‘Holiday on Broadway’ with the Bozeman Symphony

Anne Runolfsson will perform holiday classics Dec. 12 and 13 at the Willson Auditorium in Bozeman. PHOTO COURTESY ANNE RUNOLFSSON.

BOZEMAN SYMPHONY

BOZEMAN – When scheduling conflicts left Christiane Noll unable to perform with the symphony this December, the Bozeman Symphony Society called Anne Runolfsson to the stage, and she didn’t miss a beat.

Perhaps the ease in which she covered for Noll was a result of her experience taking the stage mid-performance for the legendary Julie Andrews.

Runolfsson recounts the evening she was called to the stage when Andrews fell ill in the middle of a performance of “Victor/Victoria,” a production in which Andrews is famed for playing a woman playing a man, playing a woman.

“You will never go onstage,” Runolfsson remembers being told upon accepting the understudy role for Andrews. About a year into the performance run, Runolfsson got a page while relaxing at home.

“[They said] you need to be here right away because Julie isn’t going to be able to finish the performance. And by the way, we’re not holding the curtain,” Runolfsson recalls.

In less dramatic fashion, Runolfsson will arrive in Bozeman on Thursday, Dec. 12 to perform “Holiday on Broadway” with maestro Matthew Savery and the Bozeman Symphony Orchestra. The multitalented woman of the musical theater, concert and cabaret stage, as well as prime time TV, joins the symphony for a spirited rendition of a modern, classic holiday program.

Selections will include “Sleigh Ride,” “Santa Claus is Coming to Town,” “Ave Maria,” “Think of Me,” “Defying Gravity,” and many more. Expect polished work by the orchestra, tireless vitality from conductor Matthew Savery, and a passionate, pure soprano from Runolfsson.

The musicians of the Bozeman Symphony will elevate these accessible and melodic tunes to Rocky Mountain-heights, and Runolfsson’s rangy high belt will move you. If you haven’t had the chance to attend a Bozeman Symphony performance, this is a wonderful opportunity.

Performances of “Holiday on Broadway” at the Willson Auditorium will be Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec.13 at 2:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at bozemansymphony.org, or by calling the Bozeman Symphony Society at (406) 585-9774.