#SHOWBIZ: MPO pays tribute to Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland
Come 8pm on Saturday (July 12), it celebrates the music of two of the biggest names of mid-20th century American music, Frank Sinatra and Judy Garland at Dewan Filharmonik Petronas (DFP), KLCC, Jalan Ampang, Kuala Lumpur.
TRAVEL
The MPO will travel back in time with some of Hollywood's most memorable songs on the silver screen, and merge classic pop and symphonic twists, to give the audience musical richness while capturing the spirit of the Hollywood's Golden Age.
A household name in the 1940s and 1950s, Sinatra (1915–1998) was an American cultural icon, known for both his baritone voice and stage charisma.
On top of music, he also had a successful acting career with an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in From Here to Eternity (1953).
Garland (1922-1969) was an American singer and actress renowned for her powerful contralto voice and emotional vocal depth.
Fans of both can listen to Sinatra's evergreen classics such as 'Luck Be a Lady' from the movie 'Guys And Dolls' (1955), 'Three Coins in the Fountain' from the 1954 movie of the same name and 'How About You?' from the film 'Babes on Broadway' (1941). Also included in the programme are gems such as 'I Could Write a Book' (from 'Pal Joey', 1957), 'You're Sensational (from 'High Society', 1956) and 'You're A'wful' (from 'On The Town', 1949).
RAINBOW
Garland's iconic classic 'Somewhere Over The Rainbow' taken from the movie that catapulted her to fame, 'The Wizard of Oz' (1939)' will be the highlight of her tribute, and this song won the Oscar for Best Original Song.
From the 1954 film 'A Star Is Born', the MPO will present 'The Man That Got Away', a song that showcases her vocal prowess.
Her other memorable songs in this concert repertoire include the romantic ballad 'The Boy Next Door' from 'Meet Me in St. Louis' (1944), 'I Got Rhythm' (from 'Girl Crazy', 1943) and 'Be a Clown' (from 'The Pirate', 1948).
OPERATIC
The MPO will be helmed by Richard Balcombe who has firmly established himself as one of the most versatile conductors of his generation, with an impressive operatic and orchestral credits besides actively involved in West End presentations.
The vocalists, Graham Bickley and Katie Birtill, return to the DFP stage after enthralling audiences with their collaboration with the MPO in 'The Music of The Bee Gees' concert last year.
Graham has performed with orchestras throughout the UK and Europe with over 25 years of West End stage credits.
Birtill has enjoyed a varied career in music and theatre and is renowned for her versatile vocals, heartfelt storytelling and dynamic performances.
FANS
In a recent interview, Balcombe said that the three of them first collaborated with the MPO in 'The Music of The Bee Gees', and they were big fans of Sinatra and Garland.
He said: "Sinatra has the most amazing voice with a completely original quality and his legato singing is as good as any 'classical' singer.
"I'm lucky that I conduct a variety of music ranging from classical to swing to pop and rock."
ENERGY
Balcombe added that the MPO's approach to playing was full of energy and the enthusiasm could almost be touched!
"I love performing in DFP as it's a very intimate space even while holding a large audience.
"You can feel the connection with every member of the audience."
STANDARD
"The repertoire in this concert is mostly from film so the orchestration is not complicated as the standard symphony orchestra would have been used," he said.
Balcombe said that Garland covered all styles from swing right through to romantic melody.
"She had such a versatile voice and making the accompaniments is exciting because I always think of what she would have sounded like."
Bickley said that while he was a Sinatra fan, he was more of a fan of Nelson Riddle, his inspirational orchestrator.
"The combination of Sinatra's voice coupled with Riddle's arrangements were a unbeatable team," he said, adding that his favourite music genres were jazz, swing and 1970s rock.
As for Garland, Bickley described her as a troubled soul, who provided a body of work that remains untouchable even today.
"She certainly put her heart and soul into every performance," he said.
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