cole Porter in 1930. “I like the sight and the sound and even the stink of it / I happen to like New York.” The late musical theatre legend Stephen Sondheim (a great admirer of Porter) apparently agreed, for while he owned a home in Connecticut, he essentially lived his entire life within a 20-block radius of his New York City home.

[Check out my interview with Melissa Errico on YouTube.]

At The Blue Strawberry last week (April 26 and 27) Melissa Errico (another musical theatre legend) peppered her new showcase of the songs of Stephen Sondheim with that and other fascinating biographical bits.   Along with the equally legendary Tedd Firth (her music director), she gave the audience a heaping helping of Sondheim, with (by my count) eighteen songs spanning most of the composer’s long and productive career. That included a nicely balanced set of tunes from Errico and Firth’s latest CD, “Sondheim in the City” which was released back in February.

The evening opened with the earliest all-Sondheim song in the set: the rousing “Everybody Says Don’t” from “Anyone Can Whistle” (1964). It was a perfect way to introduce us to Errico’s big, expressive voice. Her dynamic range and vocal control were impressive, allowing her to move from a purr to a roar as needed. Her sparkling blue dress—chosen to honor her first appearance at The Blue Strawberry—was the ideal visual equivalent to her effervescent stage persona.

Her long-time collaborator Firth supported her every inch of the way, with imaginative arrangements that encompassed a wide range of styles from classical to jazz, all delivered with the impressive virtuosity I have come to expect from him over the years.

 Next was a quietly confident version of “Not While I’m Around” from “Sweeney Todd” (1979). It its original context, the song is about the Mrs. Lovett and the slow-witted Toby making promises to each other they don’t fully understand and won’t be able to keep. In Errico’s hands, it became a less ambiguous and more openly moving declaration of familial love. Either way, it’s all there in the music and lyrics; one just needs to shift perspective a bit.

The contrast of moods set the stage admirably for a show that was all about Sondheim’s masterful use of ambiguity and contradiction. “Small World” (from “Gypsy,” 1959, music by Jule Styne), in this context, is all about Rose’s affection for and manipulation of the long-suffering Herbie, while the following number—“Loving You” (from “Passion,” 1994)—shows how easily romantic love can coexist with creepy obsession.

Errico’s interpretation leaned towards the “romantic love” end of the spectrum, but the subtext of creepiness was there as well. Firth’s arrangement included a volcanically Romantic solo break (Rachmaninoff would have approved of it) that could also be taken either way. It was, again, a matter of perspective.

And so it went for around 90 minutes, with anecdotes drawn from both Errico’s and Sondheim’s lives segueing neatly from one great song to another. It was a musical biography of both Errico and Sondheim as well as an entertaining night of cabaret guaranteed to gladden the hearts of musical theatre lovers in general and Sondheim fanatics (“Sondheimaniacs”?) in particular—a group in which I would unapologetically include myself.

That said, the between-song patter, well-chosen and informative as it was, sometimes became a bit discursive. In a few cases, it all became a bit of “inside baseball,” dwelling at length on technical aspects of lyric construction and performance practice that would have been a better fit for a master class. I found this stuff fascinating, mind you, but I’m not sure that this was a majority view.

Still, that’s a minor quibble, which is why it’s here at the end of the review. Errico and Firth are masters of their craft just as Sondheim was of his. The combination was a match made in musical theatre heaven. This might have been their first appearance on a local cabaret stage, but I hope many more will follow.

Meanwhile, you can listen to most of her extensive discography on Spotify and check out her videos (including her enlightening “Sixty-Second Sondhiem” series) on YouTube. Information about upcoming shows at The Blue Strawberry can be found on their web site.

This article originally appeared at 88.1 KDHX, where Chuck Lavazzi is the senior performing arts critic.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 29, 2024

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out

Over the River and Through the Woods
Photo: Lauri Beihl

Act Two Theatre presents the comedy Over the River and Through the Woods Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm and Sundays at 2 pm through May 5. “Nick is a single, Italian-American guy from New Jersey. His parents retired and moved to Florida. That doesn’t mean his family isn’t still in Jersey. In fact, he sees both sets of his beloved (but annoying) grandparents every Sunday for dinner. When he announces that he’s been offered a dream job that will take him away, the news doesn’t sit so well. How could he betray his family’s love to move to Seattle, for a job? Well, Frank, Aida, Nunzio and Emma do their level best to stop him, and that includes inviting to dinner the lovely–and single–Caitlin O’Hare.” Performances take place at the St. Peters Cultural Center in St. Peters, MO. For more information: https://www.acttwotheatre.com

Kelly How and 
Curt Londes

The Blue Strawberry presents singer Kelly Howe and pianist Curt Landes in Won't Shut Up on Wednesday, May 1, at 7:00 pm. “St. Louis favorites Kelly Howe and Curt Landes come to Blue Strawberry for an evening of songs from The Beatles to Broadway. There will be cocktails (of course) and maybe even a guest singer or two.”   The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

Moulin Rouge
Photo by Matt Murphy for MurphyMade

The Fabulous Fox presents the musical Moulin Rouge opening on Tuesday, April 30, at 7:30 pm and running through May 10. “Baz Luhrmann’s revolutionary film comes to life onstage, remixed in a new musical mash-up extravaganza.”  The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Midnight Company will present Mickle Maher’s Spirits to Enforce Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sunday (May 5) at 2 pm, May 2 through 18. “They’ve finally imprisoned their arch nemesis, Professor Cannibal, and are keeping the City safe from fanged, venomous, ambulatory whales.  And now the Fathom City Enforcers have taken residence in a secret submarine, and are undertaking the most critical work of their crimefighting mission - fundraising.  Their Plan?  They’re getting ready to present a Superheroic benefit performance of THE TEMPEST.  Infused with comic book lore, chorale arrangements and text from Shakespeare’s masterpiece, SPIRITS TO ENFORCE is an utterly unique theatrical trip.” Performances take place at The Kranzberg Black Box theatre in Grand Center.   Ticket information is available at www.metrotix.com

Tesseract Theatre presents The Inheritance, Parts 1 and 2 by Matthew Lopez April 26 through May 5.  “Considered “perhaps the most important American play of this century” by The Daily Telegraph. Based on Howards End by E.M. Forster, The Inheritance takes place in New York City decades after the AIDS epidemic. Eric Glass is a political activist engaged to his writer boyfriend, Toby Darling. When two strangers enter their lives—an older man and a younger one—their futures suddenly become uncertain as they begin to chart divergent paths. In this epic examination of survival, healing, and class divide, three generations of gay men attempt to forge a future for themselves amid turbulent and changing America.” Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information including dates and times: www.tesseracttheatre.com.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck at kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Symphony Preview: Requiem for heavyweights

There's only one work on the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus program this weekend, but it's a big one: the "Messa da Requiem" (Requiem Mass) by Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901).

[Preview the music with the SLSO's Spotify playlist.]

If you haven't heard Verdi's "Requiem" before, you might think a setting of the traditional Latin mass for the dead would be a somber (not to say dreary) business, steeped in religiosity. You'd be completely wrong.

Title page of the Messa da Requiem
 first edition (1874), Casa Ricordi

To begin with, Verdi wasn't all that religious. Although raised Roman Catholic, he had little patience with clerical arrogance. “Stay away from priests," he once warned his cousin Angiolo Cararra Verdi. “For some virtuous people," noted Verdi's second wife, Giuseppina Strepponi (quoted in "Verdi: A Biography" by Mary Jane Phillips-Matz, 1993), "a belief in God is necessary. Others, equally perfect, while observing every precept of the highest moral code, are happier believing in nothing.” She saw her husband as an example of the latter.

Besides, Verdi was first and foremost a man of the theatre. So his "Requiem" is overtly and profoundly theatrical. When conductor and music critic Hans von Bülow, after a quick glance at the score before the work's Milan premiere, described it as Verdi's "latest opera, though in ecclesiastical vestments," he thought he was being snarky and dismissive. He was, in fact, pointing out the work's real strength, even if he was too clueless to notice it.

When, for example, Verdi depicts Judgment Day in the "Dies Irae" section, he uses the full orchestra and chorus complete with an expanded brass section (including four extra trumpets placed strategically around the hall for surround sound) and great whacks on the bass drum with the dynamic marking ffff (which effectively translates as "as loud as possible"). It really does sound like the end of the world. When the mezzo and tenor sing "Quid sum miser, tunc dicturus?" ("What shall I, a poor sinner, say?") they're echoed by a plaintive rising figure on the bassoon. The "Lux aeterna" section, depicting the shining light of salvation, begins with a shimmering melody in the violins.

And so it goes, one completely right dramatic gesture after another, for a bit over eighty minutes. The “Requiem” is ultimately a dramatic work—an opera, if we must use the word—in the form of a requiem mass. It’s an opera about facing the inevitability of death and the uncertainty of what comes after. As Hamlet muses in Act III, scene 1:

Who would fardels bear
To grunt and sweat under a weary life
But that the dread of something after death
The undiscovered country from whose bourn
No traveller returns, puzzles the will
And makes us rather bear those ills we have
Than fly to others that we know not of?

Verdi’s “Requiem” wasn’t written from the point of view of a believer, who is convinced that simply groveling before the Almighty will eventually bring peace after death. Nor is it written from the perspective of the committed atheist, who is just as convinced that there is nothing after death. It is, rather, written from the perspective of a doubter. Which is to say, from the perspective of Verdi.

As George Martin writes in “Aspects of Verdi” (1988), Verdi understood that while believers were convinced that there must be a heaven for some and a hell for others, nonbelievers held that “after death there may be nothing, or something.”

There is always, after all, the possibility that the nonbelievers are mistaken in their view, and then on the judgment day, so unexpected, where will they stand? To whom can they turn for support? Verdi had the courage to peer into the unknown, and to be afraid. The Requiem is his account of what he saw.

1848 portrait of Alesandro Manzoni
Drawn by his stepson Stefano Stampa.

This stands in opposition to the devout Christianity of the man who inspired the “Requiem” in the first place, Alessandro Manzoni (1785–1873). Manzoni was a celebrated poet, author, and (like Verdi) a strong supporter of the political movement known as the Risorgimento, which had as its goal the independence and unification of Italy. It was a cause he advanced in his two verse dramas “Il Conte di Caramagnola” (1820) and “Adelchi” (1822) and, most memorably, in his one and only novel “I promessi sposi” (“The Bethrothed,” 1827).

The novel was a massive hit in Italy, both in its original version and in Manzoni’s later re-write in the Tuscan dialect, effectively making that the standard version of the Italian language. It accomplished on a linguistic level what the Risorgimento strove for on a political level. “The final edition of I promessi sposi (1840–42),” says Encyclopedia Britannica, “rendered in clear, expressive prose purged of all antiquated rhetorical forms, reached exactly the sort of broad audience he had aimed at, and its prose became the model for many subsequent Italian writers.” It is still taught in Italian schools today and has been translated into almost every possible language.

Manzoni was one of Verdi's two personal heroes (Rossini was the other). "I esteem and admire you," he once wrote to Manzoni, "as much as one can esteem and admire anyone on this earth, both as man and a true honor of our country so continually troubled. You are a saint, Don Alessandro!" When Manzoni died on May 22, 1873, Verdi was determined to memorialize him with a requiem mass, to be performed on the first anniversary of the great man's death.

This was not the first time Verdi had been inspired to honor the demise of one of his heroes with a requiem. When Rossini died five years earlier, Verdi had proposed that he and a dozen other Italian composers each write part of a requiem that would be performed in the Church of San Petrino in Bologna on the first anniversary of Rossini’s death. Alas, the project collapsed, and a year later all Verdi had to show for it was the part assigned to him, the closing “Libera me.”

The first performance of the Verdi Requiem
at La Scala on 25 May 1874

When Manzoni died, Verdi decided to do the honors himself, and soon the music originally written for Rossini had become the germ of the memorial for Manzoni. He began work on it in Paris in 1873 and finally completed it back home in Italy on April 10, 1874. Rehearsals for the Milan premiere began in May and the piece had its first performance, as scheduled, on May 22, 1874 with Verdi himself conducting.

In Italy, at least, it was a massive hit. The Italian public loved Verdi to begin with, and they were not disappointed with his latest work. Others had sharply differing opinions. Brahms thought it a work of genius. Wagner dismissed it. They loved it in Vienna but were indifferent in London. Personally, I agree with George Bernard Shaw (cited in Philip Huscher's program notes for the Chicago Symphony), who said that none of Verdi's works would prove to be as enduring as the "Requiem."

One final note: until relatively recently, the work on the program this weekend was routinely billed as “Verdi’s Manzoni Requiem,” both in Italy and elsewhere. “Vocal and piano scores”, writes Martin, “always carried a prominent notice of the dedication or even made of it a separate, handsome page.” Performers and audience alike, as a result, could not escape the questions raised by the two radically different belief systems the work represented. That contrast has been lost along with Manzoni’s disappearance from modern copies of the score, a fact which Martin regards as a distinct loss.

When you see this weekend’s performance, you might want to contemplate that ambiguity. I know I will.

The Essentials: Stéphane Denève conducts the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and Chorus along with soloists Hulkar Sabirova (soprano), Judit Kutasi (mezzo-soprano), Russell Thomas (tenor), and Adam Palka (bass) in Verdi’s "Messa da Requiem". Performances take place Saturday at 7:30 pm and Sunday at 3 pm, April 27 and 28, at the Stifel Theatre at 14th and Market downtown.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 22, 2024

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out

Melissa Errico

The Blue Strawberry presents Melissa Errico Sings Sondheim for St. Louis on Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, at 7:30 pm. “Stephen Sondheim was the musical mentor of Tony-nominated Broadway star Melissa Errico. In a sparkling evening of his sublime songs side by side by engaging stories of his craft and life, Errico’s love and admiration for her friend and teacher is always up front.”   The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. Check out my interview with Melissa on Chuck's Culture Channel. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com

Prism Theatre Company presents its annual Festival of New Works Friday and Saturday, April 26 and 27, at 7:30pm. “In an exciting new vision for our community, this year's festival includes not only short plays, but also songs, dances, poetry, and monologues all centering around the theme of "Being You". The selections are a wonderful variety of voices sharing their stories in various artistic forms. It's an evening not to be missed!” Performances take place at Missouri Baptist University's Wainwright Performance Hall, 1 College Park Drive. For more information: prismtheatrecompany.org.

The St. Louis Writers Group presents an Evening of One-Acts on  Monday, April 22, at 6:30 pm at the Schlafly Tap Room in Midtown.  More information is available at the St. Louis Writers Group Facebook page.

Xanadu
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Xanadu Thursdays through Saturdays at 8, through April 27, with additional performances at 2 pm on April 14 and 21. “Xanadu follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California. It’s 1980 and she’s on a quest to inspire a struggling artist to achieve the greatest creation of all time – the first ROLLER DISCO! But when she falls into forbidden love with a mortal, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds.” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. For more information: www.straydogtheatre.org.

Tesseract Theatre presents The Inheritance, Parts 1 and 2 by Matthew Lopez April 26 through May 5.  “Considered “perhaps the most important American play of this century” by The Daily Telegraph. Based on Howards End by E.M. Forster, The Inheritance takes place in New York City decades after the AIDS epidemic. Eric Glass is a political activist engaged to his writer boyfriend, Toby Darling. When two strangers enter their lives—an older man and a younger one—their futures suddenly become uncertain as they begin to chart divergent paths. In this epic examination of survival, healing, and class divide, three generations of gay men attempt to forge a future for themselves amid turbulent and changing America.” Performances take place at the Marcelle Theatre in Grand Center. For more information including dates and times: www.tesseracttheatre.com.

Don't Wait for the Marlboro Man
Photo: ProPhoto STL

Upstream Theater presents Don't Wait for the Marlboro Man a play by Olivier Garofalo (Luxembourg) translated by Philip Boehm. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm through April 28. “Two very different people meet in a hospital. Sarah has just received news of her partner's motorcycle accident and rushed out of her office, cell phone in hand. Word has also reached Pedro, the hospitalized man’s good-natured motorcycle buddy. Their encounter reveals a collision of lifestyles and values that touches on larger issues of risk and security, individual freedom, and social responsibility—all with vivid dialogue in an intriguingly theatrical frame.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center in Grand Center. For more information: www.upstreamtheater.org

Webster Conservatory presents Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812 Friday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm, April 26 through 28. “From the celebrated and award-winning composer Dave Malloy comes Natasha, "Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812," an electropop opera based on a scandalous slice of Leo Tolstoy’s "War and Peace." Young and impulsive, Natasha Rostova arrives in Moscow to await the return of her fiancé from the front lines. When she falls under the spell of the roguish Anatole, it is up to Pierre, a family friend in the middle of an existential crisis, to pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation. Following a critically exalted premiere at Ars Nova in New York City, a subsequent off-Broadway transfer, and an acclaimed run on Broadway, this award-winning musical expands the possibilities for the genre with its daring score and bold storytelling.” Performances take place Browning Mainstage Theatre of the Loretto-Hilton Center on the Webster University campus in Webster Groves. For more information: www.webster.edu/conservatory

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck at kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.

Symphony Preview: The big chill

A chilly wind blows through St. Louis this weekend as temperatures drop back to something more closely approximating the norm for late April. By sheer coincidence the musical equivalent of a brisk northern breeze blows through the Touhill Center, as well, as frequent guest John Stogårds steps up to the podium of the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra (SLSO) to conduct concerts dominated by his fellow Finn Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) and Danish composer Per Nørgård (b. 1932).

[Preview the music with the SLSO's Spotify playlist.]

Sibelius in 1913
By Daniel Nyblin (1856–1923) 
Public Domain, 

It may be a bit of a cliché, but for me the music of Sibelius conjures up images of pines, snow, and brisk northern winds. You can hear that in the Sibelius works that open and close the program which are, respectively, “Rakastava (The Lover)” and the Symphony No. 7.  That same feeling is present in the work that precedes the Sibelius Seventh, Nørgård’s 2007 composition “Lysning (Glade)” for strings and percussion, albeit with a more contemporary harmonic palette.

Sibelius was notoriously self-critical, often revising works and even destroying those he deemed inferior. His Symphony No. 8, for example, was never completed and was eventually burned by the composer. “Rakastava” didn’t suffer that dire fate, but the original four-movement 1894 version, for unaccompanied male chorus, was never published. The composer produced a version for men's chorus and string orchestra in that same year, and for mixed choir in 1898, but none of them really caught on.

Finally, in 1912, he recycled “Rakastava” into a three-movement work for strings and percussion (tympani and triangle) and this time it was a hit. The work “captivated audiences” and is now “regarded as a minor masterpiece.” But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the recording by Sir Colin Davis and the London Symphony Orchestra on the SLSO’s Spotify playlist and I think you’ll agree. The romantic yearning of the first movement (“The Lover”) has an unsettled feel that’s accentuated by the occasional interruptions for the melodic flow by an agitated motif in the lower strings and tympani. The brief second movement (“The Path of the Beloved”) is an ethereal scherzo reminiscent of Mendelssohn. And the sense of melancholy in the final movement (“Good Night!... Farewell!”) becomes tragic about halfway through before setting into quiet resignation.

It’s emotionally complex music with just an occasional frisson of the cold north wind.

Per Nørgård
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Nørgård’s “Glade,” which opens the second half of the evening, feels a bit bleak, as well, but not consistently. There is, rather, a mix of light and shade of the sort you might encounter in a forest clearing. “There is a balance between the number of darker and lighter sections,” writes the composer, “as each ‘light’ section presents the same material as the ‘dark’ section before it—but heard from different instrumental colorings and nuances.” The unresolved feeling of the final moments of the work makes it a perfect companion for the Sibelius Symphony No. 7 that follows it and concludes the concert.

Sibelius completed his seventh and final symphony in 1924 after considerable labor and revisions. This brief (around 22 minutes) one-movement work is, as conductor Joshua Weilerstein writes, “a piece that is barely a symphony at all, and yet carries symphonic logic throughout.” Indeed, at its premiere (with Sibelius conducting) it was billed as “Fantasia Sinfonica” (“Symphonic Fantasy”) No. 1. It wasn’t until a year later that the composer decided that it was, in fact, an actual symphony—and one of which he was proud. “A great success,” he wrote after the first performance. “There is no denying it: my new work is one of the best. Tone and ‘colour’ both powerful.”

A lot of ink and pixels have been spilled in analyses of the Sibelius Seventh over the past century, with much argument about what its actual form might be, what it really means, and other questions that are such great fodder for academic papers and blog posts. Weilerstein’s “Sticky Notes” episode on the work has the advantage of being clear and filled with musical illustrations. I recommend it.

Issues of structure and other musical nuts and bolts aside, though, the ultimate question for the listener is: what does it sound like and how does it feel? To me it sounds and feels mercurial, constantly shifting emotions, defying expectations, and ultimately ambiguous. Now it’s lamenting, now it’s breaking into a little folk dance, now it’s triumphant, and now it’s…over. And it’s not all that clear what actually happened.

Sir Simon Rattle, who conducts the performance in the SLSO playlist, says the Symphony No. 7 ends with an existential scream while Weilerstein says “it is a cosmic ending, almost like the launch of the note C into outer space.” I say it just…stops. And leaves us to decide what happens after that. Grey skies and whistling winds will probably figure into it somehow.

Beethoven in 1803
Painted by Christian Horneman

That said, the concert won’t be all stormy weather. The first half concludes with the Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major, Op. 19, by Ludwig van Beethoven (1771–1827), a work with a sunny outlook and strong echoes of Mozart, and especially in the finale, Haydn. Written before but published after the Concerto No. 1, it marks the beginning of Beethoven's dual careers as pianist and composer of concerti for his instrument of choice.

Outside of that finale, Haydn is mostly hiding in this work, though. It's ultimately all Beethoven. That's particularly obvious in the dramatic cadenza, written around 14 years after the concerto.

The last time the SLSO performed the Second Concerto, the ebullient Nicholas McGegan with conducted with South Korean (b. 1994) virtuoso Seong-Jin Cho at the keyboard. This time the soloist will be the remarkable Marie-Ange Nguci (b. 1998), whose biography is impressive, to say the least.

Clearly a prodigy, the Franco-Albanian pianist was only 13 when she won her first competition, the 2011 Lagny-sur-Marne International Piano Competition. That same year she was accepted into Nicholas Angelich’s class at the Paris Conservatoire. Today, she holds degrees in Musicology, Musical Analysis, and Music Pedagogy (Paris Sorbonne, Paris Conservatoire), an MBA in Cultural Management, and a performance diploma in ondes martenot (essentially a Theremin with a keyboard; Messiaen famously used it in his 1949 “Turangalîla-Symphonie”).

Oh, yeah: she’s also studying conducting at Vienna’s University of Music and Performing Arts.

“En Miror” (“In the mirror”), her 2017 debut album on the Mirare label, consists of piano music by composers known for their skills as organists and improvisers: César Franck, J.S. Bach, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Thierry Escaich. And her busy concert schedule includes appearances with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal, Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra della Svizzera Italiana, Minnesota Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, and Macao Symphony Orchestra. It’s impressive, one must admit.

The Essentials: John Storgårds conducts the orchestra and soloist Marie-Ange Nguci in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The concert also includes the Symphony No. 7 and “Rakastava (The Lover)” by Sibelius along with “Lysning (Glade)” by contemporary Danish composer Per Nørgård. Performances take place Friday at 10:30 am, Saturday at 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 3 pm, April 19 through 21, at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. The Saturday evening concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 15, 2024

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out

Leann Schuering

The Blue Strawberry presents Hindsight is 20/20 with singer Leann Schuering on Thursday, April 18 at 7:30 pm. “St. Louis singing actress Leann Schuering makes her Blue Strawberry debut in this heartwarming musical theater cabaret exploring some of the lessons she has learned from parenthood - so far. Singing hits from musicals like “Ragtime, “Into the Woods,” and “Dear Evan Hansen,” she’ll share some of the joys, the trade-offs, and the universal lessons gained from the rear view mirror of life.” Ron McGowan is pianist and music director for the show.   The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Blue Strawberry presents It Must Be Him: A Genderful Musical Memoir with singer Michael Kearns on Saturday, April 20 at 7:30 pm. “Blue Strawberry presents Michael Kearns’ sixteenth solo show, It Must Be Him: A Genderful Musical Memoir. The iconic artist-activist extends his unerring commitment to self-discovery that is delicately placed within the expansive LGBTQI+ experience. Kearns’ latest memoir follows a tradition of expressing that which provokes, reveals, and questions while capturing the zeitgeist of his generation with a unique voice defined by hope, reality, desire, tragedy, and promise. After three decades of defining performances, Kearns returns with a new musical memoir directed by Ryland Shelton with piano accompaniment by Carol Schmidt.”  The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Steve Brammeier

The Blue Strawberry presents Johnny Mathis: Different Stands Alone with singer Steve Brammeier and the Pfeffer Trio on Sunday, April 21 at 7:30 pm. “Join Steve and The Pfeffer Trio as he celebrates Johnny Mathis, sings some of his hit songs and some lesser known tunes while sharing stories about Johnny’s life and career.”  The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Whale

St. Louis Actors' Studio (STLAS) presents The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm, through April 21. “On the outskirts of Mormon Country, Idaho, a 600-pound recluse hides away in his apartment and slowly eats himself to death. Desperate to reconnect with his long-estranged daughter, he reaches out to her, only to find a viciously sharp-tongued and wildly unhappy teen. Big-hearted and fiercely funny, The Whale tells the story of a man's last chance at redemption, and of finding beauty in the most unexpected places.” Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre on North Boyle. For more information: stlas.org.

Xanadu
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Xanadu Thursdays through Saturdays at 8, through April 27, with additional performances at 2 pm on April 14 and 21. “Xanadu follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California. It’s 1980 and she’s on a quest to inspire a struggling artist to achieve the greatest creation of all time – the first ROLLER DISCO! But when she falls into forbidden love with a mortal, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds.” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. For more information: www.straydogtheatre.org.

Upstream Theater presents Don't Wait for the Marlboro Man a play by Olivier Garofalo (Luxembourg) translated by Philip Boehm. Performances are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sunday at 2 pm, April 19 through 21. “Two very different people meet in a hospital. Sarah has just received news of her partner's motorcycle accident and rushed out of her office, cell phone in hand. Word has also reached Pedro, the hospitalized man’s good-natured motorcycle buddy. Their encounter reveals a collision of lifestyles and values that touches on larger issues of risk and security, individual freedom, and social responsibility—all with vivid dialogue in an intriguingly theatrical frame.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center in Grand Center. For more information: www.upstreamtheater.org

The Washington University Performing Arts Department presents Cry it Out by Molly Smith Metzler Thursday and Friday at 7:30 pm, and Saturday  at 2 and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm, April 18 through 21. “Jessie and Lina are neighbors and brand-new mothers on parental leave. The shared digital sweet spot of their baby monitors forces them to meet in the backyard for their daily coffee during naptime.  In this oasis, they share hilarious, maddening, heartbreaking stories about family, home, work and motherhood. Their friendship becomes an essential and empowering force in their lives.  But hold on!  They learn that someone has been watching them...is there room for another parent in the oasis? In Cry It Out, Molly Smith Metzler examines how each character navigates the socio-economic hand they have been dealt and scrutinizes the assumptions many still make about how a "good mother" should behave. It is a comedic gem with a shrewd and thoughtful undertow.”  Performances take place in the Edison Theatre on the Washington University Campus. For more information: pad.wustl.edu.

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck at kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

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Review: "Horn Calls" summon audiences to a delightfully diverse musical afternoon

When St. Louis Symphony Orchestra Principal Horn Roger Kaza and Fourth Horn Julie Thayer started putting together the program for the “Horn Calls” program presented at the Sheldon last Sunday (April 7), the first piece they thought of was the rarely heard Sextet in E-flat major, Op. 81b, by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827). As Thayer recalled, before Sunday’s performance, their last performance of the work took place under less than ideal conditions outdoors during the early days of the COVID pandemic. “We thought climate control would be a good addition,” she said.

I can hardly disagree. But climate control was far from the most important reason both the Beethoven Sextet (which concluded the concert) and the other works on the program were so successful. Pride of place must go to the generally high quality of the performances by Kaza, Thayer, and their fellow members of the SLSO—closely followed by the impressive diversity of the program.

Valveless "natural horn," 1797
wikipedia.org

The afternoon got off to a light-hearted start with the March in F major, K. 248, by W.A. Mozart (1756–1791). It’s a pleasant little thing scored for string quartet with two horns thrown in to lend a more martial air to the proceedings.  It’s a trifle and got a fine performance by violinists Jessica Chang Hellwege and Asako Kuboki, violist Andrew François, and cellist Alvin McCall, with Kaza and Thayer on horns. Mozart didn’t give the horns much to do in this piece since the valveless horns of the 18th had limited capabilities, but it was done quite well by Kaza and Thayer in any case.

Next, the mood became contemplative with “Solitude,” the second of the four movements from the suite of incidental music Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) wrote for the play “Belshazzar's Feast” in 1906. Originally scored for wind septet, “Solitude” had a kind of aural glow in this serene performance of an arrangement for five horns (Julie Thayer, Thomas Jöstlein, Blaine Dodson, Tod Bowermaster, and Victoria Knudtson) by Seattle-based horn player Danielle Kuhlmann.

The serenity continued with “Its Motion Keeps” by Caroline Shaw (b. 1982). Originally scored for treble choir (sopranos and altos) and solo viola, the work takes on a very different character in John Glover’s arrangement for horn quartet. The evocation of multiple choirs singing in reverberant stone cathedrals in Shaw’s original can’t be duplicated, but Glover uses muted vs. unmuted horns to create a remarkable illusion of acoustic space. Congratulations to Thayer, Dodson, Bowermaster, and Knudtson for a fine reading of some challenging music.

Principal Horn Roger Kaza
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

Speaking of challenging music, the score of the 1952 Sonata for Four Horns by Paul Hindemith (1896–1963) looks daunting if not downright scary. Complex polyphony, frequent time signature changes, rapid-fire passages with lots of accidentals, double- and triple-tonguing, and a wide tessitura—Hindemith threw everything he had into the short four-movement work. And he did it within the context of traditional forms like the Fugato opening movement and the theme-and-variations last movement.

The quartet of Kaza, Thayer, Knudtson, and Jöstlein played all of this with an assurance that made it sound far less thorny than it looks on paper. Unforgiving runs of sixteenth notes were cleanly articulated, the lines of the Fugato were clearly delineated, and the galloping final variations of the third movement were positively jolly.

The second half of the concert began with a pleasant surprise: a new work by Jöstlein inspired by the April 8th solar eclipse and scored for the unusual combination of two horns and three alphorns. Originally intended for outdoor communication among Swiss shepherds, these massive wooden instruments provided a solid drone over which a simple melodic rose and fell, invoking a sense of space and wonder. A pair of follow spots, one yellow and one blue, played the roles of sun and moon, coming together and then parting in time with the music.

The composer added to the visual element, playing his alphorn while decked out in a stylish modern version of the Tyrolean shepherd shirt.

L-R: Tod Bowermaster, Natalie Grana,
Thomas Jöstlein with alphorns

Things got a bit more serious as all six horns played the “Tristan Fantasy” by Herman Jeurissen, Principal Horn of the Residentie Orchestra in The Hague. As the title suggests, it’s an arrangement of themes from “Tristan und Isolde” by Richard Wagner (1813–1883). The solemn theme of Tristan’s death opens and closes the seven-minute work, bracketing the music of the opera’s lively hunting scene. The work got a solid, powerful performance by the ensemble.

Up next was another world premiere, this time by University of Missouri student composer J.T. Wolfe (b. 2002). Commissioned by the SLSO as part of its ongoing partnership with the university, “Cor for Four Horns” is a study in what Wolfe called “extended techniques” for the instrument. In practice, that meant that the quartet members were called upon to get every conceivable type of sound from their instruments, musical and otherwise. That included “white noise” effects created by blowing through the horns while manipulating the valves and even playing the mouthpieces without the instruments for a kazoo-like effect.

As a display of sheer virtuosity by the musicians, “Cor” was a fascinating piece. As music, it left something to be desired, feeling more like an aural high wire act. Still, it shows that Wolfe already has a deep understanding of instrumental technique, a skill which will stand him in good stead in his career.

The afternoon concluded with the Beethoven Sextet, performed by the same personnel as the opening Mozart march. Written around 1795 as the composer was just starting to make a name for himself in Vienna, the sextet shares a key signature with the later Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”) but is otherwise a pretty well-behaved late Classical serenade: cheerful, easy on the ears, and mainstream in its form. With a sunny first movement in sonata form, a lyrical second, and a lively concluding Rondo, it could pass for late Haydn (with whom Beethoven was much impressed at the time).

Fourth Horn Julie Thayer
Photo courtesy of the SLSO

The horn parts, however, are a break from tradition. The horn was still the valveless instrument Mozart was writing for two decades earlier, but the first horn in particular has a much flashier role to play, suggesting that Beethoven might have had a particularly skilled player in mind.

In her pre-performance comments, Julie Thayer noted that the part called for the grace and flexibility of a ballerina, both of which she displayed in abundance. The same goes for Roger Kaza, whose role as second horn was almost as demanding. As in the Mozart, the teamwork among the six players was flawless, resulting a standing ovation from the audience—a well-deserved recognition for a superbly played afternoon of mostly unfamiliar works.

Next from the SLSO: This Saturday and Sunday, April 13 and 14, frequent guest conductor Norman Huynh is at the podium for “Star Wars: the Last Jedi in Concert” at the Stifel Theatre.

The regular season returns April 19 through 21 as another familiar face, John Storgårds, conducts the orchestra and soloist Marie-Ange Nguci in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The concert also includes the Symphony No. 7 and “Rakastava (The Lover)” by Sibelius along with “Lysning (Glade)” by contemporary Danish composer Per Nørgård. Performances take place at the Touhill Performing Arts Center on the University of Missouri-St. Louis campus. The Saturday evening concert will be broadcast live on St. Louis Public Radio and Classic 107.3.

St. Louis theatre calendar for the week of April 8, 2024

What's on St. Louis theater and cabaret stages this coming week. Please leave a comment if anything was wrong or got left out

The Blue Strawberry presents Johnny Mathis: Different Stands Alone with singer Steve Brammeier and the Pfeffer Trio on Thursday, April 11 at 7:30 pm. “Join Steve and The Pfeffer Trio as he celebrates Johnny Mathis, sings some of his hit songs and some lesser known tunes while sharing stories about Johnny’s life and career.”  The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

Tim Schall and Carol Schmidt

The Blue Strawberry presents Sunday Standard Time with Tim Schall and Carol Schmidt on Sunday April 14 at 6 pm. “Join Tim Schall (vocals) and Carol Schmidt (piano) in the lounge for a casual, classy Sunday evening of jazz standards, a little sophisticated pop and a dash of classic Broadway. Tim is no stranger to the theater and concert stages of St. Louis, Chicago and New York's Lincoln Center. Carol has a rich history of entertaining St. Louis audiences as musician and singer. Together they will help you wind down your weekend with timeless music and a lot of irreverent dry humor.”  The Blue Strawberry is at 364 N. Boyle. For more information: bluestrawberrystl.com.

The Play That Goes Wrong
Photo: Dan Donovan

Clayton Community Theatre presents The Play That Goes Wrong Thursdays through Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 2 pm, through April 14.  ““Break a leg!” takes on a whole new meaning for a woefully misguided troupe of players at the Cornley University Society’s opening night performance of . An unconscious leading lady, a corpse who can’t play dead, a ruffled detective, and a word-mangling butler (among others) must battle against technical gaffes, forgotten lines, and sabotaging scenery in a quest to arrive all in one piece at the final curtain call. Part Monty Python, part Sherlock Holmes, all mayhem, this 1920s whodunit is disastrously delightful.” Performances take place at the Washington University South Campus Theatre, 6501 Clayton Rd. For more information: www.placeseveryone.org.

Emery Entertainment presents David Payne in Churchill Friday through Saturday, April 12 through 14. “In this often funny, sometimes touching and always engaging one-man-show... veteran British actor, David Payne brings Churchill to life onstage. Audiences will be delighted to hear of his exploits during the Boer War, his constant battles with Britain's fellow politicians, and his special relationship with America and America's presidents. But most telling of all, Churchill enlightens the audience with intimate and touching details of the two special women in his life—his wife Clementine and Queen Elizabeth. Performances take place at the Playhouse at Westport Plaza. For more information: thewestportplayhouse.com

The Book of Mormon
Photo: Julieta Cervantes

The Fabulous Fox presents the Broadway musical The Book of Mormon April 9 through 14. “This outrageous musical comedy follows the adventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries, sent halfway across the world to spread the Good Word. With standing room only productions in London, on Broadway, and across North America, THE BOOK OF MORMON has truly become an international sensation.” The Fabulous Fox is on North Grand in Grand Center. For more information: fabulousfox.com.

The Midnight Company presents Just One Look by Joe Hanrahan, starring Kelly Howe as Linda Ronstadt, on Wednesday April 10 at 7:30 pm. “Linda Ronstadt ruled the pop charts and filled stadiums in the 70’s and 80’s. The reigning rock goddess of her era, she later took on light opera - Gilbert and Sullivan on Broadway - and The Great American Songbook with Nelson Riddle. Her involvement in social issues accelerated during her relationship with California Governor Jerry Brown, then running for President. But for Linda, it was always a search for the next great song. Kelly Howe will portray Linda Ronstadt and sing her sensational songs.” The performance takes place at The Blue Strawberry, 356 N. Boyle. For more information: www.midnightcompany.com

The Whale

St. Louis Actors' Studio (STLAS) presents The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm, through April 21. “On the outskirts of Mormon Country, Idaho, a 600-pound recluse hides away in his apartment and slowly eats himself to death. Desperate to reconnect with his long-estranged daughter, he reaches out to her, only to find a viciously sharp-tongued and wildly unhappy teen. Big-hearted and fiercely funny, The Whale tells the story of a man's last chance at redemption, and of finding beauty in the most unexpected places.” Performances take place at the Gaslight Theatre on North Boyle. For more information: stlas.org.

St. Louis Shakespeare presents Hamlet through April 13. “Immerse yourself in the world of "Hamlet," a gripping story of vengeance and moral corruption. This Shakespearean classic invites the audience into the troubled mind of Prince Hamlet, who, haunted by his father's ghost, seeks to avenge his untimely death. Set in the gloomy castle of Elsinore, the play weaves a tale of deception, madness, and existential dread.” Performances take place at Lift for Life Academy High School, 1731 S. Broadway. For more information: www.stlshakespeare.org

The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presents the Confluence New Play Festival of staged readings Friday through Sunday at 7 pm, April 12-14. “Showcasing three new works from Missouri and Illinois playwrights read publicly for the first time by St. Louis’s best performers and directors. Be challenged and moved with these thrilling stories.” Performances take place at the Festival Rehearsal Hall at 3333 Washington in Grand Center. For more information: stlshakes.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket

The St. Louis Writers Group presents an Evening of One-Acts on  Monday, April 8, at 6:30 pm at the Schlafly Tap Room in Midtown.  More information is available at the St. Louis Writers Group Facebook page.

The Stifel Theatre presents The Cher Show Wednesday and Thursday, April 10 and 11, at 7:30 pm. “Superstars come and go. Cher is forever. For six straight decades, only one unstoppable force has flat-out dominated popular culture - breaking down barriers, pushing boundaries and letting nothing and no one stand in her way. THE CHER SHOW is the Tony Award®-winning musical of her story, and it’s packed with so much Cher that it takes three women to play her: the kid starting out, the glam pop star, and the icon.” The Stifel Theatre is at 14th and Olive downtown. For more information: www.stifeltheatre.com

Xanadu
Photo: John Lamb

Stray Dog Theatre presents the musical Xanadu Thursdays through Saturdays at 8, through April 27, with additional performances at 2 pm on April 14 and 21. “Xanadu follows the journey of a magical and beautiful Greek muse who descends from the heavens of Mount Olympus to Venice Beach, California. It’s 1980 and she’s on a quest to inspire a struggling artist to achieve the greatest creation of all time – the first ROLLER DISCO! But when she falls into forbidden love with a mortal, her jealous sisters take advantage of the situation and chaos abounds.” Performances take place at Tower Grove Abbey, 2336 Tennessee in Tower Grove East. For more information: www.straydogtheatre.org.

Upstream Theater presents Don't Wait for the Marlboro Man a play by Olivier Garofalo (Luxembourg) translated by Philip Boehm. Performances are  Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm with additional shows Sunday, April 14, at 7 pm and April 21 at 2 pm. “Two very different people meet in a hospital. Sarah has just received news of her partner's motorcycle accident and rushed out of her office, cell phone in hand. Word has also reached Pedro, the hospitalized man’s good-natured motorcycle buddy. Their encounter reveals a collision of lifestyles and values that touches on larger issues of risk and security, individual freedom, and social responsibility—all with vivid dialogue in an intriguingly theatrical frame.” Performances take place at the Kranzberg Center in Grand Center. For more information: www.upstreamtheater.org

West End Players Guild presents Dark Matters by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa at 8 pm Thursday through Saturday and 2 pm Sunday, April 11 through 14. “In an isolated house at the edge of a cornfield, in the mountains of Virginia, something almost beyond belief is happening to the Cleary family. When Bridget Cleary goes missing, in the dead of the night, her husband Michael and son, Jeremy, scramble to help Sheriff Richard Egan find her. Then, as suddenly as she vanished, Bridget reappears, talking about strange visitations and otherworldly beings. Is she lying? Or are supernatural forces at work? DARK MATTERS is a suspense thriller about the secrets that hold families together and the terrible truths we sometimes choose to ignore in the people we love.” Performances take place at the Union Avenue Christian Church, 733 Union in the Central West End. For more information: westendplayers.org

Looking for auditions and other artistic opportunities? Check out the St. Louis Auditions site.

To get your event listed here, send an email to chuck at kdhx.org Your event information should be in text format (i.e. not part of a graphic), but feel free to include publicity stills.

Would you like to be on the radio? KDHX, 88.1 FM needs theatre reviewers. If you're 18 years or older, knowledgeable in this area, have practical theatre experience (acting, directing, writing, technical design, etc.), have good oral and written communications skills and would like to become one of our volunteer reviewers, send an email describing your experience and interests to chuck at kdhx.org. Please include a sample review of something you've seen recently.