Reviews of MET Appearance with Barbara Cook
Various Sources
January 2006
The Associated Press
One of the joys of this concert was watching Cook's interaction with a younger crew of performers. Her other two guests were the extraordinary Audra McDonald and the equally awesome Josh Groban.
Each of these performers got the chance to perform solo _ McDonald doing an emotional "When Did I Fall in Love?" from Bock and Harnick's "Fiorello!" and Groban singing a gentle "Not While I'm Around" from "Sweeney Todd."
But it was their duets with Cook that really took off. First, a jazzy rendition of Berlin's "Blue Skies" that had the two women artfully blending their voices. And later, Cook and Groban joining forces for "Move On," Sondheim's advice to artists to remain true to themselves.
In a sense, you could see Cook offering that same bit of wisdom to Groban himself: a legendary performer joyously passing the torch to a younger generation while her own flame still shines brightly.
Variety
Evening included a trio of guest appearances, from Elaine Stritch, who reprised her "Company" triumph "The Ladies Who Lunch"; a divine Audra McDonald, who revisited the Pulitzer Prize-winning musical "Fiorello" with "When Did I Fall in Love?"; and Josh Groban, the promising young crooner who offered a poignant take on "Not While I'm Around" and "Move On," a complex duet with Cook from "Sunday in the Park With George."
Theater Mania
Josh Groban, the third and final guest, did a lovely job with "Not While I'm Around." Then he and Cook teamed up for "Move On" from Sunday in the Park With George, which Cook sang with Malcolm Gets in her 2001 Mostly Sondheim concert at Carnegie Hall.
The Stage Online
She shared this glorious celebration of her artistry with three guests, from three generations, who each did a solo turn and then a duet with Cook: her near-contemporary, the aforementioned Stritch (dueting up a storm together on The Grass is Always Greener from Woman of the Year); the sublime Audra McDonald (dueting on Irving Berlin’s Blue Skies, in a moment that felt very much like a torch being passed from one great singer to another); and then Josh Groban (doing a beautiful version of Sondheim’s Move On from Sunday in the Park with George together).
New York Times
Three guests joined her, including the amazing Audra McDonald and the fresh-voiced Josh Grobin (sic). But the house roared when the indomitable Elaine Stritch showed up to sing a gritty-voiced rendition of her signature tune, Mr. Sondheim's "Ladies Who Lunch."
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