Bernadette Peters explores Broadway and beyond in terrific form
Bernadette Peters performs at the Power Center on Saturday.
Andrew Kuhn | For AnnArbor.com
Starting July 13, Bernadette Peters will be back singing on Broadway, as she replaces Catherine Zeta-Jones in "A Little Night Music."
Saturday night, she sang for an enthusiastic, appreciative Ann Arbor Summer Festival audience at the Power Center — and demonstrated just how powerful a good musical-theater song can be, in the right hands (or the right throat).
The concert was flawless. Perfect song selection; Peters' polished, winning stage presence; a sharp nine-piece band; and, of course, the singing combined for a very memorable event.
Peters even managed to work in a bit of local color, mentioning that her "A Little Night Music" costar Elaine Stritch —Â a Detroit native who attended the University of Michigan —Â "told me all about the Pretzel Bell." (I couldn't tell if she knew the onetime downtown landmark has been gone for ages.)
Starting off with a zippy "Let Me Entertain You," Peters dove into a set that leaned heavily on the songs of Stephen Sondheim, for whom she seems to have a special affinity. She showcased a number of his songs in the course of the evening, including a hearfelt "No One is Alone," from "Into the Woods"; an affecting "In Buddy's Eyes," from "Follies"; a comic "You Could Drive a Person Crazy," from "Company"; "With So Little To Be Sure Of," from "Anyone Can Whistle"; and "Children Will Listen," the hit she initially introduced in "Into the Woods."
As good as every one of those was, several of the songs I enjoyed most came when Peters wandered a bit afield: She did a slinky "Fever" and a fresh, inspiring take on the folk song "Shenandoah." And after hearing her caress the Disney chestnut "When You Wish Upon a Star," I don't think I'll ever again consider it a kids' song.
Peters teaming up again with Sondheim, though, created the biggest peaks of the evening. "Not a Day Goes By," a heartbreaker from the underappreciated "Merrily We Roll Along," became the emotional center of the show. And she closed the main set with "Being Alive," finding all the honest power and heart in a song that sometimes suffers from a cocktail-lounge treatment.
Throughout the show, Peters used her voice — which I think has become richer over the years —Â brilliantly. She walks that rare line of putting her own stamp on the material while always maintaining ultimate respect for the song. What a pro.
In a couple of weeks, Broadway will be, again, lucky to have her around. Tonight, so was Ann Arbor.
Setlist Let Me Entertain You No One is Alone There is Nothing Like a Dame Fever Mr. Snow Some Enchanted Evening Shenandoah Not a Day Goes By When You Wish Upon a Star My Romance The Way You Look Tonight In Buddy's Eyes You Could Drive a Person Crazy With So Little To Be Sure Of Children Will Listen Being Alive Encore: Stella's Song
Bob Needham is entertainment director of AnnArbor.com
Comments
Adrienne
Mon, Jun 28, 2010 : 12:49 p.m.
"An Evening with Bernadette Peter;" one of the most disappointing Ann Arbor Summer Festival performances I have ever attended. The"sinfonietta" (as Ms. Peters called it) seemed unprepared, and she even sounded off key, or not in sync with them. This show was not up to your standard. What happened? Several years ago I saw Audra McDowell perform at Power Center during Summer Festival. She was knock out. That's what I expected.
Ed Kimball
Mon, Jun 28, 2010 : 7:18 a.m.
@Carmelita Monical Day: In fact, I go to several concerts at the Summer Festival every year and have since its beginning. This was the shortest concert I can recall -- and one of the most expensive. The quality was exceptionally high; that's the main reason I wanted more of it.
SGHP
Sun, Jun 27, 2010 : 2:12 p.m.
Ms. Peter's performance was as stunning as the gown she wore. Just the right balance of sparkle and substance. The ensemble (made up of some of Michigan's finest professional musicians) never overpowered Ms. Peters but instead provided exquisite accompaniment to a program that epitomized what is so wonderful about American musical theater and popular music. Bravo to the Ann Arbor Summer Festival for creating an incredible opportunity and value for the music lovers in the mid Michigan region! Tickets for a concert equal to this in New York would have been much more dear and far less accessible. Please keep great music like Ms. Peters' program coming our way not only for the audience but for our local musicians too!
Carmelita
Sun, Jun 27, 2010 : 1:54 p.m.
The write up was great. I wish I had been there. She really sang alot of songs. I think the guy who wrote that he didn't get his moneys worth hasn't been to alot of concerts lately.
Ed Kimball
Sun, Jun 27, 2010 : 12:09 p.m.
While I agree that the concert was excellent, and I enjoyed it immensely, I don't think it was "flawless". I found at least 2 flaws: 1. On some of the numbers, including the opening "Let Me Entertain You', when the entire "sinfonietta" (as Ms. Peters called it) played, they drowned out her voice. Fortunately, most of the songs were accompanied by only a few instruments; on those I could understand every syllable. 2. From the time Ms. Peters appeared onstage until the end of her encore was only 70 minutes. For a ticket that cost anywhere from $55 to $75, I expect to be entertained for longer than that, say 90 minutes at least.