Maestro John Foreman met Casey Donovan, Paulini and Rob Mills on the set of Australian Idol more than 20 years ago. Foreman was the original musical director of the show and all four, including Foreman, have gone on to forge enviable careers. Put them together a couple of decades on and you have the makings of something special. That is exactly the case with John Foreman’s Australian Pops Orchestra and The Idols of Music Theatre at Melbourne Recital Centre.
Individually and collectively, they have power, poise and precision. They are confident performers … entertainers extraordinaire – joyful and triumphant. From soulful ballads to soaring popular numbers, they can do no wrong: big, melodic voices and plenty of heart. Their repertoire of 18 songs plus an encore straddles pop, musical theatre and their Idol journeys: solos, duets and trios, starting and ending with the latter.
In between tunes, there is engaging patter and banter. Foreman, who conducts his splendid 40-piece orchestra, speaks briefly to all of them. Mills recollects that he exited Idol in R & B Week. Paulini, the youngest of six, learnt to sing in church. She was 16 when Marcia Hines’ bass player encouraged her to audition for Idol. The ultimate storyteller, Casey overcame her nervousness by putting everything into the characters she plays.
So it is that on this platform, the three sing Freedom 90, Knew You Were Waiting and Can’t Stop the Feeling. Casey and Paulini combine on I’m Every Woman, while Rob and Paulini belt out Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, following a change of outfit, after interval. Then Rob and Casey join forces for Teenage Dream.
The program includes several songs from & Juliet, while the overall mix gives the artistes a good opportunity to showcase their range. That is also how they have been able to parlay their television success into musical theatre acclaim. With electrifying voices, their timbre and tone are enviable. The concert is rich and redolent, and heaps of fun. Clearly, there is a strong connection between all three.
The Idols of Musical Theatre play again at 2pm on 28th December, as part of the Australian Pops Orchestra’s four concert series. Next up are The New Year’s Eve and The Day Before Gala Concerts, a collection of Broadway classics and orchestral favourites. Front and centre will be Marina Prior, Lucy Durack and Simon Gleeson, who will be joined by the Dana Jolly Dancers. Those concerts will take place on the 30th and 31st December at 2pm, with another at 8pm on the last day of the year.
To book for all concerts, go to www.apoconcerts.com
Alex First
Other reviews you might enjoy:
- John Foreman’s Australian Pops Orchestra New Year’s Eve & The Day Before Gala Concerts (Hamer Hall) – concert review
- The Great Christmas Singalong, at the Melbourne Recital Centre
- They Sang at Carnegie Hall, at the Melbourne Recital Centre
Alex First is the editor of The Blurb. Alex is a Melbourne based journalist and communications specialist. He also contributes to The Blurb on film and theatre.
