Steinmetz Hall opener still shows Orlando’s got talent
“Rise & Shine,” the opening show at Steinmetz Hall, was billed as a showcase of Central Florida talent. And, indeed it was.
Friday night saw more than 250 local performers take the stage at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts’ newest space.
And it was a pleasure to hear the fire of Cece Teneal, the down-home harmonies of Matthew Fowler and The Prado Sisters and the lushness of the large orchestra; to bathe in the grace of United Ballet Theatre; to chuckle at the goofy charm of SAK Comedy Lab.
But the show, under the creative direction of Cole NeSmith, fell short in showcasing the adventurous spirit of Orlando’s artists, the ingenuity that sets Central Florida apart. For the opening of a stateof-the-art hall that promises to bring a new and elevated artistic era to Orlando, much of “Rise & Shine” felt like the same old thing.
The evening also demonstrated that no matter how grand the hall and perfect the potential sound quality, human fallibility means sometimes the balance between singers and instrumentalists isn’t going to be right. And microphone feedback will rear its unwelcome head at the most inopportune moments.
Yes, microphones. Although Steinmetz is designed to be an acoustic hall, it also accommodates amplified shows such as “Rise & Shine.” We won’t get to hear the much-praised un-amped acoustics until Jan. 19, when the Royal Philharmonic and Royal Ballet, both of London, perform in the concert-hall configuration of the venue.
Friday night’s “Rise & Shine” orchestra was made up of musicians from the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, Central Florida Community Arts and the Florida Symphony Youth Orchestras. It had a robust sound that still left room for quieter moments and individual instruments to shine, as conducted by Justin Muchoney of CFCArts and the Philharmonic’s Eric Jacobsen, who was the program’s music director.
But the musical selections were standard picks: the finale of Stravinsky’s “Firebird,” Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” Ravel’s “Bolero,” Vangelis’s “Chariots of Fire” theme. When spoken-word artist Shawn Welcome talking about thinking outside the b-o-x, that wasn’t it.
The two segments featuring Welcome, Orlando’s poet laureate, and actor Stephen Lima were among the evening’s highlights. Welcome’s words had a sense of playfulness and surprising local specificity in his first segment, especially.
“What if Kennedy and Carnegie Hall had a baby?” he cheekily described Orlando’s newest performance space. His second segment delved deeper into what the arts mean in our lives, with equally pleasing results.
The second act of “Rise & Shine” featured more interesting musical choices, including a gorgeous rendition of “Going Home,” augmented by a dynamic choir that occupied the theater’s side balconies.
But the most exciting
musical interlude came via a cultural-fusion segment, led by Teneal — featuring the classic “This Little Light of Mine,” a gospel choir, dancers from multiple troupes and three musicians from the Asian Cultural Association that I wish we had heard more of.
A trio of folk-roots acts showed the strengths of their genre, and an athletic group of modern dancers choreographed by Crystal Edwards, building structures with their bodies, nicely conveyed an energy that mirrored the effort it took to build the hall — represented by Ricky Johnson’s projections of actual blueprints and schematics of the new venue.
With United Ballet Theatre dancers swirling
and whirling to a sprightly rendition of Richard Rogers’ waltz from the musical “Carousel,” both orchestral music and dance were highlighted. But opera — the third art form scheduled for regular Steinmetz Hall performances — received scant attention on the program.
For the “Rise & Shine” finale, the cast regrouped for John Lennon’s “Imagine” in a solid performance but clichéd song choice. I’d like to imagine that over time Steinmetz Hall will inspire Central Florida’s talent to become even more innovative. Let’s see if my imagination becomes reality.
at mpalm@orlandosentinel. com. Want more theater and arts news and reviews? Go to orlandosentinel.com/