From Deseret News archives:
Line delivers delightful gift
You can't go wrong with Christmas music. Pianist Lorie Line knows this, and her loyal fans are glad she does.
Line manages to sell out halls wherever she takes her annual Christmas show around the country, from Fargo, N.D., to Palm Springs, Calif. And Salt Lake City is no exception.
After a five-year absence, Line brought her show to the Jeanne Wagner Theatre in the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center Saturday night.
With her eight-piece Pop Chamber Orchestra and guest vocalist Kelly Smith, Line entertained the audience with traditional Christmas favorites. Joining the troupe was Line's husband, Tim Line, who played several characters (the prophet Isaiah, King Herod, St. Nicholas and Charles Dickens) in telling the story of Jesus' birth. And the appreciative audience enjoyed every minute of the nearly 2 1/2-hour show.
Small bells and battery-operated candles were available for the audience as they entered the hall. Several times throughout the show, Line encouraged everyone to play along. The audience added their bell ringing to several pieces, including the obvious "Carol of the Bells."
Line and her band opened the evening with a medley that included the "Hallelujah Chorus" and then moved swiftly into "Deck the Halls" and "The First Noel."
Smith, who is new to Line's annual Christmas show this year, is a classically trained singer, and her crystalline soprano brought radiance to "O Holy Night," although she sounded somewhat strained in the upper register. Smith was also featured in "The Lord's Prayer," "We Wish You a Merry Christmas" and "Away in a Manger," in which she was joined by the children from the audience, who were dressed in costumes portraying Mary and Joseph, angels, a camel and several lambs.
One of the most delightful pieces on the program was a unique arrangement of "We Three Kings of Orient Are," which was given an Ali Baba twist with Arabic accompaniment and costumes.
The show ended with an audience sing along on "Silent Night."
E-mail: ereichel@desnews.com
