BWW Reviews: Broadway Divas Block and Murney at Boston Pops

Broadway Divas Block and Murney at Boston Pops

The Boston Pops, Steven Reineke Conducting, Stephanie J. Block, Julia Murney

Performances June 16 and June 17, 2011 @ 8 pm at Symphony Hall, Boston; Box Office: Symphony Charge 617-266-1200 or 888-266-1200 or www.bostonpops.org

There is nothin' like a dame and two of the best belters on Broadway are mixing it up with the Boston Pops Orchestra for two performances only under the baton of The New York Pops Music Director Steven Reineke. Stephanie J. Block and Julia Murney, affectionately tagged as "Broadway Divas," take turns thrilling the audience with their interpretations of some of the greats from the American Songbook, including a trio of songs from Wicked, the juggernaut in which they each played Elphaba, both on the national tour and on the Great White Way. I had the pleasure of attending the first concert last night; the identical program is repeated at 8 o'clock tonight at Symphony Hall.

Maestro Reineke jumpstarts the evening with the Overture to Gypsy, featuring lengthy song segments beautifully arranged and conveyed. His conducting style is energetic and rhythmic, and he really gets into the mood of the piece. Shifting gears, the orchestra majestically plays four selections from Bizet's opera Carmen with the stage awash in red lighting. Without further ado, the headliners take over, sharing the spotlight on "All That Jazz" from Chicago by the great songwriting duo Kander and Ebb. They take solo turns on the next four tunes, offering covers that almost make you forget the original artists. Block's impressive belt on "Don't Rain on My Parade" garners my vote for her as the next Fanny Brice in the planned Funny Girl revival. Her range is astonishing when she comes back with the operatic "Think of Me" from Phantom of the Opera.

Although she admits that she can't equal that, Murney's nuanced interpretation of "Back to Before" from Ragtime starts soft and sweet, building to a powerful assertiveness. She showcases her comedic skills in her second song, the Kander/Ebb penned Ring Them Bells, and really sells it with a big finish. Step aside, Liza! To close out the first half of the concert, Reineke highlights the Pops percussion section on the Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine 1985 Latin hit "Conga."

After intermission, it is a rare treat to hear the Reineke-arranged "I Hear a Symphony: Symphonic Sounds of Diana Ross," including "Stop in the Name of Love," "Touch Me in the Morning," and "Ain't No Mountain High Enough." For some inexplicable reason (stuck in the '70s?), the orchestra accompanies the Divas on the Barbra Streisand-Donna Summer disco duet "No More Tears (Enough is Enough)" and Block delivers a powerful rendition of Pop Diva Celine Dion's claim to fame "My Heart Will Go On." The remainder of the song list consists of choice show tunes. Preceded by a little explanation about the term "Diva," Murney's comic chops take center stage once again with "Diva's Lament" from Spamalot. For a change of pace, Concertmaster Tamara Smirnova plays a sweet and melancholy violin solo in the Pops instrumental version of "Over the Rainbow," a clever segue into the trio of songs from Wicked. Murney gives a brief synopsis of the musical, "for the seven of you who haven't seen it." Due to the fact that both women played Elphaba in the show, they ask the conductor to flip a coin to determine which of them will sing Glinda's "Popular." Block "loses" the toss and proceeds to channel Kristen Chenoweth in a giddy, girlish version, before relinquishing the green spotlight to Murney who vocally and virtually soars on "Defying Gravity."

The final number comes all too soon in this enchanting evening, but Block (this time as Elphaba) and Murney (as Glinda) close with a touching and heartfelt "For Good" that brings a tear to the eye and a standing ovation that seems not to end. Reineke and the divas try to leave the stage, but are called back twice by the still-standing, appreciative audience. Appearing both apologetic and sad, the women point to imaginary watches on their wrists to indicate there is no more time to continue. The good news is they'll do it all over again tonight. Grab your broomstick and fly to Symphony Hall.

Photo: Julia Murney

  

 

 

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