Stephen Schwartz Joins SF Gay Men's Chorus, 3/20 & 21

Three time Oscar^® winner and four time Grammy^® award-winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz joins the 275 singers of San Francisco Gay Men's Chorus in two performances of his celebrated Broadway musical hits and film tunes in Enchantingly Wicked March 20 and 21 at Davies Symphony Hall (Tickets on sale through City Box Office starting February 1). Anchoring the program is "Testimony", Schwartz' world premiere composed specifically for SFGMC. Schwartz has worked closely with Dan Savage, the founder of the "It Gets Better Project" in selecting texts from those who have shared their lives' journeys and weaving those into the resulting breathtakingly poignant work. 

Acclaimed opera soprano, Melody Moore, and The Choral Project directed by Daniel Hughes join SFGMC as special guests through this concert of favorites spanning four decades of Schwartz' illustrious career.  The two-night only engagement also showcases Mr. Schwartz as singer and pianist.

Concert highlights include iconic songs from the musicals Wicked, Godspell (currently enjoying a revival on Broadway), Pippin, The Baker's Wife, and Children of Eden; and the films Enchanted, The Prince of Egypt, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Pocahontas. Several relatively unknown but equally enjoyable works round out the program, including Kéramos, composed for The Choral Project by Schwartz, and excerpts from Schwartz' Séance on a Wet Afternoon performed by Melody Moore who debuted the role of Rita Clayton with New York City Opera.

"After an overwhelmingly positive response from the audience to our sold-out holiday shows, we're keeping up the momentum with this remarkable concert of works by the amazingly talented Stephen Schwartz," said artistic director Dr. Tim Seelig. "We invite you to hear his extraordinary music, see the Chorus perform his iconic hits with him, and experience a world premiere that will deeply move you. Mr. Schwartz has been an absolute delight in crafting this concert with the Chorus.  He has been hands-on: from the selection of the pieces to be performed to the arrangements for chorus and instruments, it's been a thrill!"