Marcus Simeone & Maria Ottavia: Rodgers, Hart & Hammerstein

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Marcus Simeone & Maria Ottavia

Rodgers, Hart & Hammerstein

Don’t Tell Mama, NYC, August 22, 2015

Reviewed by Joel Benjamin for Cabaret Scenes

Marcus-Simeone-Maria-Ottavia-Cabaret-Scenes-Magazine_212You can’t go wrong with the music of Richard Rodgers. Whether the lyrics are by the witty, urbane Lorenz Hart or the more poetic—but no less observant—Oscar Hammerstein II, these treasures always are worth hearing again.

Marcus Simeone and Maria Ottavia put together a pleasant program of Rodgers’s songs. They are a bit of an odd couple, but both have fine voices, supported by the thoughtful arrangements of their musical director Tracy Stark. Marco Brehm, the bassist, added some rich solos to the show.

The duo opened with a strange pairing of “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” (sung by him) and “Some Enchanted Evening” (sung by her) that actually melded together quite nicely. Brehm came to the fore in a long bowed solo during “People Will Say We’re in Love,” sung dreamily by Simeone. He turned “Maria” into a sweet tribute to his onstage partner, while Ottavia did the same with “Something Wonderful.”

Simeone’s “Mountain Greenery” was sweet and jazzy while Ottavia’s “You Took Advantage of Me” had a slightly bluesy quality. He was particularly impressive in “A Puzzlement,” impersonating the King of Siam, certainly with more passion than the gentleman who was recently in the current production of The King and I.

They showed off their full-throttle voices in the two final duets: “You’ll Never Walk Alone” and “I Have Dreamed.”

The evening could be summed up as a charming couple, accompanied by experts, entertaining their friends in their living room. They were easygoing, eager to please and clearly loved their material.

Joel Benjamin

A native New Yorker, Joel was always fascinated by musical theater. Luckily, he was able to be a part of seven Broadway musicals before the age of 14, quitting to pursue a pre-med degree, which led no where except back to performing in the guise of directing a touring ballet troupe. Always interested in writing, he wrote a short play in high school that was actually performed, leading to a hiatus of nearly 40 years before he returned to writing as a reviewer. Writing for Cabaret Scenes has kept him in touch with world filled with brilliance.