It’s a wonderful night to hear and see Dianna Agron at Café Carlyle, a fantastic venue and intimate cabaret performance space of comfort and magnetism. Upon entering, one contemplates those who came before, like Bobby Short, Elaine Stritch, and Eartha Kitt. Contemporary luminaries include Shirley Bassey, Steve Tyrell, Jon Batiste, Isaac Mizrahi, Jeff Goldblum, Jill Kargman, Katharine McPhee, Alan Cumming, Debbie Harry, Rita Wilson, and John Lloyd Young, whose performance I reviewed in 2021.
We enjoyed a lovely dinner featuring a fabulous salmon dish.
The world into which she invites us is one of beauty, sophistication and elegance. Our lovely chanteuse was gorgeously wrapped in a chic, black evening gown with a halter, single-sleeved blouse equipoising her beautiful earrings and jeweled flourishes. She enthralled her audience, leading them through a captivating musical journey of romantic joie de vivre. Any individual concept of time faded; we were in her world and time. The evening fluttered past like a nostalgic summer daydream.
The song list is carefully crafted. Titles include Love for Sale, Let There Be Love, I Love to Love, Our Day Will Come, You Fascinate Me So, I Wish You Love, Lover Man, Our Love is Here to Stay, Moon River, I Want to Be Evil and more. Like the seemingly simple word “love,” she’s complex, and the varied intones, stories, and emotions of these songs express her intuitive range of hope, desire, elation, disenchantment, and humor. After all, as the muses Calliope and Euterpe inspired the artist creator, we must shrug off the ghosts and memories of love lost or squandered and revel in the adoration that finds us.
The audience did not have enough. Agron sang several encores finishing with Good Night Sweetheart (by Calvin Carter and James “Pookie” Hudson) that she sang while waving to and walking through the audience.
Simply marvelous! Dianna Agron will be at Café Carlyle through April 9. You’ll need to move quickly to purchase tickets as her show fills the limited space.
Runtime is about 90 minutes.
The Carlyle, A Rosewood Hotel
35 E 76th St (at Madison Ave.)
New York, NY 10075
Opens 6:30 PM
Reservations can be made by phone at 212.744.1600 or online via Café Carlyle.
Readers may also enjoy our reviews of Take Me Back to Manhattan, John Lloyd Young, Victor’s Cafe, and Evan Tyrone Martin.
