After her marvelous Pat Nixon at the Théâtre du Châtelet  two years ago, June Anderson returned there last Wednesday with pianist Jeff Cohen for a recital of French melodies and Broadway songs.

With the fire curtain down, and singer and pianist placed on the covered orchestra pit, embraced by the red velvet and gilded plaster of the beautiful Châtelet theatre, Anderson and Cohen were very much a part of the audience. That proximity also meant that singer and pianist were more exposed than on stage, where the sound mixes better before it reaches the audience.

Anderson’s entrance was striking. She did not walk, but floated on stage, looking aloof, and ready to conquer the world. The blonde beehive and diamond earrings made her look just like Patsy Stone, well done!

Her recital was sandwiched between performances of the Sondheim musical Into the Wood, which must have inspired her program, consisting of three groups of French melodies, followed by a particularly inspired selection of Broadway songs.

Sunsets, farewells, dreams, and (lost) love were the themes of the first two groups by Fauré and Debussy. Anderson’s affinity with this repertoire is great, and her voice shimmered in them as beautiful, and as multi-colored as her outré outfit by Maurizio Galante. Après un rêve was the first highlight of the evening. Anderson sounded particularly ageless in this song, and managed to create an atmosphere that was both mysterious and seductive.

The Poulenc group showed off Anderson’s strengths even more. She started with a radiant Fancy, on an English text. La dame de Monte-Carlo was perfect too, played out as a mini-opera, and sounding very much like a masterpiece in its own right, instead of a “light” version of La Voix Humaine.

As good as Anderson was in this repertoire, the second half, feeling as one prolonged, relaxed encore, was even better. In a solid red coat, this time, Anderson, with her impeccable diction, and beautiful tone made a huge success of every song she sang. Whether as Wendy (a gorgeous Dream with me), Johanna Barker (an exquisitely delicate Green Finch and Linnet Bird), or Sally (a deeply moving Losing My Mind) Anderson demonstrated her deep love for this repertoire

The Chatelet audience, that had been bravoing all night long, even before Anderson sang a single note, burst out in a roaring ovation after this, and kept it up long enough for Anderson to return and sing two encores. The highlight of the evening, for me,  came first with Till There Was You, that great masterpiece fromThe Music Man. Anderson’s voice sounded as pristine in it as it did a quarter of a century ago. She then returned once more for an unexpected, all-out version of My Man’s Gone Now.

Unfortunately, Anderson is making herself quite rare on stage these days. After this successful recital, the one thing I would like to see her do in the future is a complete Follies. After this recital, an adoring audience will be there at the Châtelet to cheer her on, no doubt. Kudos to Jeff Cohen too, for partnering Anderson with such great sensitivity and brilliant playing.

Photo: Jean-Luc Léon