Philharmonic celebrates Sondheim's 80th birthday

[March 16, 2010]  NEW YORK (AP) -- The ladies in red brought down the house.

Six Broadway divas, spanning several generations of musical theater, pretty much tore up Lincoln Center's Avery Fisher Hall on Monday night as the New York Philharmonic and a bevy of Broadway stars celebrated the upcoming 80th birthday of Stephen Sondheim, composer of "Sweeney Todd, "Company" and "A Little Night Music," among other shows.

Sondheim's birthday isn't until March 22, but no matter. Bernadette Peters, Patti LuPone, Donna Murphy, Marin Mazzie, Audra McDonald and Elaine Stritch started the festivities early. Each was dressed in bright red during a special second-act segment that had all six on stage at the same time.

[Associated Press; By MICHAEL KUCHWARA]

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