Maria Friedman Begins at the Carlyle May 2,Sondheim Guests

Maria Friedman, the first lady of the British musical stage and the critically acclaimed Broadway star of The Woman In White, will release her American debut CD, Now and Then from Sony Classical on May 2. The same day, the three time Olivier Award winner will open an exclusive month-long engagement at the Café Carlyle to perform selections from her new recording. The disc, comprised of songs recorded in London with full orchestra and new tracks recently recorded in New York, features a special guest performance by the composer Stephen Sondheim. An extraordinarily rare occurrence for Mr. Sondheim to accompany a singer on piano let alone record with one, he agreed to do so for Maria on his song "Children and Art" from Sunday In The Park With George due to his immense admiration for her talent.

Now and Then, Maria's debut CD for Sony Classical, showcases her dramatic vocal power and stellar interpretations of classic and contemporary material. Long considered a premiere interpreter of Sondheim's work, she offers a sexy take on "Broadway Baby," from the Broadway musical Follies, and a rhythmic "Finishing The Hat," from the Pulitzer Prize-winning Sunday In The Park... Other highlights of the CD include delicate treatments of American standards by Cole Porter ("I Happen To Like New York"), Rodgers & Hart's ("My Romance") and Charlie Chaplin ("Smile"), as well as dramatic numbers by French composers Jacques Brel ("If You Go Away") and Michel Legrand ("Now and Then"). The disc also features "The Man That Got Away" from the classic Hollywood film A Star Is Born and "The Man With The Child In His Eyes" by contemporary singer/songwriter Kate Bush.

Maria, the beloved British stage star who starred in the London versions of major American musicals like Chicago, Passion, Lady In The Dark, Ragtime, and Sunday In The Park With George, recently made her much-anticipated Broadway debut in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Woman In White. She captivated the national media and theatre fans around the world with the stunning announcement she had been diagnosed with breast cancer while performing in previews. Maria went through intense medical treatment, but returned to the stage just in time for her triumphant opening night. The critics were ecstatic. Her performance was hailed as "deeply expressive" by The New York Times and "gifted and gutsy" by Newsday. She was praised for her "shattering performance" in the Daily News and was called "completely authentic and seldom less than inspiring" by USA Today. "She sings with effortless expressiveness while delicately exploring the humor, pluckiness and melancholy self-reproach of her heroine," raved Variety.

From musical theatre to plays, film, television, radio, concerts and recording, Maria Friedman is one of Britain's finest actresses, with an unprecedented three Olivier Awards and seven nominations for her work in musical theatre. She won her first Olivier Award for her one-woman show Maria Friedman: By Special Arrangement at London's famous Donmar Warehouse and a second Olivier Award followed for her performance as 'Fosca' in Passion. Her performances in Sunday In The Park With George and Lady In The Dark, both at the Royal National Theatre, earned her two more Olivier Award nominations. Other work for the stage includes Blues In The Night, April In Paris and The National Theatre's production of Ghetto.

Maria also starred in the West End as 'Roxie' in Chicago, for which she gained another Olivier Award nomination; as 'Sukie' in The Witches of Eastwick; 'Mother' in Ragtime (for which she won her third Oliver Award); and The Woman in White, which won Maria a historic seventh Olivier nomination. She has also appeared as the Narrator in the film video of Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.