Interludes

THE HANGOVER REPORT – JESSICA VOSK’s eager Carnegie Hall debut was a delirious love-fest

• By drediman
• November 15, 2021
• No Comments

Last Monday, Broadway musical singer/actress Jessica Vosk made her highly anticipated Carnegie Hall debut to an enthusiastic sold out house. Ms. Vosk has taken a circuitous route to stardom, have dabbled in the world of finance before landing on the Great White Way (most notably as Elphaba in Wicked). Despite her relatively late start as a performer and the fact that she’s yet to create a role in a Broadway musical, she’s nevertheless managed – with the help of a robust social media presence – to amass an impressive (and growing) fan base that should prove inspiring to many an aspiring performer.

One can easily see Ms. Vosk’s appeals. Vocally, she’s astounding, possessing a voice that could alone assure her some sort of devoted following. Her natural, full-bodied belt is one of the most spectacular out there, and it’s supported by a rock solid technique that should guarantee her longevity. But what I suspect has ultimately charmed and seduced her many fans is her persona – a mixture of grounded confidence and candid vulnerability. It doesn’t hurt that she’s also frequently and endearingly hilarious. Unsurprisingly, her moment in the spotlight last week was a delirious love-fest all around, especially as augmented by music director Mary-Mitchell Campbell (ably leading a 14-piece band) and special guests Kirstin Chenoweth, Scott Hoying, and Sara Mearns.

Her maiden Carnegie Hall program – entitled “My Golden Age” and vaguely themed around strong “boss” women performers – was shrewdly designed to eagerly appease her adoring fans. In effect, this meant a proliferation of busy medleys, which at times diminished the potential impact of the evening. The concert was most effective when she let her tremendous vocal and interpretive talents plainly speak for themselves, such as in her yearning rendition of “Another Life” from The Bridges of Madison County and a stirring take on “Back to Before” from Ragtime. Despite the concert’s somewhat middling middle segment, it ended strongly with a crowd-pleasing Wicked section Wand a thrilling finale featuring a host of exciting young singers.

Perhaps most impressive and touching of all, however, was Ms. Vosk’s final encore, which found her alone on the iconic stage simultaneously channeling Judy Garland and Barbra Streisand in an acapella, unamplified rendition of “Happy Days Are Here Again / Get Happy”. To hear Ms. Vosk’s naked voice float across the acoustically perfect hall was thrilling.

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JESSICA VOSK: MY GOLDEN AGE
Concert
Carnegie Hall
Approximately 2 hours (without an intermission)
Closed