"2018 marks the centennial anniversary of the births of both Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins. To celebrate this occasion the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra commissioned an original concert devoted to these two Broadway icons. For three concerts last week, this special event featured exceptional performances from the symphony and a quartet of New York based singers who contributed solid vocals on a wide-ranging selection of material that represented the importance these two men had on the theatre world. Scott Coulter served as the narrator of the concert and his well-written, detailed and slightly playful narrative was delivered with both a clear understanding of these two men and also a deep connection to the audience. Under the baton of conductor Stuart Chafetz, Coulter and guest vocalists Kerry O'Malley, Christine Cornish Smith, and Joshua Israel performed over a dozen classic showtunes associated with these two famous men....Their collaboration began with the 1944 ballet "Fancy Free," which was the basis for the musical On the Town. The opening number from that show, "New York, New York," made an energetic start for this concert and allowed a quick introduction to the vocal abilities of all four singers which was followed by Cornish Smith's deliciously comical performance of that show's "I Can Cook Too." ...The original production of Peter Pan featured Robbins' direction and choreography, and Coulter's charming and stunning performance of "Neverland" from that show, with John Boswell's beautiful and rich piano accompaniment, was a major delight. ..Probably the most successful contribution Bernstein and Robbins made, with the addition of lyricist Stephen Sondheim and book writer Arthur Laurents, was West Side Story. The concert featured several excellent performances from that show, including a beautiful duet of "Something's Coming" that found the voices of Israel and Coulter's blending and harmonizing together to deliver gorgeous sounds. Israel showed off his skillful freestyle tab abilities in a solo spot that flowed into an expertly jazzy performance of "Cool" sung by Cornish Smith that featured excellent piano and bass solos. Coulter's lilting performance of "Maria" soared, with each note floating and hanging in the air to be savored....The Phoenix Symphony Orchestra continues to provide a wide range of concerts, including numerous "pops" shows that feature music from beyond the classical realm. The evening that focused on the contributions of Leonard Bernstein and Jerome Robbins wasn't just a tribute to these masters of the American musical theatre but also a testament to the exceptional musicianship of the Phoenix Symphony.. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
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