Review
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Title: Keep Christmas With You
Artist: Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Orchestra at Temple Square
Released By: Intellectual Reserve
Genre: Musical
Year Published: 2015
Run time: 130 min (DVD) 73:56 (CD)
Format: DVD/CD
Price: $19.98 (DVD) $ 15.98 (CD)
Reviewed by Kristie Wilkins for the Association for Mormon Letters
I have to admit that when I was invited to attend the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert featuring the Sesame Street Muppets and Santino Fontana I was skeptical at best. I knew Santino Fontana to be an outstanding artist but I just could not envision how the Muppets and Motab, two groups wonderful in their own rights, would blend together for a Christmas concert. I went along for the ride that night with rather low expectations and came home afterward completely enthralled. I loved every minute of it. And so it was with great anticipation that I agreed, a year later, to review the performance now titled “Keep Christmas With You” on DVD and CD.
“Keep Christmas With You” is a spectacular performance. Every aspect of the show was designed to celebrate the joy and magnificence of the Christmas holiday season. The stage was set with brightly colored packages and beautifully decorated trees. The dancers’ jewel-toned costumes were fantastic. The choir and orchestra are a commanding presence regardless but in this setting, with the lights and the trees and the dancers surrounding them, they were resplendent. The set design included props that cleverly hid the puppeteers from view during the show so the Muppets were able to come to life for the audience. It was a spectacular holiday feast for the eyes and the magic of the atmosphere was captured wonderfully on film for the DVD.
I worried that, without the beautiful Conference Center setting as a backdrop for the music on the CD, something would be missing. However, some songs were enriched by the lack of distraction, allowing their sacred lyrics to shine on their own. I was grateful, however, that the CD included some of the vocal interaction between Mr. Wilberg, Mr. Fontana and the Muppets. Several songs such as “Candy Man” and “Sing,” which are not Christmas songs by any stretch of the imagination, would seem very out of context in a Christmas concert without the dialogue, which tied it all together, allowing the Muppets to shine as well as the choir.
Every performance given is outstanding. The choir and orchestra are powerful and moving. The Muppets are delightful. However, Santino Fontana is the key to the success of the show. With his amazing voice and charming personality Mr. Fontana brought the choir, the orchestra and the Muppets together. He was able to smoothly transition from interaction with the Muppets to various styles of music with ease. His reading of the Christmas story as found in Luke 2 were very moving. He seems very at home on the Conference Center stage.
Hands down the highlight of the program for me was the “Twelve Days of Christmas” arranged and performed by Richard Elliot on the Conference Center organ, with the Count. The organ in the Conference Center is an incredible instrument and I have always thought that we barely get a glimpse of its capabilities in normal Conference settings. So Mr. Elliot’s performance is a rare treat. Between the Count’s hilarious commentary and Mr. Elliiot’s unique arrangement of each verse of the song, the “Twelve Days of Christmas” brought down the house! Mr. Elliot seems to use every feature the organ has as his fingers; his feet fly over the keys! He seems to have so much fun and the audience feels it. I am so glad that the audience’s reaction was recorded and included on the DVD. The delight on the faces of the people in attendance was unfeigned and a well deserved standing ovation followed.
“Keep Christmas With You” is a wonderful holiday treat for the whole family. Relatively few people are able to attend the live performances so I am glad that the show can be viewed by a larger audience through DVD and CD. With that said, I do feel like this particular Christmas Concert left me wanting something. As I have tried to put my finger on it, I believe it was that although there was a good balance of secular and sacred holiday music in the show I am used to a more Christ-centered rather than holiday centered Christmas performance from the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
“Keep Christmas With You” truly will delight your family this holiday season but if you are looking for enlightenment I would recommend the First Presidency Christmas Devotional.