Ms. Jonée is billed as the world’s premier concert pianist drag diva. Her concert on Monday night, with the JouJou Jacquettes Philharmonic Orchestra, was a sight to behold.
As was Ms. Jonée. She made her entrance from the back of the house in a long white gown, wearing a Brunnhilde breastplate and horned headpiece, while carrying rainbow-hued helium balloons! She said, “Instead of a Ring cycle, it’ll be a BLING! cycle.”
And we were off.
A “Favorite Things” parody followed (with lyrics from a hand-held list–tsk! tsk!). After that was a combination of Victor Borge meets JoAnne Castle (via Lawrence Welk) meets Liberace. This girl can play that piano! We heard a Chopin Impromptu, a piano/violin Granados tune, and three Debussy movements (piano four-hands, with orchestra, thank-you-very-much!). I must stop here. In between the second and third movements of the Debussy (the third was “Ballet”), Ms Jonée did a (relatively) quick costume change. In the third movement, she played her two (of four) hands while wearing a tutu (granted, a soft demi-tutu, not one of those stiff-as-a-board, poke-your eye-out thingies).
What followed was a quick addition of feathers to the new wig (have I mentioned the “man-of-all-work” Euphoria? assisting with every costume change along the way?) adding an ooh-la-la intro to Cole Porter’s Can-Can. Really, if an English dapper Dan can and an Irish Callahan can–maybe you can Can-Can, too! Followed by Offenbach’s Can-Can theme. And she even attempted a high kick!
A Gershwin medley (the Jacquettes included violin; flute /slide whistle; French horn; flute, clarinet, oboe, English horn and bassoon, and orchestra arrangements! (all one person); and string bass) followed, that took snippets of Gershwin classical fare plus “The Man I Love” and “Fascinatin’ Rhythm.”
On a quieter note, Ms. Jonée included a tribute to those who have been lost to this horror called AIDS. “My Buddy” included the lyrics–
Miss your voice, the touch of your hand,
Just long to know that you understand,
My Buddy, my Buddy,
Your Buddy – misses – you.
Just long to know that you understand,
My Buddy, my Buddy,
Your Buddy – misses – you.
Sorry, I cried there a little.
Ms. .Jonée also included what I believe is a set piece (and if so, it’s well worthwhile). It’s a combo of “I Am What I Am”/”Somewhere Over the Rainbow.” Not bad ideas by any means.
ConcertMeister
Sounds like my kind of show! Thx 4 the blog!!!
ReplyDeleteOh, you would have loved this. An entrance as Brunnhilde with a reference to the "Bling" Cycle as opposed to the "Ring" Cycle.
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