Morning Melodies – The Sound Of Rodgers

Richard Rodgers was one of the great American song writers turning out more than 900 songs for 43 Broadway musicals.

The Arts Centre Presents: Morning Melodies Venue: The Arts Centre, Melbourne Wednesday, 28 April, 2011  Yesterday The Arts Centre presented Morning Melodies – The Sound Of Rodgers. 
Being the youngest audience member in a packed out state theatre at 11am, i had my reservations about this concert.

Much to my surprise, this delightful morning of sophisticated music was stylishly put together and expertly sung.  It definitely provided me with an hour of much needed carefree romantic escapism.

Richard Rodgers was one of the great American song writers turning out more than 900 songs for 43 Broadway musicals.  Rodgers is most  famous for his 24 year partnership with Oscar Hammerstein II where they solidified their place in music theatre history creating a string of Broadway hits such as Oklahoma, The Sound Of Music, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I and Flower Drum Song to name a few. He also composed music for films and television.

The one act concert covered 34 of his most popular and some of the more obscure songs, leaving me wishing there was a second act to explore this musical genius further.

The numbers were superbly executed by Blake Bowden – currently on tour with The Music Of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Helpmann and Green Room Award winning Mezzo-Soprano Dominica Mathews and Recent NIDA – Diploma of Music Theatre Graduate Anna Freeland.

Anne-Maree McDonald flawlessly accompanied, arranged and musically directed the piece while Stuart Maunder provided crafty direction and intelligent, charming and witty narration.  He even threw in a smart song or two, much to everyone’s delight!

It’s not often we get to indulge in the beautiful, timeless and epic repertoire of Richard Rodgers, so if you get a chance to see this concert in the future, do yourself a favour and get along. You have nothing to lose when tickets are only $19!