"With the perfect combination of drama, music and dance, and containing some of the most well-known theatre songs, West Side Story is a true classic American musical. For four performances last weekend, the Phoenix Symphony Orchestra presented a spectacular concert version of the music from this musical under the assured conducting of the Symphony's music director, Tito Muñoz..Bernstein's score is beautiful, while also incredibly complex in the level of nuance and intricacy in the musical details. The one song in the score that best shows the number of layers and texture is the "Tonight (Quintet)" that features all of the major roles and the entire ensemble. The complexity and detail in the counterpoint of that song is not just thrilling but also incredibly stunning. ...From the crisp, staccato beats of "Cool" to the ebb and flow of melody in the romantic ballads like "Somewhere" and "One Hand, One Heart," and the heat and intensity of the "Mambo," the level of musical sophistication is high. Bernstein's ability to have every section of the orchestra prominent and highlighted at various moments is also more apparent when you hear this music in a concert setting where the orchestra isn't hidden in a pit...I believe that West Side Story is Bernstein's most accomplished, moving and significant musical theatre score. With a story and a message that is still relevant today, incredibly dynamic and polished playing by the Phoenix Symphony, a group of talented vocalists, and the expert control of both the orchestra and the singers by conductor Tito Muñoz, this West Side Story in Concert was an incredibly rewarding experience. " -Gil Benbrook, Talkin' Broadway (click here to read the complete review)
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