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by Michael Portantiere

They Both Reached for the Gunn!

  • They Both Reached for the Gunn!

    Just when you were absolutely certain that every obscure old musical had already been revived in NYC in one form or another -- surprise! On Thursday evening, March 12, the invaluable Collegiate Chorale brought us an extremely rare concert performance of The Firebrand of Florence, the Kurt Weill-Ira Gershwin operetta that only managed 43 Broadway performances in 1945. Featuring the New York City Opera orchestra and presented in the stunningly renovated Alice Tully Hall, the concert starred Nathan Gunn -- the gorgeous baritone who has recently been crossing over from opera to musical theater -- in the central role of artist/babe magnet Benvenuto Cellini, along with the beloved Victoria Clark, David Pittu, Terrence Mann, and a host of other major talents. Here are some pix from the after-party in the upstairs lounge at Tully.

    Gunn-edit.jpg

    Nathan Gunn. Benvenuto, Cellini!

    Clark-Sperling-edit.jpg

    Victoria Clark with the concert's musical director/conductor, Ted Sperling.

    Pittu-Reichard-edit.jpg

    David Pittu with ex-Jersey Boy Daniel Reichard.

    Elice-Reese-Reichard-edit.jpg

    Firebrand director Roger Rees (center) with Reichard and Jersey Boys co-creator Rick Elice.

    Cast-edit.jpg

    The concert's stars (left to right:) Pittu, Terrence Mann, Anna Christy, Clark, and Gunn.

    Published on Friday, March 13, 2009


    Michael Portantiere has more than 30 years' experience as an editor and writer for TheaterMania.com, InTHEATER magazine, and BACK STAGE. He has interviewed theater notables for NPR.org, PLAYBILL, STAGEBILL, and OPERA NEWS, and has written notes for several cast albums. Michael is co-author of FORBIDDEN BROADWAY: BEHIND THE MYLAR CURTAIN, published in 2008 by Hal Leonard/Applause. Additionally, he is a professional photographer whose pictures have been published by THE NEW YORK TIMES, the DAILY NEWS, and several major websites. (Visit www.followspotphoto.com for more information.) He can be reached at [email protected]


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