The Salon Wrap-Up for August 25th: "Bernstein: 101"

Mark Janas kicked off our Bernstein celebration with a fabulous Salon tradition for our annual Berstein birthday celebration: the glorious overture to Bernstein's phenomenal opera, Candide. Joined by Matthew Martin Ward at the piano, it was a rich feast of some of Bernstein's best melodies. (This Blogette is highly biased, as it was one of her favorite pieces to play on piccolo in band and orchestra.) Must we wait until next year to hear this delightful duo play it again?

Mark then explained that we are at the end of Bernstein's centennial year, as tonight he (Bernstein) would have turned 101. He then introduced the evening's co-host and longtime colleague, Julie Reyburn, and roped her into doing a novelty arrangement of "Officer Krupke" from West Side Story. "Novel" in that the duet was a delight - and the lyrics were increasingly original and hilarious. Mark interpolated the duet with several stories of Bernstein, including one of his highly memorable performance with the Israel Philharmonic (ask him to tell you personally - he tells it better than I could recapitulate it!).

Our elegant Bernstein host, Julie Reyburn. (Photo credit)

Coming back from the break, Julie and Mark shared a peek into their creative process, as Julie has two dates of her brand-new show, "TITLE," coming up in October here at Don't Tell Mama, with Mark as her musical director. It's her first new show in eight years! (Note on your calendars Saturday October 5th and Saturday October 12th at 7 pm, when they'll be joined by Ritt Henn on bass and David Ballard on background vocals, featuring direction by Billie Roe.) Then they offered a fresh take on "Something's Coming" from West Side Story, after Mark shared the fascinating story of how Bernstein and Sondheim co-wrote the entire song in just one night.  Julie has an unusually articulate soprano (as a fellow soprano, this Blogette feels she can get away with this generalization) and an arresting stage presence. She and Mark also have a wonderful musical chemistry that made this number a real treat.

She was then joined by our intrepid producer, Tanya Moberly, for one more West Side Story song: the wonderful Anita/Maria duet "A Boy Like That/I Have a Love." Not only did they sing beautifully - oh, those duelling lines and tender final harmonies! - but they brought the piece to life with deeply poignant acting performances. (This Blogette is seriously experiencing major goosebumps as she's writing this.)

Julie finished the night with the perfect choice of the sweetly wistful "Some Other Time" from On the Town. After a cleverly re-worded opening solo, she was joined by Matthew Martin Ward, David Ballard, and Emily Ellet (a.k.a. this Blogette) in a lush quartet. A fitting finish to an elegant evening of our beloved Bernstein!

Classical Corner

Mark Janas discussed Bernstein's directing technique and its paradoxically convuluted clarity. Then he shared with us a recording of Bernstein conducting Beethoven's "Leonore Overture No. 3" - a wildly tricky piece with groupings of six and seven notes that means the beat lands on a different emphasis in the pattern every time AT HIGH SPEED. (Bravo to Mark for managing to count in two while playing those rhythms against himself.) Then he opened up the room to a Q&A, as he had personally met and hung out with the maestro himself at Tanglewood in the Berkshires many years ago and was happy to share stories from that experience. (HOW HE ANSWERED THE DOOR, omg, please ask Mark to tell you.)

Things we learned: 

• Bernstein was a big game and puzzle guy
• He was a very strict gamer who got very upset if you made a mistake
• He didn't like to compose while he was working on a conducting job, because his mind was filled with other composers' melodies
• He liked to find an unusual interval or phrase and carry it into as much of a score as possible (for example, the tritone throughout the West Side Story score)
• He said Sondheim was more of an inventor than a composer, that his scores were like machines (not above professional jealousy, it seems)
• He was not very happy with Lerner's inability to adapt to changes when writing 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue - he thought it would be his most incredible flop

Thank you, Mark, for sharing so much of those incredible experiences with us.

Roster of Performers for the Evening (in order of appearance):

Click link to visit the performer’s website or other links, when available.

All piano accompaniment by Mark Janas unless otherwise noted.

Co-Host: Julie Reyburn
Jim Speake
Paul Niemi
Lynda Kennedy
Claire Simard and Carroll Mailhot
Ira Lee Collings
Rian Keating
Susan Hodgdon
Goldie Dver
Andrea Axelrod and Matthew Martin Ward
Janice Hall (Matthew Martin Ward at piano)
Emily Ellet
Sarah Rice

Classical Corner
BREAK
Co-Host: Julie Reyburn

Julie Reyburn and Tanya Moberly

Tanya Moberly
Michael Colby
Richie Eisenberg
Angela Leone
Goldie Goldstein
Peter Reid Lambert
David Ballard
Joshua Bennett
Co-Host: Julie Reyburn with Emily Ellet, David Ballard, and Matthew Martin Ward

Special thanks to our pianist for the evening, Mark Janas, and to musician Matthew Martin Ward. Thanks also to David Ballard on lights and sound and to the scrummy waitstaff (Joshua and Leo) and thoughtful management at Don't Tell Mama. Also thanks to our videographer for the evening, Ruben Olivera.

Ongoing Shows:

Mondays through September 16th: Join Sarah Rice and Janice Hall for a relaxing break from the city--Peaceable Hour, 6-7 pm at St. Clements Church, 423 W 46th Street, NYC. FREE!

Upcoming Shows:

Tuesday, August 13th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly will take part in a benefit evening for the Dutch Treat Club, "Jerome Kern & Friends," at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W 42nd St, NYC.

Tuesday, Auugst 20th, 2019 (6:30pm): Joshua Bennet performs in The Metropolitan Room Staff Reunion Show Cabaret Cares Show at The Duplex, 61 Christopher Street, NYC. 

Saturday, August 24th, 2019 (7pm): Todd Monroe presents "Alive at the Duplex!", 61 Christopher Street, NYC.

Friday, August 30th, 2019: Tanya Moberly performs in Ricky Ritzel's Broadway at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, September 6th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Marnie Klar, THOSE GIRLS, Joshua Bennet, and others in a beneift for teen suicide prevention at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, September 8th (4pm): Andrea Axelrod presents "After the Bawl," with Matthew Martin Ward at the piano, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, September 13th (7pm): Andrea Axelrod presents "After the Bawl," with Matthew Martin Ward at the piano, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Saturday, September 14th, 2019 (4pm): Tanya Moberly is among the singers performing in Meg Flather's "A Cabaret Sisterhood" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, September 15th, 2019 (6pm): Goldie Dver will return in her show "Back in Mama's Arms" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, September 15th, 2019 (7pm): Sarah Rice in "Sondheim: Unplugged" at 54 Below, 254 West 54th Street, NYC.

Saturday, September 21st, 2019 (6pm): Goldie Dver will return in her show "Back in Mama's Arms" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, September 22nd, 2019 (4pm): Andrea Axelrod and Rian Keating will co-host "Groovin on a Sunday" at 53 Above, 318 West 53rd Street, NYC.

Friday, September 27th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Lisa Viggiano's new show, "The Times, They Are a-Changin'" opening at Pangea, 178 Second Avenue (bet 11th and 12th Sts), NYC. 

Friday, October 4th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Barb Junger direct Susanne Mack in "Where I Belong" with Musical Director Paul Greenwood at Pangea, 178 2nd Ave, NYC.

Saturday, October 5th, 2019 (7pm): Julie Reyburn presents "TITLE" with musical director Mark Janas at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Saturday, October 5th, 2019 (8pm): Goldie Dver will return in her show "Back in Mama's Arms" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Monday, October 7th, 2019 (7pm): Angela Leone presents "Mathis and More," with Bill Zeffiro at the piano, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Friday, October 11th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Barb Junger direct Susanne Mack in "Where I Belong" with Musical Director Paul Greenwood at Pangea, 178 2nd Ave, NYC.

Saturday, October 12th, 2019 (7pm): Julie Reyburn presents "TITLE" with musical director Mark Janas at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, October 17th, 2019: Bobbie Horowitz presents "It's Just A Number" (featuring Emily Ellet and others) at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, November 3rd, 2019 (3pm): Angela Leone presents "Mathis and More," with Bill Zeffiro at the piano, at Don't Tell Mama, 343 West 46th Street, NYC.


Wednesday, November 6th, 2019 (7pm): Michael Colby presents "Slay It with Music", a benefit for the International Rescue Committee, at The Green Room 42, 570 10th Avenue, NYC.

Thursday, November 7th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Stephanie Trudeau in "Chavela: Think of Me" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th Street, NYC.

Wednesday, November 13th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Lisa Viggiano's new show, "The Times, They are a Changin" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th Street, NYC.

Thursday, October 14th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Barb Junger direct Susanne Mack in "Where I Belong" with Musical Director Paul Greenwood at Pangea, 178 2nd Ave, NYC.


Friday, November 15th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Lisa Viggiano's new show, "The Times, They are a Changin" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th Street, NYC.

Sunday, November 17th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly and Barb Junger direct Susanne Mack in "Where I Belong" with Musical Director Paul Greenwood at Pangea, 178 2nd Ave, NYC.


Thursday, November 21st, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Lisa Viggiano's new show, "The Times, They are a Changin" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th Street, NYC  .

Thursday, December 12th, 2019 (7pm): Tanya Moberly directs Stephanie Trudeau in "Chavela: Think of Me" at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th Street, NYC.

Saturday, February 29th, 2020: Lynda Kennedy presents her debut show with Mark Janas on piano at Don't Tell Mama, 343 W 46th Street, NYC.

NEXT SALON: September 8, 2019
The next Salon will be TWO WEEKS from today, on Sunday, September 8th. Co-host Lucille Carr-Kaffashan will lead us in an night of "I Love Being Here with You," (true for any Salon attendee, of course), and the Salon Spotlight will be the Drinkwater Brothers. Join us!


Submitted by Emily Ellet
Blogette for The Salon
Email me if I missed anything!