This week, a "Wildhorn&Friends concert in Vienna reunited Frank Wildhorn and Linda Eder onstage in a grand night of singing produced by Walter Feucht and Tanja Feucht. Executive producers were Renate Gritschke, Henriet Wunnink and with sound design by Riccardo van Krugten.
"It has been 12 years since Frank and I have performed together on stage." Linda said right after a 20 minutes of applause and encores in a packed Raimundtheater in Vienna, Austria. "Austrians like music that is melodic, and Frank Wildhorn is a master at writing beautiful melodies."
It was also Linda's first appearance in Vienna, Austria, ironic because one of her most popular songs is titled "Vienna". The last encore was the song, which was a very emotional moment for Linda as it was written for her Dad, who flew in from Minnesota.
Linda and Frank appeared with Europe's top female and male musical theater stars Pia Douwes ('Velma' in "Chicago" on Broadway and London, she created the role of "Elisabeth" in the most successful European musical of the same title. Lately: Norma in "Sunset Boulevard" and currently 'Killer Queen' in Queen's "We Will Rock You") and Frank's favourite male singer in Europe Thomas Borchert (Gaston in "Gigi" in London, lead in Wildhorn's "Count of Monte Cristo", which Frank wrote for him, "Dracula" and "Dance of the Vampires").
The concert was recorded for CD (release to be announced), filmed with 5 HD cameras and showcased the many different styles of Frank's music (from the "classics" like "Jekyll", "Monte Cristo" or "Rudolf" to new works like "Wonderland" (opening on Broadway April 17, 2011) and "Bonnie & Clyde" (opening in Sarasota, FL Nov 19, 2010).
The evening also featured the 44 piece orchestra (Orchester der Vereinigten Bühnen Wien) and 8 back-up singer/dancer under the baton of Frank's European musical supervisor Koen Schoots, Director Alex Balga, lighting design: Rick Belzer, Michael Grundner.
Special moments were:
"Living in The Shadows" from "Victor/Victoria": Frank sang the first 8 bars, then Linda joined in, "Something More" from "Rudolf" (Linda/Thomas),
"In His Eyes" from "Jekyll" (Linda/Pia) and the "Swing Medley" (Linda/Pia/Thomas)
Linda's rendition of Whitney Houston's "Where Do Broken Hearts Go"
Setlist:
1. Teil
I Will Be There ("Monte Christo") - Pia Douwes & Thomas Borchert
When The World Was Mine ("Monte Christo") - Pia Douwes
The Man I Used To Be ("Monte Christo") - Thomas Borchert
Bring On The Man ("Jekyll & Hyde") - Linda Eder & Girls
Someone Like You ("Jekyll & Hyde") - Linda Eder
The Longer I Live ("Dracula") - Thomas Borchert
Please Don't Make Me Love You ("Dracula") - Pia Douwes
Advice From A Caterpillar" ("Wonderland") - Thomas Borchert & Girls
How 'bout A Dance ("Bonnie & Clyde") - Pia Douwes
Something More ("Rudolf") - Linda Eder & Thomas Borchert
Swing Medley ("Money To Burn"/"Mad Hatter"/"Big Time") - Alle
2. Teil
Viva ("Carmen") - Pia Douwes & Girls/Dancer: Steven Seale
Living In The Shadows ("Victor/Victoria") - Linda Eder/Frank Wildhorn
Where Do Broken Hearts Go - Linda Eder/Ensemble
Hell To Your Doorstep ("Monte Christo") - Thomas Borchert
Only Love ("Rudolf") - Pia Douwes
In His Eyes ("Jekyll & Hyde") - Linda Eder & Pia Douwes
Go With The Flow ("Wonderland") - Thomas Borchert & Ensemble
Gold ("Camille Claudel") - Linda Eder
Encores: This Is The Moment ("Jekyll & Hyde") - Thomas Borchert
Finding Wonderland ("Wonderland") - Pia Douwes
Vienna - Linda Eder
"Wildhorn&Friends" started as a concert with a band a few years ago at Joe's Pub. The orchestra version premiered in Budapest, Hungary and then played Graz, Austria and Japan afterwards with different singers.
Frank Wildhorn practicing on a Brodman piano
Director Alex Balga in rehearsal with Pia Douwes and Thomas Borchert
photo session with Frank Wildhorn and Linda Eder
Michael Staringer, Pia Douwes, Thomas Borchert, Linda Eder, Frank Wildhorn & Koen Schoots
Walter Feucht (producer), Pia Douwes, Thomas Borchert, Linda Eder, Frank Wildhorn, Tanja Feucht, Koen Schoots
Linda Eder and Frank Wildhorn
The cast on stage after the finale!
