By Benedicte Dansie
The Deer Valley Music Festival in Park City, Utah presented on a one-night-only Disney in Concert at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater on July 19, featuring four incredible soloists and the always amazing Utah Symphony. Set on the slopes of Deer Valley, the concert had a refreshingly casual feel, which made audience members of all ages feel welcome and excited about the concert. The program included music from lyricists and composers from Alan Menken to Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. When the orchestra began to tune their instruments, instead of a quiet hush, an excited babble broke out among all the little kids present. While tuning might seem a regular part of the symphony to adults, for the kids it was just the beginning of the magic.
The concert started with the playing of the “Walt Disney Theme,” accompanied by the traditional image of a shooting star arcing over the Disneyland castle. The combination of this video and the flawlessly executed theme, which is easily recognizable around the whole world, left the audience breathless with anticipation. This was followed by a darling “Disney Memories Overture” featuring music from classics such as Peter Pan, Lady and the Tramp, Fantasia, and Pinocchio. This sweet and sentimental start really set the tone for the entire concert, helping remind those young and old that Disney has played a part in practically everyone’s lives and brought a unique joy with it.
As the concert continued it maintained a nice balance of medleys, singles, and narration. It moved at a quick pace, making it easy for even the youngest members of the audience to pay attention. Some crowd favorites included “How Far I’ll Go” from Moana, “Let it Go” from Frozen, “When Will My Life Begin” from Tangled, and a Song Suite from The Lion King. When these beloved songs started, kids and adults alike could be heard singing along unabashedly. The pieces selected, combined with the clips from the corresponding films being projected onto the huge movie screens, made the audience feel as though they were right in the center of the Disney story. All the song choices were easily recognizable and were overall a delight to listen to.
Conductor Conner Gray Covington does a marvelous job of leading the orchestra through the intricacies and nuances of each piece. With such popular Disney songs come high expectations about their execution. Covington pushes the orchestra to a level of artistry and beauty that at times seemed to surpass that of the original studio recordings. The opening strains of multiple pieces inspired strong emotions in audience members as they echoed across the mountainside.
Vocalists Roberta McNabb and husband Ed McNabb have fought a legal battle for their son Jordan McNabb so that he could get medically needed therapy.
Andrea Ross, Whitney Claire Kaufman, Aaron Phillips, and Andrew Johnson added a playfulness and life to the concert that one would lose with only orchestration. Ross has a sweetness and innocence, which combines with a pure, strong voice and allows her to take on the role of any Disney princess with ease.
Kaufman handles a wide range of characters and pieces from Elsa to Ursula, her belting voice and delightfully evil laugh allowing her to slip smoothly from personality to personality.
Philips throws himself into his performances, giving all he has over to the singing and theatrical elements of his pieces.
Johnson has lots of energy and a charming personal style that won Friday’s audience over from the moment he stepped on stage and boldly sang “Under the Sea.” The interaction between the four vocalists are entertaining to watch as they work together to help act out scenes through choreographed dance moves and playful teasing. Their lovely harmonies blende well and many of the pieces go above and beyond expectations.
Disney in Concert was an absolutely magical night. There was such a happy, loving environment that everyone’s inner child had permission to break free. While this was the only Disney-themed performance of the 2019 summer season, the Disney concert is a frequent occurrence at the Music Festival, so I recommend planning ahead to see it in the upcoming seasons.
Deer Valley Music Festival Presents Disney in Concert
Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater, 2250 Deer Valley Drive South, Park City, Utah 84060
Tickets: $15-97
July 19, 2019 7:30 PM.
https://deervalleymusicfestival.org
Deer Valley Music Festival Facebook Page
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