Audra McDonald and SFS

* Notes * 
Soprano Audra McDonald sang Broadway showtunes with her band and San Francisco Symphony last night. Conductor Ted Sperling kept everyone together, and even played piano and sang at different points. The orchestra sounded fine, and looked like they were enjoying themselves. The brass sounded fairly clear, and the woodwinds were especially lovely in The Carousel Waltz. The evening included a great deal of Rodgers and Hammerstein and Sondheim. McDonald is a delightful performer, and she sang with vigor. She had the audience sing with her during "I could have Danced all Night." Most of her performance was amplified but she did sing "Edelweiss" as an encore without the microphone, accompanied by guitarist Kevin Kuhn and Associate Concertmaster Nadya Tichman. McDonald also made good on her Twitter promise to sing the name of the Icelandic volcano on a high A-flat.

* Tattling * 
There was a good deal of talking aloud during the performance, especially when there was no singing. Audra McDonald did not change out of her pink and orange floral dress after intermission, and explained that she had switched out her earrings for us.