Concert Review: Students present inspiring tribute

Concert Review: Students present inspiring tribute

oklahoman.com



Like a jeweler who transforms a rough-cut precious stone into a brilliant, multifaceted jewel, Florence Birdwell turns her voice students into Broadway-quality performers. Any teacher would consider herself lucky if one or two students had found success on the New York stage. But a dozen or more? That's cause for a celebration.

Five of Birdwell's remarkable successes recently came home to pay tribute to their mentor, the doyenne of the voice faculty at Oklahoma City University. Joined by the Oklahoma City Philharmonic and conductors Joel Levine and Brian Tidwell, these remarkable artists offered performances that fed the mind, touched the heart and nourished the soul.

This "Starry Night” program opened with "It's a Place,” a number composed by current Birdwell student Rick McKee that described what this "Miracle on 23rd Street” has meant to countless OCU music students.

Lara Teeter was an early Birdwell success, a song-and-dance man who parlayed his talents into a starring role in the 1983 revival of "On Your Toes.” He proceeded to wow the crowd with "Once in Love With Amy.” But he personalized it with some deftly rewritten lyrics: "Once you sing with Florence/Talent takes wing with Florence.” Then, joined by two American Spirit Dancers, Teeter offered a rousing version of "Buddy's Blues.”

Soprano Barbara DeMaio Caprilli explored a different path to success by establishing an impressive operatic career in Europe. Evidence of that was demonstrated in two of Barber's "Hermit Songs,” which she followed with an aria from Verdi's "Don Carlos.”

The audience roared with approval after she tossed off this rangy aria with ease. She then belted out "Some People,” Mama Rose's take-charge anthem from "Gypsy.” Lyric Theatre need look no further than Caprilli the next time it plans to mount this classic musical.

John Sawyer followed with a touching performance of "Somewhere in My Memory.” Sawyer invested this number with such honesty that it brought tears to my eyes. He ended his segment with the delightful "Singin' in the Rain.”

The stunningly gorgeous Kelli O'Hara is one of Birdwell's most recent success stories. She chose the title number from "The Light in the Piazza” to open her segment, a beautiful soaring ballad by Adam Guettel. I had the good fortune to see O'Hara in Broadway's "Sweet Smell of Success” and "The Light in the Piazza,” but I was quite unprepared for how sublime her rendition of "I Could Have Danced All Night” was. I've rarely experienced such euphoria.

Following intermission, O'Hara performed Frank Loesser's beautiful "Somebody Somewhere” and then played a sexy vamp in Yeston's "A Call From the Vatican.”

Joined onstage by "Starry Night” producer Jane Jayroe, OCU President Tom McDaniel announced the establishment of an endowed chair in Birdwell's honor, funding for which was provided by proceeds from this spectacular evening.

Tony Award winner Kristin Chenoweth's grasp of operatic, jazz and musical theater styles were all put to fine effect in "The Girl in 14G,” a delightful number about the challenges of living in New York City.

Tidwell accompanied Chenoweth in a wistful medley of music by Jerome Kern, which she followed with her signature piece, "Glitter and Be Gay.” Chenoweth first performed this showstopper from "Candide” at OCU in 1992. My comments then seem equally apt today: "Chenoweth proved to be as scintillating as the jewels she sang about.”

When the company brought Birdwell to the stage during the encore, I suspect there wasn't a dry eye in the house.

And so to Birdwell and the countless other musical mentors who have lifted students to heights they never thought possible, we owe you such gratitude. Perhaps Jayroe said it best: "We thank you for the gift of music that you've given us for a lifetime.”

— Rick Rogers