Puttin' on the Ritz draws record crowd

Music Hall was the place to be New Year's Eve '06. More than 3,000 revelers turned out Sunday night to see Erich Kunzel conduct the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra in a glitzy song-and-dance show, followed by (for those who paid) a gala donor dinner.

It was the biggest audience for a New Year's concert since the 1999 Millennium show, says the CSO's Carrie Krysanick. I was amazed at the box office line -- clear across the main lobby, with most concert-goers dressed to the nines. To be expected, lots of them were last-minute purchasers, which is a trend the symphony is seeing, as are many other arts groups, Carrie says.

The show traveled from Offenbach's can-can and Gershwin's "American in Paris" to the American songbook (Cole Porter, Harold Arlen and Jerome Kern). Where would Kunzel be without CCM? He invited a few singers/dancers from CCM and Wright State, the May Festival Youth Chorus and Winton Woods High School Varsity Ensemble, and Cincinnati Studio Tap Dancers.

Here's what I thought worked best:

"Singin' in the Rain," by CCM senior Billy Tighe. He copied Gene Kelly's choreography wonderfully, complete with top hat and umbrella.

"Over the Rainbow," sung by CCM grad Kristine Reese. She could take a few lessons from Judy Garland in terms of color and expression, but what a great song. And the choral back-up was top-notch.

"Puttin' on the Ritz" with the Cincinnati Studio Tap Dancers shimmying in red fringe, 20s-style, and Karen Callaway Williams electrifying with her tap dance moves.

I'm wondering, with "Happy Feet," whether there's going to be a tap dance revival?