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| Garth Fagan with Audra McDonald post-concert |
Not
that I needed additional motivation to subscribe to the RPO this
season, but doing so gave me early access to tickets to the special
performance of Audra McDonald with the orchestra. I have been a fan
of hers since I saw her on Broadway in Carousel
and Master
Class.
I even endured Michael LaChiusa's miserable Marie
Christine
just to see her. And I've had the pleasure of seeing her in several
Sondheim events, so I couldn't wait to see her perform solo, and I
hoped, of course, that there would be a little Sondheim on the
program...
The
audience was more diverse than usual at this practically sold-out
performance, and as she started to sing, someone yelled out, “I
love you!” and without missing a beat, she incorporated an “I
love you, too” mid-phrase. She shared a range of pieces from the
Great American Songbook, and introduced us to some hysterical songs:
“If Anyone Knows...” and “You Looked Sexy” from Gabriel
Kahane's “Craigslistlieder.” She did indeed include one of my
favorite Sondheim songs – “Moments In the Woods,” after
alluding to the Sondheim Porgy & Bess controversy (or
should I say The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess...), and assuring
us that they're still friends.
She
freely conversed with the audience, at one point saying, “I'm happy
to be here. I'm really cold!” and that she had considered wearing a
parka over her gorgeous long black gown. She also complimented the
voice of a young woman a few rows from the stage when she had the
audience sing along on a song, and was surprised that, when asked,
the singer's ambition was to work in public health. She was funny,
warm, charming, emotional, and the audience responded with applause,
laughter, some tears (especially when she shared how she had gotten
involved with Covenant House), and more applause. No one wanted the
concert to end, and we begged for more (and she obliged). The
orchestra played beautifully, as usual, but they definitely were in a
supporting role.
A
few days before the concert, I had been offered an “upgrade” to a
post-performance meet-and-greet, so after the lights went up, my
husband and I waited for the crowds to clear before heading to the
Ranlet Lounge, where we were greeted by the marketing staff, several
members of the board, and Charlie Owens, President & CEO of the
RPO. Garth Fagan arrived with his entourage, and I didn't hesitate to
steal a long hug from PJ. When Audra finally arrived, we politely
queued to take our turn giving her our personal adoration and having
photos taken. I never know what to say in these circumstances: “I'm
such a fan” seems ridiculously fawning and redundant! So that's
what I was, telling her I'd been her fan since seeing Master Class, and she was astonished that that was
20 years ago now. It was so gracious of her to give her time for a
little RPO fundraising, but she seemed like the kind of person who
understands how important it is to keep orchestras like the RPO alive
and healthy. Let's hope the RPO plans more of these special concerts
to connect with a wider community, so that new audiences can be
exposed to and become supporters of this cultural gem.
Great post, as usual Maggie. It was a wonderful concert and speaks to the importance of the RPO continuing to reach out to non-traditional audiences (whatever that means) with these unique concerts. You never know when someone attends such as concert and realizes this should be the beginning of many more at the RPO.
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