Derek Deane’s ‘Strictly Gershwin’ at The Royal Albert Hall - is an altogether bigger and better version of the sell out 2008 production, and with only 13 performances from Thursday 9th June - Saturday 19th June it is guaranteed to be one of the hottest tickets in London.
The 50 piece jazz orchestra along with triple Olivier Award-winning Maria Friedman delighted with Gershwin’s most popular hits including The Man I Love and Someone to Watch Over Me. Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin’s first classical piece was brought to life by the Royal Ballet performers with breathtaking choreography. Other sequences included tap and ballroom, all danced in-the-round of The Royal Albert Hall.
The 50 piece jazz orchestra along with triple Olivier Award-winning Maria Friedman delighted with Gershwin’s most popular hits including The Man I Love and Someone to Watch Over Me. Rhapsody in Blue - Gershwin’s first classical piece was brought to life by the Royal Ballet performers with breathtaking choreography. Other sequences included tap and ballroom, all danced in-the-round of The Royal Albert Hall.
The majesty of the environment lends itself perfectly to the beauty of both the music and dancing, not to mention the Swarovski studded costumes designed by Roberta Guidi di Bagno. You don’t have to be a music or dance connoisseur to appreciate ‘Strictly Gershwin’ - you just have to have a romantic heart. Royal Ballet star Tamara Rojo was magnificent and the tap performances by Douglas Mills and Paul Robinson are especially memorable - recapturing the golden age and glamour of Broadway.
This night is a homage to one of the greatest modern composers and some of the greatest music of the 20th Century. George Gershwin (1898-1937) created the music and his brother Ira wrote the lyrics.
‘Strictly Gershwin’ works so well because so much of their work was written for musicals, highly celebrated in the 20’s and 30’s. In 1937 Shall We Dance was their first Hollywood musical starring Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire. Tragically, two months after the film’s release George, who had been experiencing blinding headaches for some time, died at the premature age of 38 from a malignant brain tumour. George Gershwin received a posthumous Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song at the 1937 Oscars for They Can’t Take That Away From Me.
Ira attended to his brother’s estate, ensuring manuscripts and other documents were saved and his legacy protected. Gershwin died intestate and everything, including all his royalties passed to his mother, many believe him to have been the wealthiest and most successful composer of all time.
‘Strictly Gershwin’ is a spectacular experience not to be missed with the Strike Up The Band sequence, complete with roller skating Uncle Sams and performers on bicycles, perfectly capturing the spirit of the Gershwin brother’s musicality.
9-19 June 2011
Tickets
£19.50, £31, £33, £35, £37.50, £55, £57.50, £60, £65
Venue
Royal Albert Hall, London
Box Office
020 7838 3100
Book online www.royalalberthall.com
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