Sondheim lovers rejoice! As we mentioned back in March, the master composer celebrated his 80th birthday in 2010, and one of the first celebrations took place on March 15 and 16 at Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall, home of the New York Philharmonic. David Hyde Pierce hosted the celebration, and the likes of Patti LuPone, Bernadette Peters, Mandy Patinkin, Donna Murphy, Elaine Stritch, Michael Cerveris, Marin Mazzie, and Audra McDonald performed songs from Sondheim’s inimitable canon. If you weren’t lucky enough to score a ticket, you can enjoy Sondheim! The Birthday Concert on newly released DVD and Blu-ray Discs. If you can't wait, we've got a sneak peek at highlights that include Patti LuPone singing “The Ladies who Lunch,” Karen Olivo reprising her Tony-winning role as Anita in West Side Story, and numbers from stage legends Bernadette Peters and Elaine Stritch, filmed before they joined forces in the Broadway revival of Sondheim’s A Little Night Music. Take a look below.
“Songs In All Languages” - David Hyde Pierce
“America” - Karen Olivo
“The Ladies Who Lunch” - Patti LuPone
"Not a Day Goes By" - Bernadette Peters
"I'm Still Here" - Elaine Stritch