IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE FEINSTEIN
Charismatic, appealing, boyish, excited, and eager to please, Michael Feinstein will bring his off-the-cuff, friendly, intimate style to the gorgeous Valley Performing Arts Center on Friday, December 8, 2017. For this one night only, the man who has single-handedly reinvigorated the American Songbook for the 21st century, will celebrate the holidays, offering tunes from his CD, A Michael Feinstein Christmas, and others.
And if you ever wonder how a nice, Jewish boy raised in a conservative home comes to commend these timeless seasonal classics, remember this: A majority of Christmas tunes were written by Jews: “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire”; “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer”; “I’ll Be Home for Christmas”; “Silver Bells”; “The Christmas Waltz”; “White Christmas”; “Let It Snow”; and “Santa Baby” are just the tip of the dreidel (his selections will be announced from the stage).
Sure, he’s an affable, accomplished singer and extraordinary pianist, but Feinstein is a consummate snowman—I mean showman—who also has access to a vast array of musical compositions, so expect a surprise or two. His knowledge of all things Popular Music is equally an asset, as he can easily take the audience on an anecdotal, explanatory, behind-the-scenes journey of a song’s origin (he can also be highly irreverent and brutally funny). The kid from Columbus, Ohio has fraternized with the greats of American music and really knows his stuff. You will relish every insight he imparts. This year more than ever, we need a little Feinstein.
photo by Stephen Sorokoff
A Michael Feinstein Holiday Celebration
Valley Performing Arts Center (The Soraya)
18111 Nordhoff Street in Northridge
Friday, December 8, 2017 at 8pm
for tickets ($38 to $98), call 818.677.3000 or visit VPAC
