Tomorrow afternoon at 2pm, Melbourne audiences have the chance to see Lucy Maunder in concert. At the Spiegeltent.
If those two facts alone aren’t enough to make you jump up and buy a ticket right now, then consider that this infinitely classy and immensely talented young woman will be singing the music of great American composer Irving Berlin in a show that pays homage to the decadence and danger of Old New York City.
Sound like a winning combination? It most certainly is.
Best known as Anthony Warlow’s scintillating co-star in Dr. Zhivago, Lucy Maunder brings a modern sensibility to Berlin’s old classics in her one woman show Songs in the Key Of Black, written by Nick Christo, directed by Neil Gooding and musically directed by Daniel Edmonds.
And if the reviews from other seasons are anything to go by – you’d be mad to miss this show.
“I would sing this material every day for the rest of my life if I could, I just love it”, Maunder told AussieTheatre recently.
“I really wanted to shine a light on this repertoire. This music isn’t done enough, especially in our generation. I think Berlin’s music is timeless, and his lyrics are just as poignant now as they were 80 years ago.”
As the daughter of an opera singer and well-known theatre and opera director, Maunder was well placed for a career on the stage. Having spent the better part of her formative years in London, her love of the arts was nurtured through an extensive education in languages, piano, violin, dance, ballet and ice-skating and the thriving theatrical hub of the West End.
The artistic pull was strong and after studying Music Theatre at WAAPA she admits she really wouldn’t have had it any other way. Now, with a string of successful musical, theatre, and cabaret credits to her name, Maunder is one of Australia’s leading performers and one not to miss.
“We’ve had such a wonderful response from our audiences”, she said of the recent tour Songs in the key of Black has enjoyed.
“Nick Christo and Neil and Daniel’s work has been brilliant. I’m so grateful to have had them work with me on it and get it off the ground as its been something I’ve wanted to do for so many years.”
With any luck, this show will be around in live form for many more. But if this is the last opportunity to see Maunder perform this wonderful material, an album of the same name is now available on iTunes and CD.
“I recorded the album with Ross Cockle at Allan Eaton Studios in Melbourne, which is the same studio and sound engineer that Anthony and I had to record the two promotional tracks for Doctor Zhivago in 2010″, Maunder said.
“Ross is absolutely brilliant. I loved how he mixed the Zhivago songs and hoped he would be available. He’s totally flat out and by chance had a cancellation that week and was able to record, mix and master the album for me in the time frame I was there.”
After her Spiegeltent appearance, Maunder will return to Melbourne later in 2013 to bring another classic text to life – Noel Coward’s Noel and Gertie – with James Millar.
Visit www.lucymaunder.com for more details.
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Lucy's "love letter to Irving Berlin" is a night of pure entertainment from the moment she steps into the spotlight till the final note is sung. I've been blessed to be in the audience twice for her intimate show - Brisbane and Sydney - and would go again in a heartbeat. Her stage presence is mesmerising and her voice just exquisite as she pays tribute to this briliant composer. I cannot sing her praises enough except to say, "her voice is like liquid chocolate, warm and sweet, as it oozes into every pore of your soul."