Little Mermaid becoming one of us
Jodi Benson, the Voice of the Little Mermaid, has been to Buffalo several times in recent memory. Now, she could be becoming one of us.
To get to her gig Friday with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus, Benson dealt gamely with our big snowstorm. Twice during the concert, she said “anyways.” And to top off these Buffalo feats, she sang “Let There Be Peace on Earth,” the classic folk mass standard. Has “Let There Be Peace on Earth” ever been performed before by the BPO? I cannot imagine. It was a wild arrangement, too, ending with Benson, in an ice blue gown, doing high, flowery things with her voice as the chorus and orchestra soared. And that was one of the concert’s tamer moments.
The Philharmonic’s Holiday Pops gala has become one of the most exciting events of the year. You never have any idea what it will be like. This year’s concert, led by departing Resident Conductor Robert Franz, is a cheery mishmash of this and that — from John Rutter’s bright, brassy “Gloria” to a “Hanukkah Festival Overture.”
Benson’s presence suggests that the show is geared toward kids familiar with “The Little Mermaid.” And the music bears that out. Benson sang an “O Holy Night” that sounded as if it belonged in a modern Disney musical. Full of pop curlicues and adventurous harmonies, it ascended mid-verse into a new key and ended with unbelievable vocal hi-jinks. She also sang Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You.”
The one item on the program that could be called classic, “Carillon” from Bizet’s “L’Arlesienne,“ was cut, perhaps to make room for too-long comedy sketches involving Santa and his wife. Mrs. Claus sashayed in to the tune of a Brazilian dance beat and Santa ran his mouth about politics when a kid in the audience asked for peace on earth. Another kid, asked what she wanted, said she wanted to put the Christ back in Christmas. Good for her.
The Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus added a traditional note, singing polished versions of “White Christmas,” “Silver Bells,” “Holly Jolly Christmas”
and more.
Seen as a whole, the package is cheerily amateurish. But this is a night when people kick back, bring their relatives, enjoy themselves, laugh. Also when a few people venture to Kleinhans who have never been there. The big crowd that braved it through the snow on Friday, which included a lot of kids, seemed happy.
A highlight was “A Visit From St. Nicholas,” with Benson as narrator and the orchestra filling in behind her with deft timing.
One idea we might consider for the future is spotlighting local talent. Some Buffalo-based singers — Colleen Williams, for instance, or Sharon Bailey, or Mary Stahl — could do a terrific job making spirits merry and bright.
Concert Review
Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra
Holiday Pops with conductor Robert Franz and the Buffalo Philharmonic Chorus on Friday and Saturday in Kleinhans Music Hall. Additional performance at 2:30 p. m. today. For more information, call 885-5000 or visit www.bpo.org.
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