Review: Shirley Jones, Pops triumph in 'Music Man'
The Pops opened its season Thursday night at Heinz Hall with a decisive win, a fabulous concert version of Meredith Willson's show "The Music Man."
Marvin Hamlisch began his 15th season as principal Pops conductor working in his strongest repertoire -- Broadway musicals. As a composer, he's won multiple awards for everything -- OK, almost everything -- and just had a first reading of a new musical he's written. But anyone attending his concerts knows he is genuinely admiring of other great Broadway composers.
The adaptation of "The Music Man," made for the Hartford Symphony in Connecticut, omitted dance numbers and surprisingly few other selections. It let the drama live and provide meaningful context for Willson's terrific score. "76 Trombones" and "Till There Was You" are in the category of hits called standards. But also enjoy "Piano Lesson," in which Willson's genius created a little masterpiece out of the intervals in a piano exercise.
The cast was thoroughly excellent, all the way to the smallest roles. Heading the cast was Shirley Jones playing Mrs. Paroo. Jones was Mrs. Paroo's daughter Marian in the 1962 Oscar-winning film. Now 75, she sang with range and built a climax with the assurance of a master.
As an actress, Jones still has it, too. Her Irish brogue was light, thank you very much, while every gesture conveyed decisive personality.
As wonderful as it was to enjoy Jones, a Western Pennsylvania native, the show is carried by younger characters. Patrick Cassidy, Jones' son by her first husband, played Harold Hill, the con man who uses musical instruments, instruction and uniforms in his scam in the make-believe small Iowa town called River City.
Cassidy wisely made the role his own, rather than making what would have be a futile attempt to match Robert Preston, the original Harold Hill. Cassidy sang very well, moved well and put over his character's change of heart at the end. The only drawback came when Hill was talking a mile a minute in sell mode and too much reverberation covered the performer's excellent diction.
Ashley Brown, a rising Broadway star, excelled as Marian Paroo, the lonely librarian who finds love with Hill. Brown has a splendid voice: cleanly focused, accurate and emotive. Her "Till There Was You" was a gem. It is one of those songs in which our emotions hang on every note married perfectly to word.
Young Joseph Serafini was a knockout as Winthrop Paroo. He's got a fine voice and a panache that plays to and feeds off the audience.
The polish and enthusiasm of a small chorus portraying the people of River City bore the unmistakable excellence of preparation by Robert Page, longtime Mendelssohn Choir music director. The Steel City Blend barbershop quartet also was superb.
Add exceptional orchestral performance -- bravos to the brass -- and you have a triumph as unequivocal as the first halves of recent Steelers games.
Additional Information:
'Shirley Jones, Marvin and 'The Music Man''
When: 8 p.m. today, 2:30 p.m. Sunday
Admission: $20-$83
Where: Heinz Hall, Downtown
Details: 412-392-4900
