Will and Anthony Nunziata
Will and Anthony Nunziata
Feinstein’s at the Nikko, San Francisco, CA, September 24, 2015
Reviewed by Steve Murray for Cabaret Scenes
You can count the number of singing duos on one hand these days. The Nunziata brothers continue the tradition, blending their similar tenors into pleasant harmonies and allowing each other solo opportunities that offer a chance to define each performer’s style. Two Jule Styne/Adolph Green/Betty Comden standards, “Just in Time” (performed as a round) and “Make Someone Happy” introduce the pair’s vocal abilities and the tone of the show.
The boys were exposed to the Great American Songbook early on and make this the focus of their show. A mashup of The Righteous Brothers’ hit “Unchained Melody” with Adele’s “Someone Like You” illustrates the team’s medley arrangement style: Will solo, Anthony solo, duo harmony, interspersing the two songs, rousing finishes. It’s repeated on a Broadway medley (“Lullaby of Broadway”/”Brotherhood of Man”), Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “This Nearly Was Mine”/”Some Enchanted Evening,” and Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse’s “Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)”/”What Kind of Fool Am I.”
Two nice solos, Will’s “Being Alive” (Sondheim) and Anthony’s classic Neapolitan tune, “O Sole Mio” (Giovanni Capurro/Eduardo di Capua), were heartfelt and honest. The Nunziata brothers are immersed in the golden age of show tunes and it dates them beyond their physical and chronological age. Were it not for the addition of Adele’s contemporary hit, the newest song they performed, “The Prayer,” was written in 1998. Yes, the boys started out on cruise ships singing these tried and true standards and it’s very comfy, but I’d love to see them go out of their comfort zone, stretch themselves and explore new possibilities.
Category: Cabaret Reviews, Regional, San Francisco, San Francisco Cabaret Reviews
