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[Snow_White_Girl]

Hey everyone

I don't know whether this has been posted already or whether this is even the right place for this! If it's not I'm sure an admin will put me straight!

Basically, during a very non-productive day at work, I heard a trailer on Radio 2 for a live concert taking place in London on December 8th called "Radio 2 celebrates the music of Disney", I was instantly alert *lol!* , but didn't think anything more of it as it was a live concert.

Imagine my surprise to go on the Radio 2 website tonight and find out that it may be live, but they're recording it for broadcast! For all us lucky people in the UK, it's due to be broadcast on Radio 2 on Boxing Day (time to be confirmed)!

More info from the Radio 2 website:

"Radio 2 brings a galaxy of Broadway and West End stars to London for a unique concert event celebrating The Music of Disney.

Staged in the Lyceum Theatre - the current home of 'The Lion King'  - the 70-piece BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Larry Blank, will back a stellar cast that includes the original Broadway stars of 'The Lion King', 'Beauty and the Beast'; 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame'; 'Aida' and 'The Little Mermaid' .

Heather Headley, Ashley Brown, Drew Sarich, Adam Pascal and Tituss Burgess will be joined by West End stars Maria Friedman and London's current 'Zorro', Matt Rawle, plus the current cast of The Lion King for a dazzling evening of musical magic.

The concert willl feature classics from 'Pinocchio', 'Mary Poppins', 'Fantasia', 'Jungle Book' 'Lady and the Tramp'; 'Toy Story', 'The Hunchback of Notre Dame', 'Lion King', 'Aladdin', 'Cinderella', 'Snow White', 'Tarzan', 'Sleeping Beauty', 'Enchanted' and 'High School The Musical' . Among the songs: 'The Circle of Life', 'The Bare Necessities'; 'Under the Sea'; A Whole New World; 'Once Upon A Dream' 'You'll Be In My Heart', 'He's A Tramp; Beauty and the Beast; and of course 'When You Wish Upon A Star' ....

Just thought I'd let you all know! I can't wait for this!  /

[MinniesBestPal]

I'll be listening!

[The Butlin Boy]

Sounds good, I might have to tune into that. Thanks for telling us

[Javey74]

Thanks for the info Snow White Girl, I'll be listening for sure.. /  /  /

[Anthony]

I got an email from Disney about this today:

http://www2.disney.co.uk/MusicalTheatre ... x-abs.html

I'd love to go, but it's about £50 a ticket... I know it's a one-off, but that seems a bit steep. :? Hmm.

[Snow_White_Girl]

I'd love to go too, but I'd never be able to do it...London..on a weeknight, no chance!

(Ooh Anthony I've just noticed you live in the same place as me! How random haha!)

[Anthony]

Guess who got tickets...!! 8-[

Turns out, when we mumble on about Disney things to family, they sometimes are listening. :wink:

I'll tell you all about it!

[The Butlin Boy]

Guess who got tickets...!! 8-[

Turns out, when we mumble on about Disney things to family, they sometimes are listening. :wink:

I'll tell you all about it!

Was it you? :wink:

I hope you enjoy it, I'm looking forward to hearing you talk about it

[Javey74]

Guess who got tickets...!! 8-[

Turns out, when we mumble on about Disney things to family, they sometimes are listening. :wink:

I'll tell you all about it!

Well done Anthony... /  /

Now you'll have to sly that video camera in, if you get caught just pretend your from the BBC iand if anyone asks, just tell them its to be televised for a programme called DLRP Magic... :lol:  :lol:  :mrgreen:

[Anthony]

The concert was amazing, fantastic, magical... all the superlatives you can think of basically. :mrgreen:

The stage was mainly taken up by the orchestra themselves, with two Radio 2 banners above them, a podium for the conductor and arranger and some space at the front for the singers. It was a plain radio recording, nothing very visual, as you'd expect, but that probably made it all the more brilliant.

You're in for such a treat when they play this out. Beautiful orchestra, incredible... INCREDIBLE singers and an all-round perfect show. I have never, ever seen an audience react like they did (and I was joining in of course). Right from the first song, the applause was HUGE and it kept building until the end, when people were stood, clapping, cheering, whistling and actually, desperately shouting "MORE!!!".

Performance of the night for me was Kerry Butler singing "Part of your World" and a new song from The Little Mermaid on Broadway. You know that moment where the music builds and then goes silent, leaving Ariel singing alone? It felt like the whole theatre had been frozen, everyone was simply, completely IN the song. Breathtaking...

Seeing the "original" Belle, Ashley Browne was a treat too, and she was just as spectacular. Heather Headley from The Lion King and Aida was really different and unique, her slow version of "When She Loved Me" backed by just a guitar was almost too tragic to bear. It really felt quite special when they announced she'd not only be joining with her old co-star from Aida (Adam Pascal) for a song from the show but that it'd be the first time it had ever been performed in the UK.  All the stars seemed genuinely a bit overwhelmed by the audience response.

I'll try and pin down the exact set list before it's broadcast, but you won't be disappointed. They covered everything from The Lion King (I'd forgotten how spectacular that show is - and all the cast did was come on and stand while singing) to Snow White to The Jungle Book to Enchanted and even High School Musical (my least favourite of the night to be honest). Infact, I got to jump up and down in the seat and smile madly twice for Enchanted, because for some reason Ashley Brown's first performance had recording difficulties, so it became a little extra encore after the final "When You Wish Upon a Star" sung by Josh himself.

Oh, did anyone see Never Mind the Buzzcocks on BBC2 yesterday? Josh Groban was on one of the teams and actually did a great job. He was funny at the concert too, but in a more old-fashioned Disney way (except when he mis-pronounced the word Thorny... ahum). Simon Amstell mentioned his fans are very loyal and call themselves "Grobanites". I think there were more than a few in the audience at the concert. And lots of fans of the individual performers too, particularly Adam Pascal. Very funny watching their excitement. :lol:

There were also two great moments where the BBC Concert Orchestra played by themselves, first a wonderful overture to start the show and later a "Golden Age" medley of music from Snow White, Pinocchio and Dumbo.

The whole thing was about 2hrs including the second "How Does She Know".

Set your radios for 26th December, and try to record it if you can! :ears:

[The Butlin Boy]

Great review Ant, I'm really glad you had a great time. It sounds fantastic, I might have to tune in if I can :wink:

[Javey74]

Wow, thank's for sharing that report, Anthony...I wished I'd been there.. =D>  =D>  

I'm definitely tuning in on the 26th now, I cannot wait...  /  /  /

I wonder if they'll release a Live CD of the concert..

[peep]

That sounds great. Tbh I don't really listen to the radio that much any more. I have noticed recently that the BBC put the majority of their radio broadcasts on the BBC iplayer so I'm praying its on that if I forget to hear it first time round.

[Anthony]

I'm hoping it will be on the iPlayer, so I can somehow record it... :wink:

Here's the free "programme" they handed out at the theatre doors:

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/6902 ... rt1nc4.jpg

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/8763 ... rt2mq1.jpg

I'd forgotten Drew Sarich, who did an amazing performance of "Out There" from Hunchback.

[The Butlin Boy]

I'm hoping it will be on the iPlayer, so I can somehow record it... :wink:

Here's the free "programme" they handed out at the theatre doors:

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/6902 ... rt1nc4.jpg

http://img388.imageshack.us/img388/8763 ... rt2mq1.jpg

I'd forgotten Drew Sarich, who did an amazing performance of "Out There" from Hunchback.

Nice programme, thanks for uploading it