Rodgers & Hammerstein are one of the most reputed duos in musical theatre history, lauded by many as the fathers of the musical as we know it. Responsible for such hits as The Sound of Music, Oklahoma! and South Pacific, how better to celebrate the life and work of this legendary duo than with a 40-piece orchestra playing some of their greatest works, with special guests to do the pieces justice!
My Favourite Things is the 80th anniversary concert of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s, which was a live show at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane earlier this year, which was filmed and then televised. I am, as many will know, a very strong advocate for live theatre, but with more and more shows turning to recording and more versatile means to get their works into the public domain, I am so glad that this was filmed as it gives me the chance to watch it, and then the chance to share it with you!
I’ve always known about Rodgers & Hammerstein’s impact and who they were, but am not too familiar with their exact works, which explains my slight shock when I heard songs from The Sound of Music in the concert! And this production did a great job at sharing with me some of their work and letting me know it was indeed Rodgers & Hammerstein who created them! The 2.5-hour programme ran through a range of their songs from different shows, as well as slight explainer interludes from guest presenters.
We were also joined by stars of the stage in this performance, including Lily Kerhoas (the current Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera), Jordan Shaw (former Enjolras in Les Misérables), Aaron Tveit (Enjolras in the Les Misérables film) and special appearances from Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) winner Rita Moreno. Seeing the impact that this concert and those who are responsible for its music has across generations is simply spectacular, and I wouldn’t be surprised if young people watching the performance were inspired by what they were seeing.
The accompaniment of the large live orchestra gave these songs the power they deserve, and the performers were simply phenomenal. Every single song felt unique and special, especially for some of The Sound of Music classics, being a musical that I grew up with. I particularly enjoyed every moment we spent with Lily Kerhoas; her work has inspired me for a long time and seeing her expand outside of The Phantom of the Opera just showcases her power and strength as a performer, and I love it.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s work is extensive and to see it all would take a considerable amount of time. It is for this reason that a concert event such as this, when done well and recorded for wider audiences, will always be a huge hit for me. It allows new and wider audiences to reach in Rodger & Hammerstein’s work for free, which given the beauty of it, would inspire any. Go and see a Rodger and Hammerstein show and catch this concert on catch-up if you can!
Rating: ★★★★★
My Favourite Things: The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert was filmed at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane before premiering on Sky Arts on May 26th. The concert is available to stream on Sky TV on Demand & can be pre-ordered on DVD
