The Magical World of Rodgers and Hammerstein

Maria Friedman picked out "I'm in love with a wonderful guy" as the happiest song ever written – but this Rodgers and Hammerstein concert had a quality of happiness throughout. It was not precisely an enchanted evening but, nicely judged for Mother's Day, a most enchanted afternoon. The London Concert Orchestra kicked off with the overture to South Pacific and gave one the sense of sailing forth on a queenly ocean liner – with musicians as crew. The occasion was defined by the charm and warmth of Friedman, Olivier award-winning star of many a musical, who surrendered herself to song, leaning into the music – as if there were a breeze behind her. Daniel Evans, taking time out from his new job running Sheffield Crucible, is a natural musician too – his tenor voice soars without strain. I loved the passionate anger of "My Boy Bill". And he went on to do the impossible – singing "Edelweiss" as if plucking the song freshly out of the earth for the first time.