Review: A Luminous Audra McDonald Returns to Boston's Symphony Hall

For more pensive moments, McDonald sang with the instrumental trio that traveled with her (Glenn Zaleski, piano; Mark Vanderpoel, bass; and Gene Lewen, drums). This included a sweet version of a largely unknown 1940s song, "I Always Say Hello to a Flower," to acknowledge her new-found love of gardening, and "It Ain't Easy Being Green," where Lewen provided the subtle accompaniment on guitar. But the musical find was "I Love Today," a song she found on a TikTok video through the help of her daughter by an unknown singer/songwriter, Kim Kalesti, that, to McDonald, expresses "the essence of being alive." Upon hearing it, McDonald knew immediately she wanted to include it in concert. Upon reaching out to Kalesti, she received permission, and sang it like a lullaby, beautifully capturing the lyric's unbridled optimism and love of life.

She also acknowledged her reluctance in the past to sing songs from her celebrated performance as Billie Holiday in "Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill," and showed that she could with a startling "Crazy He Calls Me," in which she morphed into the jazz great with remarkable ease. For her final number, she chose a standard she never thought she would sing due to it being identified with other artists; but when Anna Wintour asked her to sing "Cabaret" at a Metropolitan Museum of Art benefit to honor New York City coming out of the pandemic, what else could she do but sing it? Her version was neither peppy or ironic; instead, she slowed the song down and turned it into a paean of hope in the future that also acknowledged the dangers that lurk there. It was a potent interpretation, and showed McDonald's ability to bring new meaning to the most familiar of songs.

For her encore, McDonald joined the animated Einhorn to pay honor to icons Barbra Streisand and Judy Garland with a recreation their "Happy Days Are Here Again"|"Get Happy" medley they sang on Garland's 1963 television program. Sung with much warmth and affection, it ended the evening on a resounding high and very gay note.

For upcoming events by the Celebrity Series of Boston, visit its website.

For more on Audra McDonald, visit her website.

Watch Audra McDonald sing "I Love Today" from an earlier concert appearance.