Friday, November 11, 2011

Catching up on music, part 4

It snowed on the last Saturday of October, the first October snow in more than 30 years. Naturally, I had picked that night to go out to Catholic University to see "On the Town."

Fortunately, the snow didn't amount to anything.

Equally fortunate, "On the Town" did.

I've seen the old movie version once or twice and, with one brief notable exception, I thought the whole thing stunk.

Stunk?! Music by Bernstein? Singing and dancing by Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra? And it stunk? How could that be? I don't know, but as Elaine Benes said in a different context, "Ohhh, it be!"

So why buy tickets to see the show at CU? Two reasons, I guess.

First, I wondered if maybe a more mature Dan would be able to appreciate something that my younger self had not. After all, music by Bernstein! "Chichester Psalms" aside, Bernstein is pretty good.

Second, I had seen an opera at CU a couple years ago and it was fabulous. Now Mr. Mozart had a lot to do with that fabulousness, but the performers too were . . . fabulous. Excellent singers, excellent musicians, excellent actors. I wanted to see what they could do with a Broadway musical.

And hey, tickets are only $15. What have I got to lose?

Anyway, . . .

The show was a lot of fun. Both the material and the performances (if you don't count the dancing) were excellent.

And I guess that's all I have to say about it.

No comments: