Last night I watched the spectacular Prom celebration of Stephen Sondheim's work - a salute to him on his 80th birthday. David Charles Abell conducted the BBC Symphony orchestra. The lead singers were Dame Judi Dench, Maria Friedman, Simon Russell Beale, Bryn Terfel, Daniel Evans, Julian Ovenden, Caroline O'Connor and Jenna Russell. They sang Sondheim's songs written between 1962 and 1987 - from A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, A Little Night Music, Company, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods and many more. Dame Judi Dench completely stole the show with her impeccable performance of Send in the Clowns.
Anna Francolini, who played Jane Morris in Possessed was there, looking and sounding so beautiful. Three of the Royal Academy of Music Post graduates who appeared in the Concert Reading of I Capture the Castle, were also there: Terri O'Ryan, Ross Barnes and Tom Little.
The whole of the Albert Hall Audience stood to applaud Sondheim after the last number. I have been to many proms, but I have never seen anything like this - it really gripped the heart.
Comments
Post a Comment