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Regional Reviews: Phoenix Alfie Boe with the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra Also see Gil's reviews of Into the Woods, Doubt, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
The concert was split into two equally perfect halves, with the first act focusing on musical theatre and the second showing off Boe's and the orchestra's abilities to perform opera and rock songs. Boe was actually a replacement for an ailing Colm Wilkinson who had originally rescheduled his concerts only to then have to cancel them. (Having Boe sub for Wilkinson made sense, since Wilkinson originated the part of Valjean in Les Misérables.) The concert started off with a superb medley of songs from that musical, showing off the sublime skills of the orchestra as they played the sweeping motifs from the well-known score, then Boe delivered two back to back powerhouse songs from the show. "Who Am I?" is a song that Boe has sung many times and he perfectly got across the meaning of the lyrics and hit the passionate notes required. "Bring Him Home" is probably the one song that people have heard Boe sing more than any other, and hearing him sing the song live was an emotional experience that brought the audience to its feet. "Come What May" from the film Moulin Rouge! received an exceptional delivery from Boe, with his voice soaring throughout. On "Wheels of a Dream" from Ragtime, his voice fit perfectly with the lyrics. It was nice that the arrangement for this song was very close to the original Broadway one, yet the fullness of the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra provided a richness that you'd never hear in a production of this show with a much smaller group of musicians. The Symphony delivered a romantic "Carousel Waltz" from the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical that was full of nuance and was followed by Boe singing a stirring version of that show's "You'll Never Walk Alone." Stephen Sondheim's "Being Alive" from Company received a slightly different arrangement compared to the many other recordings this song has received. While it was somewhat fast paced, Boe still excelled at hitting the emotional requirements of the song and delivered an excellent ending note as well. The first act ended with a well measured take on Willy Russell's "Tell Me It's Not True" from Blood Brothers. Act two contained both classical and rock songs, including several traditional Italian and Spanish folk songs that featured some impeccable violin solos by Magdalena Martinic-Jercic. The orchestra also delivered superb suites from two operas, Carmen and Cavalleria Rusticana. Three rock songs ended the act with Boe belting out powerhouse versions of two Pete Townshend songs from the classic Who rock opera Quadrophenia, "I'm One" and "Love Reign O'er," which he also performs on a recording ("Classic Quadrophenia") that was just released this week. Snow Patrol's "Run" was the final number with Boe's voice blending beautifully with the superb arrangement of this pop hit. Boe came back and delivered a stunning a capella version of "Danny Boy" as his encore, which ended the evening on a perfect note. Conductor David Hattner, who was making his first appearance with the Symphony, did a exceptional job of conducting the wide range of musical styles and had a touching connection with both Boe and the orchestra. The sound at Symphony Hall is so superb that you can clearly hear not only the solo moments but also the contribution that each instrument makes to the whole. Throughout the concert, Boe had a lovely connection with the audience, including several moments when he came out into the crowd to either jokingly harass a couple who were heading to the lobby during the middle of the concert or to find a man to sing with him during "Volare" to let the young man have a few seconds in the spotlight. He obviously enjoys singing these songs and sharing his love for them with an audience. I also especially liked how he didn't seem to want the concert to end and how he continually thanked the orchestra for playing with him. Boe exhibited not only stunning vocal control but a playfulness with both the material and the audience that elevated the concert and made it even more memorable. It's been awhile since there's been an artist who has successfully made the crossover from classical music to musical theatre and pop stardom. Boe might just be the next performer to make that leap, as not only does he thoroughly enjoy singing a wide range of song styles but he perfectly gets the joy and excitement of the lyrics and music of the song as well as lovingly finding the quiet, serious moments as well. Alfie Boe with the Phoenix Symphony played two performances on June 4th and 5th, 2015, at Symphony Hall in Phoenix. Information for upcoming performances with the Phoenix Symphony can be found at www.phoenixsymphony.org.
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