Posted on December 15, 2017 at 6:29 pm
The good folks at Brigham Young University (namely Jeff Martin) got wind of the SubCulture concert that Kelli and I did together last January, and asked if we would come and do it in their gorgeous deJong Concert Hall to finish the BYUArts season. Thus it was that I got to fulfill my lifelong dream of spending the third night of Chanukah in Provo, Utah.
Eight hundred folks came out to share our evening of music-making, which included a suite of songs from The Bridges of Madison County; Kelli’s first time singing “Still Hurting” since 2001, when we offered her the understudy track (!) for the premiere in Chicago and she turned us down; our frantic pre-show attempts to make sure we took out all the swearing in our songs lest we violate the “morals clause” in our rider (sporadically successful); and for the finale, Kelli’s bravura performance of the most gonzo piece of special material I’ve ever heard, Dan Lipton and David Rossmer’s “They Don’t Let You In The Opera.”
December 14th also marked the fifth anniversary of the shootings in Newtown, CT, an event that changed my life and instilled in me a determination to do whatever I could to get guns out of the hands of those who should not have them. I’ve met some of the family members of the children and teachers murdered at Sandy Hook, and had the unbelievable privilege of making music with Jimmy Greene, whose daughter Ava was among the victims. I don’t sing “Twenty-Six Names” very often – it hurts too much, to be honest – but it felt important to share it last night, to again say out loud those names so that they can be remembered, and celebrated. My commitment to the Brady Campaign continues, and I hope you’ll consider contributing this holiday season.
Hope (2016)
I Love Betsy from Honeymoon In Vegas (2015)
KELLI: To Build A Home from The Bridges of Madison County (2014)
KELLI: Another Life from The Bridges of Madison County (2014)
It All Fades Away from The Bridges of Madison County (2014)
The Old Red Hills of Home from Parade (1998)
Over from Wearing Someone Else’s Clothes (2005)
Fifty Years Long (2015)
KELLI: Still Hurting from The Last Five Years (2002)
Twenty-Six Names (2012)
All Things In Time (2009)
Invisible (2016)
KELLI: Christmas Lullaby from Songs for a New World (1995)
KELLI: Make Someone Happy (music by Jule Styne, lyric by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, 1960)
KELLI: They Don’t Let You In The Opera (If You’re a Country Star) (music by Dan Lipton, lyric by David Rossmer, 2011)
Moving Too Fast from The Last Five Years (2002)
3 comments
I was there and the concert was incredible! I was given tickets at the last minute and was excited to attend a night of Broadway music performed by professionals. I was surprised at first when I realized I probably wouldn’t recognize any of the music. But wow, did I enjoy it! The music, the lyrics and the vocal performances touched my heart, made me want to dance or weep, or just sit back and let it wash over me. Sometimes at these things I enjoy them but look for the final piece to come sooner than later – no such feelings last night. In fact, I was hoping for an encore! I can’t tell you how amazing it was to watch Jason’s hands move all over that keyboard with his left foot pounding out the beat and his vocals raising the roof! So much talent so selflessly shared! Thank you! Thank you for spending the third night of Hanukkah on the de Jong stage in extremely conservative Provo, Utah. This audience member will never forget it! (And in fact, hopes to find sheet music to learn some of those wonderful pieces.) And thank Kelli, too.
My wife and I drove in that morning from Denver just for you two, and thank you so much for sharing your gifts. As fans (and occasional professional performers), we knew almost all of the numbers (my wife is a soprano and I play keys & MD when I can). To your shout out to all the Jews in the house I wanted to say, “do you really think we’d reveal ourselves here!?” 🙂 Also, we *did* get tickets to Honeymoon in Vegas, but not on Broadway. It was on our honeymoon that we saw it at the Papermill.
Keep up the good work and come to Denver sometime, we have a small but vibrant musical theater community that would fill a medium-sized house for you.
Shalom.
What a brilliant evening! When I learned you were coming to BYU, I made immediate plans to attend. This was absolutely a bucket list concert for me. I drove in from Nevada that afternoon, and it was worth every mile. I am a vocal instructor, and two of my students are attending school at BYU, and were also in the audience. If I could have packed all of my high school aged students into the car, they all would have come with me to witness such a marvelous evening.
From the first note to the final bow, there were tears streaming down my face. Every piece touched my soul. I already knew most of the songs you shared, but no matter how many times I hear the music, I will never get tired of it. I did my very best not to sing along, but that’s nearly impossible.
I feel unbelievably lucky to have not only been witness to a live performance of such a beautifully written songs, but to be able to sit and listen to Kelli O’Hara sing live was a once in a lifetime experience for me. I don’t have the words to describe how much I love her voice. Her talent leaves me speechless.
Thank you so much to both of you for spending a bit of your time in Utah, sharing your talents with us. It will be an evening that will stay with me forever.
The comments are closed.