One normally doesn't expect to see an operatic baritone put on an intimate jazz cabaret showcase, yet in Paulo Szot's Orange County debut, the audacious notion proves to be a surprisingly pleasant affair. Performing as part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Cabaret series, the Tony Award-winning Broadway star of the much-lauded 2008 Lincoln Center revival of SOUTH PACIFIC will be serenading audiences nightly through this Sunday, December 18.
Blessed with old-school matinee idol suave, a legit, opera-honed voice that alternately caresses and belts notes, and a long list of exceptional credits on stages worldwide, Szot spends his evening in Costa Mesa bouncing from Latin-infused jazz (a nod to his Brazilian heritage) to Broadway torch songs and familiar American standards. Backed by a jazz trio led by his main musical arranger/pianist Bob Albanese, Szot bookends the show with a pair of stirring solos he sang while portraying Emile de Becque in SOUTH PACIFIC: he opens with "Some Enchanted Evening" and climaxes with the tear-inducing "This Nearly Was Mine." His powerful, booming interpretation of both songs—especially in the way he holds out his final note—more than validates his impressive vocal talents, providing his opening night audience vivid proof of why the man won a Tony Award for his Broadway debut in the first place. (Originally, Szot's cabaret showcase here in the O.C. was scheduled for last year, but his contract with SOUTH PACIFIC was extended effectively canceling that engagement).Videos