HEAVEN, YOU’LL BE IN HEAVEN
One could scrutinize the reasons that an apotheosis of songwriting appeared early in the twentieth-century, but there was something magical floating through the air that surrounded the world of popular music, not just in America but in Europe as well. Baby Boomers and Millennials have enjoyed a glimpse of this era via electronica, but rare is the opportunity to soak up classics from the Great American Songbook live, delivered by someone who retains the wit, debonair charm, refinement, humor, and sophistication of those long-gone singers and songwriters. This is why a visit to see the charismatic baritone Max Raabe and his orchestra, who make their Broad Stage debut on April 1, 2017, is a no-brainer (they have a few other dates before returning to Germany). Max Raabe & Palast Orchester, as the world-famous group is known, embodies the high style and musical glory of the 1920s and ‘30s and they will be performing songs from and in the style of that remarkable time.
A singer of incredible range, Raabe has the ability to capture the cunning rasp of the cabaret singer, the confidence of the bel canto hero, the oily melodiousness of the revue beau, the carefree timbre of early jazz, as well as the falsetto of ragtime, all backed by his stellar 13-piece band, many of whom have been with him since the orchestra’s formation in the mid-80s.
Always elegant and smart in appearance, Berlin’s famed crooner and his players will no doubt be offering selections from A Night in Berlin, their most recent release (a collection of meticulously recreated songs from the Weimar era of 1920s’ Germany), but there will also be selections from the Great American Songbook. Since the ever-stylish troupe draws from the time between the two world wars, you will get idiosyncratic performances of timeless classics in the vein of “Singing in the Rain,” “Dream a Little Dream,” and “Cheek to Cheek.” I’m not sure of the set list, but expect witty interpretations rich with a lighthearted panache and effortless appeal. The last time I saw the gang perform, the brass players blew into a tub of water for “Singing in the Shower”!
Do not miss this. It’s an uncanny experience seeing Raabe perform, and I promise you’ll be floating out of the theater.
Max Raabe & Palast Orchester – A Night in Berlin
presented by The Broad Stage
1310 11th Street in Santa Monica
Saturday, April 1, 2017 at 7:30
for tickets, call 310.434.3200 or visit The Broad Stage
tour continues
for dates and cities, visit Max Raabe
