Sondheim fans run see this!

“Sondheim on Sondheim,” currently playing at the Lyric Stage, is a clever conceit. The music of this prodigious composer is performed by a cast of eight on stage, while a large backdrop of multiple screens plays montages of Stephen Sondheim himself telling bits and pieces of his life story and the stories behind many of his musicals. The cast is a strong one, with such familiar local favorites as Leigh Barrett, Aimee Doherty and Christopher Chew. A new face to us was Mala Bhattacharya, whose soaring soprano was delightful. Maritza Bostic, Davon Monroe, Sam Simahk and Patrick Varner were energetic young singers new to us but all held up their end. Probably best known for Sweeney Todd, Sondheim’s output is vast. He has won eight Tony awards, more than any other composer. Presented on the Lyric stage were such old favorites as Send in the Clowns and I Hear a Waltz, and many unfamiliar to us but probably known to true Sondheim aficionados. The production ran for over 2 hours, 40 minutes with an intermission, but the time flew by. Don’t miss it!

Snow-bird alert - great Florida orchestra

A highlight of our stay in St Petersburg was a “Coffee Concert” by the Florida Orchestra. Formed in 1966 when the Tampa Philharmonic and the St Petersburg Symphony merged, the Florida Orchestra performs a variety of classic and lighter orchestral music around Tampa Bay. The orchestra’s Board is headed by our own Tom Farquhar, and Barbara is also active with the group. We attended at the beautiful Mahaffey Theatre, with superb acoustics. The 2000 seat theatre was filled almost to capacity. The “coffee concerts” are intended to broaden the audience for classical music, and perform portions, such as a single movement, of symphonies and suites. We attended the Tchaikovsky Celebration, an almost two-hour concert featuring works from his entire career. Each piece was introduced by the guest conductor, Jacomo Bairos, who has the charisma of Keith Lockhart and a bright future. The orchestra had a rich clear sound, and is clearly first-class. If you winter in the Tampa Bay area, put the Florida Orchestra on your must-do list