NY Philharmonic Spring Gala with Sutton Foster
Sutton Foster (Photo by Chris Lee)
On May 6, 2025, the New York Philharmonic presented their annual Spring Gala. Held at the Wu Tsai Theater of the new David Geffen Hall, the evening was a celebration of Broadway and jazz favorites, featuring Tony Award-winning artist Sutton Foster.
Kicking off the program energy and style was the overture to Bernstein's 'Candide'. Leading the orchestra this evening in his NY Phil debut was conductor Michael Rafter, who quickly demonstrated a wealth of energy and experience as the orchestra laid out the exuberant passages and motifs of the operetta
The first of Foster's numbers was a medley of songs, cycling between the beaming lyricism of 'Cockeyed Optimist' from 'South Pacific,' through the grounded patter of 'Everybody Says Don't' from 'Anyone Can Whistle,' and into the unbound enthusiasm of 'Say Yes' from Kander & Ebb's '70, Girls, 70.'
Next up were two songs from Cole Porter. The first, 'I Get a Kick Out of You' from 'Anything Goes,' was a charming revisit to Foster's experience in the role of Reno Sweeney. The second, 'Don't Look at me That Way' from 'Paris,' was new territory according to Foster, and yet it paired naturally with her sense of comedic timing and phrasing to add up to a delightful and humorous rejection of love.
Following this was a charming rendition of 'Stars and the Moon' from Jason Robert Brown's 'Songs from a New World,' where the energetic phrases of luxury and promises, accented with adoration by Foster and pristine arpeggios from the keys, were humorously undercut with the idea of something more.
Sutton Foster performs with the New York Philharmonic and pianist MeghannZervoulis Bate (Photo by Chris Lee)
A number of selections drew not only from Foster's experience on Broadway, but as a mother as well. Her take on the 1938 jazz standard 'Undecided' by Shavers & Robin was given a delightful lens as Foster related the phrases around experiences like getting her daughter dressed in the mornings. Joining these qualities wonderfully was 'Goodnight, my Someone,' from Meredith Wilson's 'The Music Man.' Sharing that the number has been a cherished bedtime song of her daughter's before and after Foster's run as Marian Paroo, the selection carried with an abundance of warmth and affection which made it one of the evening's highlights.
Continuing the medleys was 'If I Were a Bell,' from 'Guys and Dolls' and 'Singin' in the Rain' from the musical of the same name. Rafter's arrangement of these two songs brought the best out of both as the inner imagery of the first transitioned into the chorus of the second with ease and Foster took the audience along a charming musical stroll.
Rafter's arrangements were on fine display through the evening's program, equally at ease with boisterous, Broadway tunes such as 'Down with Love,' from 'Hooray for What!' or something more reflective and sentimental like 'A Case of You,' by Joni Mitchell.
The evening had much for the audience to savor, with fresh takes on many beloved numbers, and a broad range of works which celebrated Foster's work as an artist as well as a mother.
(Photo by Julie Skarratt Photography)
The season is set to continue for the NY Philharmonic with a program from soprano Renée Fleming and Rod Gilfry, who will perform Kevin Puts' 'The Brightness of Light' as well as Ravel's 'Daphnis et Chloé.'
-written by Logan Martell