Divamensch
Richard and I heard a concert by Andrea Marcovicci on May 9, 2021, aka Mother’s Day. The concert was called “Spring Song” and streamed live on La Marcovicci’s YouTube page.
The concert opened with pianist Brad Ellis playing “Younger Than Springtime.” Marcovicci gave a warm welcome to the audience, which seamlessly led into her first song, “Here Comes the Sun.” Not a song I would expect to hear from her, which made it all more meaningful. She said later, “I sang a Beatles song. And I was not struck by lightning.”
La Marcovicci placed herself in a gorgeous setting: a lovely floral Van Gogh screen behind her, an elegant ensemble of beiges and greens, a few delicious pieces of jewelry, a table with flowers, an elegant glass of water, and such a sweet photo of her mother.
Ellis’s performance was pre-recorded, which gave a certain off-kilter looseness to the enterprise. Their second song was Johnny Mercer’s “Spring, Spring, Spring,” such a cute song which she sang with moxie. “How busy can a bumble be?”
She talked about how when she was teenager springtime was a depressing time for her. She’d pull out “the suicidal poets” and listen to Billie Holiday. She said the song that captured this feeling to her was Marc Blitzstein’s “I Wish It So.” Such a beautiful song.
Next, a song I didn’t know, “Lovelier Than Ever” from *Where’s Charley?* A sweet song. Then a short dramatic monologue which led to “Spring Will Be a Little Late This Year,” which she sang with great feeling and depth. This lady knows how to deliver a song, as good as anyone. She changed the mood by pairing this with “Fun To Be Fooled,” a cute up tempo song. Ellis had an impressive solo during this song, and Marcovicci acknowledged him in a darling way.
Then a song I didn’t know and couldn’t really catch the title, followed by “Younger Than Springtime,” such a magical song.
She quoted Jeanne Moreau: “Age does not protect you from love. But love, to some extent, protects you from age.” Ha! Another song I didn’t know, a cute song with a refrain of “Too re loo.”
She closed the show with a lovely tribute to her mother, who was also a singer. She performed up until she was 95! She played a recording of her mother singing “Look For the Silver Lining” and showed a montage of photos of her mother, her with her mother, and Marcovicci herself with her daughter. Very touching.