I just streamed Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert via On Demand.
This concert was performed on December 12, 2023 at the Drury Lane Theatre in London’s West End which is the same venue that premiered the original West End productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific and The King and I.
The 2hr 23min concert showcases the most iconic songs from Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, Cinderella and The Sound of Music plus a few standalone songs from lesser known musicals.
The concert features a 40-piece orchestra, international stars of stage and screen, a small choir and an ensemble of dancers. The vocalists include Audra McDonald, Michael Ball, Patrick Wilson, Marisha Wallace, Maria Friedman, Daniel Dae Kim, Julian Ovenden, and Aaron Tveit.
The orchestra is splendid, particularly, the animated conductor (Simon Lee.) This concert felt more intimate than most tribute concerts because of the storytelling. Many performers introduced their song by sharing a personal connection to the tune and/or a snippet of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s musical history.
The complete list of 40+ songs can be found at the bottom of this post. For the 40-page concert program, click on: RH 80 Playbill
I added two guest appearances to the Setlist. Before The King and I suite, 92-year old Rita Moreno revealed some anecdotes of her 1956 co-stars, Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr. I am a fan of Ms. Moreno but I was she had sung a song instead! Near the end of the show, Andrew Lloyd Webber got emotional sharing some of his reflections and memories of Rogers and Hammerstein.
In February, the concert was screened in theatres in the UK and Ireland. It is currently being screened in theatres in Australia and New Zealand. I am not sure if North American theatres will screen it, but the concert is scheduled to air on PBS’ Great Performances on Friday, May 31, 2024 in New York City. Please be sure to check your local listings. If you cannot wait until May, please contact Nancy Watson.
Below is a tune from the concert. Maria Friedman and Daniel Dae Kim perform “Shall We Dance.” They reprised their roles from the 2009 production of the The King and I at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
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SETLIST:
Orchestra – Oklahoma Overture
Patrick Wilson – Oh What A Beautiful Morning (from Oklahoma)
Audra McDonald – My Favorite Things (from The Sound Of Music)
Patrick Wilson – The Surrey With The Fringe On Top (from Oklahoma)
Marisha Wallace – I Cain’t Say No (from Oklahoma)
Lily Kerhoas – Out Of My Dreams (from Oklahoma)
Audra McDonald – Mister Snow (from Carousel)
Anna-Jane Casey – June Is Bustin’ Out All Over (from Carousel)
Lily Kerhoas – What’s The Use Of Wonrin’? (from Carousel)
Aaron Tveit – Soliloquy (from Carousel)
Lucy St. Louis – It Might As Well Be Spring (from State Fair)
Joanna Ampil – Love, Look Away (from Flower Drum Song)
Marisha Wallace – The Gentleman Is A Dope (from Allegro)
Jordan Shaw – No Other Love (from Me and Juliet)
Joanna Ampil – Something Wonderful (from The King and I)
Aaron Tveit – You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught (from South Pacific)
Aaron Tveit – Younger Than Springtime (from South Pacific)
Marisha Wallace – I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair (from South Pacific)
Lucy St. Louis – I’m In Love With A Wonderful Guy (from South Pacific)
Julian Ovenden – This Nearly Was Mine (from South Pacific)
Michael Ball – You’ll Never Walk Alone (from Carousel)
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INITERMISSION
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Orchestra – South Pacific Ent’racte
Jordan Shaw and ensemble – There Is Nothing Like A Dame (from South Pacific)
Joanna Ampil – I Have Dreamed/We Kiss In A Shadow (from The King and I)
PERSONAL ANECDOTES BY RITA MORENO
Daniel Dae Kim – A Puzzlement (from The King and I)
Maria Friedman – Hello Young Lovers (from The King and I)
Maria Friedman and Daniel Dae Kim – Shall We Dance (from The King and I)
Lily Kerhoas and Patrick Wilson – If I Loved You (from Carousel)
Joanna Ampil – In My Own Little Corner (from Cinderella)
Aaron Tveit – Ten Minutes Ago (from Cinderella)
Marisha Wallace and Anna-Jane Casey – Impossible; It’s Possible (from Cinderella)
Julian Ovenden – All At Once You Love Her (from Pipe Dream)
Jonny Labey and ensemble – Kansas City (from Oklahoma)
Michael Ball – Some Enchanted Evening (from South Pacific)
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS BY ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER
Lucy St. Louis – The Sound Of Music (from The Sound Of Music)
Group performance – Do-Re-Mi (from The Sound Of Music)
Anna-Jane Casey – The Lonely Goatherd (from The Sound Of Music)
Maria Friedman – Something Good (from The Sound Of Music)
Group performance – Edelweiss (from The Sound Of Music)
Audra McDonald – Climb Ev’ry Mountain (from The Sound Of Music)
Orchestra – Carousel Waltz