Musicals Magazine, German Monthly Periodical, “New CD Releases” – August, 2004

Swiss musical theater star Sue Mathys honored the audience at the Main Concert Hall of Lucerne’s Cultural And Congress Center on New Year’s Eve, 2003 [New Year’s Day, 2004], by celebrating the premiere of her solo concert, “Sue Mathys Sings Broadway and Piaf”. The Swiss record company Phonag has now released a live CD of this acclaimed concert in which the songstress is accompanied by the 70 member Lucerne Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the American conductor Jay Dias. Right from the very first set of selections from Jule Styne’s musical, Gypsy, with it’s energetic “Overture” setting the pace and spilling over into the following “Some People”, “Small World”, and “Rose’s Turn”, one is overwhelmed by the sheer power and focus of interpretation. Mathys slips into the character of Rose with such immediacy and explosive energy that one believes this could be a cast album of the musical – and this she does with such strength and resolution of timbre (time and again reminding one of Patti LuPone), that it could only come from what would be expected of a true Broadway Diva. The dramatic shaping of “Rose’s Monologue” leaves one so enthralled, that it’s only until after the orchestra completely carries us away with the “Overture” to Leonard Bernstein’s Candide that finally one must take a deep breath. Following this is a set of Chansons made famous by Edith Piaf, for which Mathys has nurtured a special affinity ever since she played the title role in Pam Gems’ play, Piaf – and it’s easy to understand why her personal interpretation, so beloved by the audience, is rewarded by their thunderous applause. Continuing with Musicals: after a thrilling Funny Girl set, the audience is invited to share in the world premiere of the song, “How Do I Say I Love You?” from the new musical, Stella Dallas by Jay Dias and Clayton Stang – an effectively constructed and captivating ballad, stylistically reminiscent of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s work on Sunset Boulevard, which brings us to the next set, and, for me, the climax of this recording. After her success as Norma Desmond in the German production of Sunset Boulevard in Niedernhausen [directed by Trevor Nunn, produced by Andrew Llyod Webber’s Really Useful Group], the Swiss native once again impressively provides us with a testimony of her qualities: in “As If We Never Said Goodbye” and “With One Look”, she pulls out all the stops and convinces us anew of her international status, and shows a deep understanding of the character that’s both electrifying and inspiring. With “La Vie En Rose” and “Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien” as encores, the audience is once again given what they so love to hear: two more Piaf Chansons, these being the most successful and iridescent of Piaf’s career. And so, in this 76 minute impressive live recording, we are given a musical calling card – and it could not have been done any better. Hats off and congratulations to Switzerland for such Woman-Power! Strong voice with lots of character. The Solo-CD Of The Month!