and that’s exactly where I am in
it was a lovely day. Music was
proving a joyful release. ‘For
my own life. This is the perfect
always in and around the house:
me this is the musical’s musical.
role for me at this time - I’m a
When I was a kid we sang
I think it’s the greatest musical
mother (she has two children,
everything around the piano -
Rodgers and Hammerstein ever
a son aged 15 and a daughter
operas and musicals and hymns
wrote - it was certainly Rodgers’
aged 14), my husband is a doctor,
and folk music.’
absolute favourite. And I’m
and we are very much part of
She’s carried those eclectic
attracted to it because of its
the community in North London
influences into her career.
darkness - it is almost operatic
where we live. I also have a huge
‘What I love to do is to mix it
in that respect. People tend to
family in Yorkshire, and still go
all up, not just for myself, but
associate musicals with lighter
back up there regularly.’
for the public, too’, she points
subjects - it’s unusual for them
out. But though she juggles
to have such incredibly dark
other link to Carousel. ‘I feel very
a wide range of jobs and
and profound meaning. And the
drawn to this show because of
disciplines, she doesn’t like
music is just heavenly too - it has
my own background. Carousel is
the term ‘cross-over artist’.
some of their very best songs.
And Yorkshire provides the
set amongst a small community
‘That sounds like a bra!’ she
June is Bustin’ Out All Over is
and deals with the interplay
jokes. ‘Because I grew up with
just fabulously funny - and then
between the very diverse
it all, I don’t know what I’m
I have to sing this icon of a song,
characters there. I come from
crossing over from or to. It was
You’ll Never Walk Alone, which
‘
Carousel is set amongst a small community and deals with the interplay between the very diverse characters there. I come from a very close-knit industrial community, just like the world that Carousel is set in. In the show it is cotton mills and fishing; with me it was the pits and steelworks and the railways.
’
has an almost hymn-like status.’
a very close-knit industrial
the Three Tenors who turned
community, just like the world
me onto the idea that I could
The latter appears on her
that Carousel is set in. In the
entertain with classical music,
latest album, Amazing Grace,
show it is cotton mills and
reach a bigger audience with
due out in November. She says
fishing; with me it was the pits
it and introduce people to
proudly, ‘I’m so thrilled about
and steelworks and the railways.’
the classical technique. I’m a
it - I’ve gone right back to my
classically trained opera singer
classical roots, and it’s almost
another reason: ‘The way that
and I always will be - I can’t un-
entirely classical, apart from the
they make music spontaneously
invent that wheel. But the idea
title song and You’ll Never Walk
in Maine is exactly the way we
that I can be flexible and
Alone, so I hope that people who
made music when I was a child.
versatile with that instrument
come to see Carousel will go off
I can remember vividly that my
and technique is something
and buy it, and be introduced
mum and dad would sing Oh
that I find very exciting.’
to composers and music that
But Carousel is resonant for
What A Beautiful Morning when
Applying it to Carousel is
Lesley Garrett and Carol McGiffin presenting Loose Women Connie Fisher and Lesley Garrett in The Sound of Music at the London Palladium
they’ve never heard before.’
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s
Carousel Starring Lesley Garrett Milton Keynes Theatre 13 - 18 Oct 2008 Box Office 0870 060 6652
New Victoria Theatre, Woking 20 - 25 Oct 2008 Box Office 0870 060 6645
New Wimbledon Theatre 3 - 8 Nov 2008 Box Office 0870 060 6646
Savoy Theatre From 22 Nov 2008 Box Office 0870 164 8787 Online booking at www.theambassadors.com 4