From the romantic icon Enrico Caruso singing his signature aria "O Sole Mio" to a teasing and whimsical Cole Porter swaying the palm trees of the imagination with "Begin the Beguine", famous singers, pianists, swing bands and entire orchestras have been an integral part of the history and legend of the world's most opulently appointed passenger liners. The stories of the popular opera singers, the likes of Lili Pons and legendary pianists such as Paderewski in the days before the advent of cinema, to the days of the early silent movies with Rudolf Valentino to the early "talkies" of Mae West and America's favorite swing bands such as Glenn Miller, right on up to today's big box office pop and rock singers--these stories are all intertwined with the lives of the rich and famous, the colorful and the notorious, the rise and fall of the American Dream. Every one of these luminaries in the limelight of stage or film travelled and performed on ocean liners out of America, Britain, and Scandinavia.
Whether it be a Mario Lanza seducing a select group of passengers with "Return to Sorrento" or Nat King Cole and his orchestra caressing the crowd by crooning a classic love song such as "Nature Boy" or "Mona Lisa", singers throughout the 20th century, especially in the heyday of Hollywood from the Thirties through the Fifties have been enmeshed in a golden history that is the stuff of fantasy and fairy tales. The musical splendour of the great luxury cruise liners has been intimately embedded in the history of America and Britain's greatness and glory, outlasting world wars, depression, enormous changes in technology and upheavals in culture, society and politics.
From this vast treasure of song and story, Richard Cray, baritone and Cody Gillette, pianist, offer a window in time, a return to the splendour of the past by presenting glimpses of the great singers and pianists who have performed on the great ocean liners. Offerings include songs that were current on both Broadway as well as the ship entertainment circuit of the 1930s, such as "My Ship", "Lost in the Stars", and "Speak Low" by Kurt Weill, (originally sung by the early queen of cabaret and former stage star Mabel Mercer).
Solo piano selections include "Rhapsody in Blue", composed by George Gershwin, actually, as he was inspired by sound of ocean waves (and a deadline by the Paul Whiteman Band!) as well as Gershwin's own variations on fun, upbeat numbers such as "I Got Rhythm" "Lady Be Good" and "There's a Boat That's Leavin' for New York" also from the 30's, or the beautiful and haunting "Warsaw Concerto" by Richard Addinsell for the film of the same name in 1942.
Operetta selections by the popular composers of the day such as Victor Herbert and Franz Lehar are represented, or you may hear "Desert Song" by Sigmund Romberg. Included are memorable romantic art songs such as "Ich Liebe Dich" of Grieg, as well as Neapolitan favorites such as "La Paloma" or "Santa Lucia", not to forget the irresistible crowd-pleaser "Granada" or the classic song of seduction, "One Alone".
Last but certainly not least, songs by the master of lyrics and high society himself, Cole Porter, are represented--in some cases, with extra, rarely heard additional stanzas-- exquisite, high-flying songs such as "It's De-Lovely", or "You're the Top". Bernstein also gets in on the act with his moving "Lonely Town" and plaintive "Somewhere".
Film selections of the 50's include David Raksin's immensely popular tune that changed the way film scores were written forever, the hauntingly beautiful "Laura", and the thought-provoking "Windmills of My Mind" by another excellent film composer, Michel LeGrand. The evening would not be complete without reliving songs made famous on Broadway as well as on cruise liners by the world's most published songwriter of all time, Irving Berlin, exemplified by "How Deep is the Ocean" and "Cheek to Cheek".
The "Golden Era of Luxury Liners--The Great Singers and Songwriters" show is structured to give its listeners glimpses of the colorful world of stage and film through the eyes of the glorious history of the luxury liner, with brief historical anecdotes. It is a evening that takes the listener travelling through the world of time, geography and the emotions by way of songs expertly and dramatically interpreted, guaranteed to reach the hearts and minds of each and every listener.
Cody Gillette