Pia Douwes – Ein Abend im Dezember
A little late, but I still decided to write the review because it’s always a good reminder for myself what I’ve experienced. Let’s see what I can remember after a week of winter holidays… Well, Pia Douwes is amazing!
So, we bought the tickets for this evening back in September on the first day you could buy tickets and anticipation for has risen ever since. And then, finally: December 28, 2009!
The evening was divided into two parts: first the song cycle “Dezmberlieder” (December songs) by Maury Yeston. Then miscellaneous songs from her musical career, a bit Christmas and stories.
First part: Dezemberlieder
Before the whole thing started we were told by the obligatory voice that any recordings were not allowed and additionally that we should only applaud when the whole song cycle was over and not after each song.
So, Pia comes and tells us a bit about what to expect. “Dezemberlieder” is a song cycle by Maury Yeston and was translated to German by Wolfgang Adenberg. It’s based on Franz Schubert’s “Die Winterreise”, where a heartbroken man wanders through a winter scene. December Songs are the impressions of a heartbroken woman who wanders through Central Park.
So, Pia said she wanted to show what else she wants to sing apart from musicals and what she’s able to sing. And man alive, Pia can sing and Marina Komissartchik can play the piano! First of all: Dezemberlieder is genius. The music is fantastic and Marina played it very intensely, very moving, very well. To watch her playing the piano is an event in itself. Her face is all serious and concentrated.
But Pia was over the top. I’ve never heard of this song cycle before this evening. I didn’t know anything about the music or the songs and to be honest I know squat about Schubert. But now I’m very tempted to look for a recording of “Die Winterreise”. Back to Pia, her voice sounded just amazing. It was something entirely different for a change and it was pure joy to watch her perform the songs. It’s like she is this woman wondering through Central Park the emotions and impressions are perfectly conveyed.
Highlights: “Großmutters Liebesbriefe” and “Am Fluss” (very hard not to applaud after this song).
Second part: anything and everything
The second part was much more fun than the first in terms of laughing. The first part was fun in it’s own way as it’s always fund to enjoy an amazing performer on stage. But in the second part Pia could show us what a nice person she is, or at least seems to be. I don’t know her personally but she seems to be an easy going, fun and warm person.
I don’t remember everything there was but it was various stuff from various musicals. First 3 Musketiere and “Milady ist zurück”. I love this song and Pia simply is Milady DeWinter. I could listen to her forever. She then told a little story about the production of 3 Musketiere and welcomed a guest from Berlin (was it? One of the musketeers. Don’t ask me who. Probably someone who played Porthos).
She moved on telling a story about how she switched languages during a show of Elisabeth in Holland and in this show in Essen (did she tell the people in Essen it was in city XY?) and then sang “I dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables in English, German and Dutch. It’s almost as if this song was written in three languages. Amazing.
She continued with Elisabeth and “Ich gehör nur mir”. When will she stop performing this song? It’s not that I hate this song. I just don’t like it. It’s so annoying and it’s anywhere and everywhere you go. And that high note at the end. That one I hate! And now I know: thank you Pia, you are responsible for this note. I love you woman, but why didn’t you spare the world that note?
On it goes with “Nichts, nichts, gar nichts”. Which was amusing when she introduced the song. Something about “und daraus ist gar nichts geworden” :-D That’s one of my favourite songs from the show and again Pia was amazing.
Then she introduced her special guest for the night Andreas Bieber. Since I saw him in The Producers I love him too. He’s just so adorable and has the face of five year old. They sang “Wenn ich dein Spiegel wär” which was nice but didn’t blow me away.
She also told a few stories about Elisabeth and welcomed Else Ludwig in the audience who she still calls mother in law. Aaaaaaaaaaw!
Pia went and changed and Andreas told a little story and then sang a solo song “Bleib noch bis zum Sonntag”. Who is responsible for those lyrics? He/She should be hanged. It’s hard to adore Andy when you hate the song he’s singing.
But Pia and Andy obvisously had a lot of fun together especially during the Grease part of the show. Pia sang “There are Worse Things I could do” and made me want to see her as Rizzo. How I would love to see her perform “Look at me I’m Sandra Dee”. Anyway, she screwed up some of her lines which made her even more adorable and made me love her even more. The same with “You’re the one that I want”. They proved the story that they can’t look at each other because they immediately start laughing. Yes, we could see that! But it was so much fun!
I don’t remember the exact order of songs but some when she sang “Erinnerung” (Memories) from Cats. I’m sorry, but not even Pia can make me like that song. I know it was beautifully sung and Pia was amazing as ever. But there’s something with that song. I don’t know. I can’t listen to it without thinking how boring it is.
On of my highlight this evening was “Mein Herr” from Cabaret. I absolutely love this song. It probably is one of my favourite songs ever and having Pia perform it was pure “oh my god, I want more”! How I would love to have a video recording of this. Pia and the men in the audience. They all were completely aw-struck when she addressed them or put her foot and one’s lap. She played with the men and it looked like she enjoyed it a lot! Pia you’re a man eater ;-)
Then, even though it was after Christmas (it was the 28th after all) there was a little Christmas part (also Pia said her Christmas ended on January 6th). We heard “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” (“this is for you Steve”. She was looking up, did she mean Steve Barton? Or have I missed something) and “Santa Clause is Coming to Town”. The second one with Andy. How cute they were!
Also Andy got to perform a kind of love song as if he had a cold “Meine Dase däuft” (Meine Nase läuft). I wanted to go and hug him.
Marina Komissartchik (the woman on the piano) had a solo moment. Wow, amazing. Quite interesting to see her face go all soft when she played her own stuff and not Dezemberlieder any more. I remembered how much I loved piano music.
So, I guess that was it. Tons of applause for Pia, Andy and Marina and also for Kerstin Ibald (who was there to turn Marina’s sheet music). Of course there was an encore part where Pia and Andy performed “Das Lied, das jeder liebt” (The Song that Goes like This) from Spamalot. Fun, fun, fun!
Again: applause, applause, applause. It didn’t seem to stop ever and so she said she’d do one more thing even though she didn’t have anything else planned. There were a lot of suggestions and she shortly talked with her pianist to find out what sheet music was available. Marina had “Gold von den Sternen”. Pia: “I don’t know this one”. What a shame. She surely would have nailed this song. In the end they went for Rebecca. The English version from the Demos with the ridiculous lyrics. It was simply wonderful. Pia is just the most amazing singer there is. Please let her be Mrs. Danvers on Broadway and then let me win the lottery to see her. Please, please, please!
Random site notes
Has anyone else noticed what an amazing body Pia has? How old is she? Like 40 and she has the body of a 25 year old. That chest! I know I sound like a teenage boy (and I’m a 20y female) but simply have to notice that. Considering the dresses she was wearing!
Kerstin Ibald was cute when she was wrong turning the pages and Marina turned the pages herself once without that interrupting her playing.
To put it in a nutshell
Pia Douwes was great. I’m so glad I decided to go see her and payed for fourth row tickets. Any Bieber was adorable as ever and Marina Komissartchik is a fantastic pianist. And: Pia Douwes is amazing!!
(btw, I hate my camera battery for dying some when in the middle of the second part...)
A little late, but I still decided to write the review because it’s always a good reminder for myself what I’ve experienced. Let’s see what I can remember after a week of winter holidays… Well, Pia Douwes is amazing!
So, we bought the tickets for this evening back in September on the first day you could buy tickets and anticipation for has risen ever since. And then, finally: December 28, 2009!
The evening was divided into two parts: first the song cycle “Dezmberlieder” (December songs) by Maury Yeston. Then miscellaneous songs from her musical career, a bit Christmas and stories.
First part: Dezemberlieder
Before the whole thing started we were told by the obligatory voice that any recordings were not allowed and additionally that we should only applaud when the whole song cycle was over and not after each song.
So, Pia comes and tells us a bit about what to expect. “Dezemberlieder” is a song cycle by Maury Yeston and was translated to German by Wolfgang Adenberg. It’s based on Franz Schubert’s “Die Winterreise”, where a heartbroken man wanders through a winter scene. December Songs are the impressions of a heartbroken woman who wanders through Central Park.
So, Pia said she wanted to show what else she wants to sing apart from musicals and what she’s able to sing. And man alive, Pia can sing and Marina Komissartchik can play the piano! First of all: Dezemberlieder is genius. The music is fantastic and Marina played it very intensely, very moving, very well. To watch her playing the piano is an event in itself. Her face is all serious and concentrated.
But Pia was over the top. I’ve never heard of this song cycle before this evening. I didn’t know anything about the music or the songs and to be honest I know squat about Schubert. But now I’m very tempted to look for a recording of “Die Winterreise”. Back to Pia, her voice sounded just amazing. It was something entirely different for a change and it was pure joy to watch her perform the songs. It’s like she is this woman wondering through Central Park the emotions and impressions are perfectly conveyed.
Highlights: “Großmutters Liebesbriefe” and “Am Fluss” (very hard not to applaud after this song).
Second part: anything and everything
The second part was much more fun than the first in terms of laughing. The first part was fun in it’s own way as it’s always fund to enjoy an amazing performer on stage. But in the second part Pia could show us what a nice person she is, or at least seems to be. I don’t know her personally but she seems to be an easy going, fun and warm person.
I don’t remember everything there was but it was various stuff from various musicals. First 3 Musketiere and “Milady ist zurück”. I love this song and Pia simply is Milady DeWinter. I could listen to her forever. She then told a little story about the production of 3 Musketiere and welcomed a guest from Berlin (was it? One of the musketeers. Don’t ask me who. Probably someone who played Porthos).
She moved on telling a story about how she switched languages during a show of Elisabeth in Holland and in this show in Essen (did she tell the people in Essen it was in city XY?) and then sang “I dreamed a Dream” from Les Miserables in English, German and Dutch. It’s almost as if this song was written in three languages. Amazing.
She continued with Elisabeth and “Ich gehör nur mir”. When will she stop performing this song? It’s not that I hate this song. I just don’t like it. It’s so annoying and it’s anywhere and everywhere you go. And that high note at the end. That one I hate! And now I know: thank you Pia, you are responsible for this note. I love you woman, but why didn’t you spare the world that note?
On it goes with “Nichts, nichts, gar nichts”. Which was amusing when she introduced the song. Something about “und daraus ist gar nichts geworden” :-D That’s one of my favourite songs from the show and again Pia was amazing.
Then she introduced her special guest for the night Andreas Bieber. Since I saw him in The Producers I love him too. He’s just so adorable and has the face of five year old. They sang “Wenn ich dein Spiegel wär” which was nice but didn’t blow me away.
She also told a few stories about Elisabeth and welcomed Else Ludwig in the audience who she still calls mother in law. Aaaaaaaaaaw!
Pia went and changed and Andreas told a little story and then sang a solo song “Bleib noch bis zum Sonntag”. Who is responsible for those lyrics? He/She should be hanged. It’s hard to adore Andy when you hate the song he’s singing.
But Pia and Andy obvisously had a lot of fun together especially during the Grease part of the show. Pia sang “There are Worse Things I could do” and made me want to see her as Rizzo. How I would love to see her perform “Look at me I’m Sandra Dee”. Anyway, she screwed up some of her lines which made her even more adorable and made me love her even more. The same with “You’re the one that I want”. They proved the story that they can’t look at each other because they immediately start laughing. Yes, we could see that! But it was so much fun!
I don’t remember the exact order of songs but some when she sang “Erinnerung” (Memories) from Cats. I’m sorry, but not even Pia can make me like that song. I know it was beautifully sung and Pia was amazing as ever. But there’s something with that song. I don’t know. I can’t listen to it without thinking how boring it is.
On of my highlight this evening was “Mein Herr” from Cabaret. I absolutely love this song. It probably is one of my favourite songs ever and having Pia perform it was pure “oh my god, I want more”! How I would love to have a video recording of this. Pia and the men in the audience. They all were completely aw-struck when she addressed them or put her foot and one’s lap. She played with the men and it looked like she enjoyed it a lot! Pia you’re a man eater ;-)
Then, even though it was after Christmas (it was the 28th after all) there was a little Christmas part (also Pia said her Christmas ended on January 6th). We heard “Have yourself a merry little Christmas” (“this is for you Steve”. She was looking up, did she mean Steve Barton? Or have I missed something) and “Santa Clause is Coming to Town”. The second one with Andy. How cute they were!
Also Andy got to perform a kind of love song as if he had a cold “Meine Dase däuft” (Meine Nase läuft). I wanted to go and hug him.
Marina Komissartchik (the woman on the piano) had a solo moment. Wow, amazing. Quite interesting to see her face go all soft when she played her own stuff and not Dezemberlieder any more. I remembered how much I loved piano music.
So, I guess that was it. Tons of applause for Pia, Andy and Marina and also for Kerstin Ibald (who was there to turn Marina’s sheet music). Of course there was an encore part where Pia and Andy performed “Das Lied, das jeder liebt” (The Song that Goes like This) from Spamalot. Fun, fun, fun!
Again: applause, applause, applause. It didn’t seem to stop ever and so she said she’d do one more thing even though she didn’t have anything else planned. There were a lot of suggestions and she shortly talked with her pianist to find out what sheet music was available. Marina had “Gold von den Sternen”. Pia: “I don’t know this one”. What a shame. She surely would have nailed this song. In the end they went for Rebecca. The English version from the Demos with the ridiculous lyrics. It was simply wonderful. Pia is just the most amazing singer there is. Please let her be Mrs. Danvers on Broadway and then let me win the lottery to see her. Please, please, please!
Random site notes
Has anyone else noticed what an amazing body Pia has? How old is she? Like 40 and she has the body of a 25 year old. That chest! I know I sound like a teenage boy (and I’m a 20y female) but simply have to notice that. Considering the dresses she was wearing!
Kerstin Ibald was cute when she was wrong turning the pages and Marina turned the pages herself once without that interrupting her playing.
To put it in a nutshell
Pia Douwes was great. I’m so glad I decided to go see her and payed for fourth row tickets. Any Bieber was adorable as ever and Marina Komissartchik is a fantastic pianist. And: Pia Douwes is amazing!!
(btw, I hate my camera battery for dying some when in the middle of the second part...)
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