Superstars

Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice famously composed the music and wrote the lyrics to their early blockbusters Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and Evita before forging incredible careers separately.

In the beautiful Civic Theatre, 100 members of a community choir, an orchestra of more than 30, local performers and dancers joined professionals Marina Prior, Silvie Paladino, Chloé Zuel and Joshua Robson to pay homage to the duo.

The four leads were beamed looking stylish, with James Bond sophistication, onto large screens at the outset of what proved to be a spectacular, and lavish night of musical entertainment far exceeding the expectations of a concert.

The excellent Hunter Pops Orchestra was on stage with the stars and ensemble walking or dancing up and down a central staircase looking either glamorous or in costume for the various songs.

The concert started with the early musicals from their careers from the decade they worked together on a string of hits. There were hit songs from Joseph and Evita, with an unexpected highlight of this section being a captivating performance of “Oh What a Circus” from Evita led by Joshua Robson.

After this set, the concert shifted between the different composers who Rice worked with over the decades and back to Lloyd Webber’s later career.

It was a fascinating mix of popular musical styles. Rice teamed up with Alan Menken and Elton John for the Disney blockbusters Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and The Lion King which all received their due. As did Chess, which Rice wrote with Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus.

A fascinating part of the evening was the performance of some songs written for musicals that were not commercial successes. The little-known Tim Rice/Alan Menken piece King David, written for the 3000^th anniversary of the founding of Jerusalem, was one of the highlights of the night.

The style of music was markedly different to the ear worms that we are used to from Menken, and this was brilliantly crafted by the new orchestration of the conductor Dan Wilson and passion of the soloists and choir.

Added to mix were songs from the Rice musicals The Road to El Dorado and From Here to Eternity.

Superstars came home in the second act with blockbuster Lloyd Webber musicals. It was sweet hear how Marina Prior, who was first introduced into musical theatre as a little girl at a performance of Jesus Christ Superstar, ended up meeting the legendary composer when she was cast as Christine in the original Australian production of Phantom.

Silvie Paladino was the star singer of the night, giving the audience a preview of what she will sound like as the alternate lead in Sunset Boulevard later this year.

The whole cast and choir concluded the evening with a rousing rendition of “Love Changes Everything”, giving the audience a unique insight into the body of work of two men who once worked together and have since led their craft for 50 years.

David Spicer