Tuesday night, luminaries from the Broadway and music industries gathered at the magnificent landmark condominium conversion, 108 Leonard Street in Tribeca to celebrate the release of Sondheim Sublime, the new album from Tony Award-nominated singer & actress Melissa Errico. Co-Hosted by Cristina Cuomo, guests included music icon Peter Yarrow(Peter, Paul & Mary), Errico’s husband tennis star and ESPN commentator Patrick McEnroe, acclaimed NYC artist Rachel Feinstein, Apple VP Doug Beck, handbag designer Kathy Kwei, restaurateur & burlesque star Marja Sampson, Tony Award-winners Karen Ziemba & Alice Ripley, Tony Award-nominees Stephen Bogardus, Robert Cuccioli & Will Swenson, Broadway stars Ben Davis and Ken Jennings (one of the original stars of Sweeney Todd on Broadway opposite Angela Lansbury), Met Opera star tenor Richard Troxell, singer Sasha Lazard, Indian film star & producer Ritu Pande, million dollar Met Museum donor Ellen Marcus, and the album’s producer Rob Mathes (who is also the main producer for Sting and Elvis Costello). Errico treated partygoers at this intimate soirée to a beautiful live performance of 3 songs from the album including “Sooner or Later” (originally written for and performed by Madonna for the film Dick Tracy), she was introduced by her friend Adam Gopnik of The New Yorker. The album is officially released on 11/2 and is available at www.SondheimSublime.com.
Errico wore a gorgeous black lace Monique Lhuillier gown and gold dragonfly Tory Burch earrings and gift bags for guests included a copy of the album and special “Sondheim Sublime” Wilson tennis balls.
108 Leonard is a quietly spectacular, McKim Mead and White-designed landmark situated in coveted Tribeca. The meticulous restoration and thoughtful residential transformation of this masterwork is sponsored by C3GB LLC with development managed by Elad Group. 108 Leonard offers a unique style of luxurious condominium residences which juxtapose the elegant bones and dramatic proportions of this venerable structure with distinctly modern, finely detailed interiors. As one of the nation’s leading real estate companies, Elad Group focuses on the acquisition, development, and conversion of architecturally significant residential and commercial properties in key markets throughout the United States.
With Sondheim Sublime, Errico shows us a side of Stephen Sondheim’s music that no singer has explored so completely before. It’s not the satiric or slyly disillusioned Sondheim – it’s the soulful Sondheim, the heartfelt, hungering Sondheim, author of songs of aching love and slowly dawning wisdom, the exalted, and reflective Sondheim: Sondheim Sublime. Accompanied by pianist Tedd Firth, Errico sings in a tone by turns hushed, electric and ecstatic, giving us a new understanding of the emotional intensity that has always equaled Sondheim’s virtuosic verbal magic. Renowned photographer Brigitte Lacombe photographed Melissa for the album cover art. It’s a program of songs of love and life lessons, including a perfectly protective mother’s version of “Not While I’m Around” – while still having time for a provocative “Sooner or Later.” An album to place alongside her earlier Legrand Affair and Lullabies and Wildflowers as part of a uniquely lyrical and romantic library, Sondheim Sublime is an Errico album meant for the three-o-clocks in the mornings of the soul, when love is lost and wisdoms sought from one wise friend.
And after two sold-out engagements in NYC and sold-out engagements in Washington, DC and London, Melissa Errico will return to Feinstein’s/54 Below for three more shows on November 1, 2 and 3 at 7:00PM with her acclaimed Sondheim concert to celebrate the release of the album. Tickets are $40-$80 & can be purchased at www.54Below.com or by phone at 646-476-3551. Errico’s history with Sondheim began when he selected her to star as Dot in Sunday In The Park With George at The Kennedy Center. She has since gone on to perform many tribute concerts for Sondheim at such venues as Lincoln Center, Symphony Space and The Natural History Museum. Errico was honored to co- star as Clara in Passion at Classic Stage Company and in the 2016 New York City Center Encores! season, Melissa tackled one of Sondheim’s most controversial heroines as Leona in Do I Hear A Waltz?
