KURT WEILL - BERTOLT BRECHT - MUSIC DIRECTION

KURT WEILL AT THE CUTTLEFISH HOTEL

which premiered at the Santa Monica Pier (2013), with remounts via the 

Actors Gang (2015) and in Santa Monica (2016), featured my work as music

director, arranger (for strings, piano, harmonium, voices), conductor, and

pianist on the classic Brecht/Weill songs, directed by & featuring Paul Sand.

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from the LOS ANGELES TIMES:

Expert music director Michael Roth and a keen piano-and-strings combo attack

the familiar songs with an evocative, arresting mix of Sprechstimme and moxie

sometimes stretching tempos almost to a breaking point. (David C. Nichols)

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from the LA WEEKLY:

PICK OF THE WEEK - Michael Roth's dynamically evocative music direction crafts

rich textured renditions of these wonderful, infernal songs. (Paul Birchall)

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from STAGE RAW/LA:

What gives the evening its power is the remarkable fusion of the band - Roth

(piano), Amy White & Laura Vail (keys/vocal), Hope Easton (cello/vocal) - with the 

onstage action.  Roth's beautiful four-part harmony in the most menacing songs

and amazing four-part harmony in "Alabama Song" literally sounds as if it's

coming from another dimension.  As genuine a presentation of Kurt Weill as can

be found outside the Berliner Ensemble.  (Julio Martinez)

 

from BROADWAYWORLD.COM:

Michael Roth leads his never overpowering, always complementing band; Kalean 

Ung's soaring soprano (and) Shay Astar's rendition of "Surabaya Johnny" have

just the perfect amount of vocal harmonies as well as just the right touch of the

solo instrumentations of the talented string musicians. (Gil Kaan)

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from SANTA MONICA DAILY PRESS:

Michael Roth has assembled a small group that makes a big authentic sound, capturing the essence of Berlin in the 1920s. (Sarah Spitz)

The outstanding four piece piano-and-strings combo deliver remarkable fusion and power transporting you in time and place. (Jack Neworth)

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from LA STAGE WATCH:

With Michael Roth conducting, the combination of Weill favorites makes for a satisfyingly worldly - and otherworldly experience. (Don Shirley) 

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from STAGE AND CINEMA.COM:

Roth creates remarkably well-orchestrated, evocative moments within each of the female vocalists’ songs - in "Pirate Jenny” and “Mack the Knife” the demented psychopath is captured in the dissonant strains of Roth’s arrangement.  The band includes the extravagantly tasteful Mr. Roth on piano, with Amy White on harmonium and keyboards, Jenson Smith on cello, and Tamboura Baptiste on violin. (Jason Rohrer)

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from HUFFINGTON POST:

Music director Michael Roth ably plays and conducts the other musicians, and all are extraordinary. (Jay Weston)

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from CINEMA WITHOUT BORDERS:

Brilliant music director Roth's wonderful arrangements,  wisely including gripping songs not from THREEPENNY ("Alabama Song" from MAHAGONNY; "Sailor's Tango," "Surabaya Johnny" from HAPPY END), add choral harmonies to the plangent dissonant funk of a 30's Cabaret band. (Robin Menken)