Philharmonic tackles Broadway’s best

Soon after beginning his vocal performance with the Las Vegas Philharmonic on Saturday, Brent Barrett told the audience, "It's good to be out of the mask." It was good for everyone.

The near-capacity crowd got to see and hear his solid selections of Broadway's best, much more variety than he could offer in two years playing the title role in "Phantom -- The Las Vegas Spectacular."

The Philharmonic, under the direction of music director and conductor Richard Itkin, seemed to enjoy its break from the classics, moving from the rich emotion of "The Phantom of the Opera" to the bouncy familiarity of "The Sound of Music," along with more than a dozen other selections.

Barrett was easily affable, animated yet charming. He entered with a rose in his teeth, dancing across the stage and back before launching into his rich "You and the Night and the Music," from the 1934 Broadway musical "Revenge with Music."

He told a story of his early days as a singer -- he doubled as the driver of the latrine truck on a covered wagon day tour -- before a complex "They Call the Wind Maria" from "Paint Your Wagon."

One of the evening's highlights was a charming but intense "Sometimes a Day Goes By" from "And the World Goes 'Round," and the program continued with an heartfelt "What Kind of Fool Am I?" from "Stop the World -- I Want to Get Off" and a rich "Some Enchanted Evening" from "South Pacific," among other selections.

Though some of the selections have been performed well, and notably, by others, Barrett's rich vocalizations made the songs his own.

The orchestra opened the evening with the overture from "Gypsy," setting an upbeat tone for the night to come.

A minor technical problem before intermission resulted in Barrett's occasionally competing with the orchestra in a sound battle, but the balance was restored for an even more enjoyable show after intermission.

This concert concluded the orchestra's first pops series. It adds an extra dimension to the Philharmonic's season and can continue to bring more variety for the talented musicians and conductors.