Uptown Singers! to perform Lunchtime show at Servino Restaurant in Tiburon

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Uptown Singers

The recent passing of Luciano Pavarotti revealed a connection between Opera and Broadway. True much of the attention the great tenor received was due to his amiable personality. Yet there is a direct correlation between opera and Broadway because of people's love of music.

The Uptown Singers at Servino Restaurant in Tiburon will perform a show called “From Broadway to Italy and Back” on Oct. 12.

Music regardless of style is universal to everyone and music that tells a story…ah! Here is where opera and Broadway have a strong connection.

“Story-themes from opera have appeared numerous times on Broadway, a recent example is the musical RENT. It is a retelling of La Boehme,” said USF - Fromm Institute professor, Joe Marchi.

Marchi who lectures regularly on the subject of Broadway and the history of musicals in American culture praised the “Uptown Singers!” whose shows join the repertoire of both Opera and Musical Theatre, making for an exciting presentation.

He appreciates the venue of a lunchtime performance at the restaurant. Marchi mentioned that the “Uptown Singers!” interact with the audience while they sing, making the performance engaging and fun. They recently performed their Italian Adventure show at Fior D'Italia in San Francisco. Their show brings music and culture to the people. “The singers are outstanding in the way they blend opera and musicals together,” said Marchi.

Observing the groups' previous shows he knows how much audiences love it and show equal appreciation for an old show tune favorite as much as a classic aria.

Another example of this opera and Broadway blending is in the works of Andrew Lloyd Webber. Marchi noted many of Webber's award-winning works such as Jesus Christ Superstar, Phantom of the Opera, Cats, etc. “Webber uses arias in his productions. Look at 'Evita' that is all singing no spoken words throughout the entire show,” said Marchi.

The drama of the story creates the music and the music entices the audience to be pulled into the drama. While the American musical also includes dance and monologue, the basic thread that pulls it all together is the story in the music.

As cited by the online encyclopedia Wikipedia the origin of musical theater of sorts can be traced back to the plays of the ancient Greeks. The ancient Greeks included music in their tragedies and comedies as early as the 5th Century BC.

Passed on to the Romans who included song in the comedies of Plautus, some of the early forms of theater and musicals that we still use today were formed in Italy during the Renaissance in the Commedia del'Arte.

Over the centuries, other parts of Europe such as France, Germany and Britain added their part to musical theater traditions. But much of the American musical has its roots in opera, ballet and theater, which in 19th and early 20th Century America branched into what was known as Vaudeville.

Vaudeville was a mixture of many things…a variety show of sorts. Yet at its heart was music. And even for the dusty pioneers that settled the Golden West opera and theater were very popular.

Matter of fact, Enrique Caruso was performing in San Francisco when the great earthquake of 1906 struck. It is said he vowed never to return. Yet, the love of opera never wavered as four years after the great quake and fire on Christmas Eve, opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini performed for a crowd of 250,000.

Interestingly Kathy Holly's grandfather, P.H. McCarthy, was mayor at the time and gave Tetrazzini permission to perform on the steps of City Hall.

Vaudeville with its Commedia del 'Arte roots eventually evolved into what some historians now consider Broadway. “There is no question in my mind, Broadway can certainly be traced to the Commedia del 'Arte in Renaissance Italy,” said Marchi.

He also noted that, “In Broadway there was also the influence of the Harlem Renaissance with composers like WC Handy and Scott Joplin. And there is also the establishment of Tin Pan Alley that was at West 28th Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue in Manhattan that provided much of the published material for popular music in America.

As the hit parade of songs filled the American songbook over the decades, some of the most popular singers who filled the airwaves of radio and early television were of Italian ancestry. “Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Perry Como, and Bobby Darin (born Robert Cassotto), these were all Italians,” said Marchi.

“Our show at Servino in Tiburon will be a combination of Broadway medleys and will include Italian opera duets, solos and some Neapolitan favorites,” said “Uptown Singers!” founder Kathy Holly.

“We are combining our Italian theme with Broadway favorites because of so many requests,” said Holly. She has been producing as well as performing in San Francisco's Lunchtime Cabaret Series featuring “Uptown Singers!” at various venues around the Bay Area during the past two years.

“Angelo, the owner of Servino's loves opera and requested that we include opera in our show,” said Holly. Previous performances of “From Italy to Broadway and Back” have surpassed expectations,” she added. “After all, Opera was invented by the Italians and Italy is the home of the Opera.”

“Uptown Singers!” will also perform on October 7th in Newark in their 19th Art Series. For more information on that, visit www.lov.org The Oct 12th lunch and show at Servino in Tiburon will begin at 12 Noon. For more information about “From Italy to Broadway and Back” call: Kathy Holly 415.648.7531 for tickets. Tickets are in advance only.