A Model R&H; Program by Mauceri at Bowl

Can one dare hope that tired, routine and/or sloppy Rodgers & Hammerstein “salutes” are now a thing of the past at Hollywood Bowl? Given the obvious care, thought--and yes, panache--that went into John Mauceri’s R&H; retrospective with the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra Friday night, one can dare hope, indeed.

Mauceri served up a model, mostly chronological program containing bits from each R&H; collaboration, linked by an entertaining, accurate running commentary from the often mischievous maestro. No doubt aware of the yawning lengths to which the Gershwin program ran last week, Mauceri slashed back the announced program considerably, yet he still got in a piece from each musical, plus a film score and a TV score, by 11.

Thus, for every string of hits--often in the original overture form--we heard some exquisite rarity like the overture to R&H;’s least-known flop, “Pipe Dream” or, in the title tune from “Allegro,” one of Oscar Hammerstein’s cleverest lyrics. From “Me and Juliet,” there was a fascinating portrait of a theater audience from a performer’s point of view (“Big Black Giant”).

Even the familiar was lifted out of the ordinary. The “Carousel” waltz, having grown musty from so many flat renditions, seemed reborn with Mauceri’s attention to detail. The singers kept their egos in check; Jodi Benson was right in character from her shy “If I Loved You” (“Carousel”) to her brassy “I Enjoy Being a Girl” (“Flower Drum Song”), and Keith Rice offered some mellifluous, all-American impressions of “Oklahoma!’s” Curly and “Carousel’s” Billy Bigelow.

Best of all were the stirring, perfectly paced performances of three excerpts from the finest Rodgers score of all, the music from the TV series “Victory at Sea” (alas, “Song of the High Seas” was heavily cut). And, later, Mauceri had the good sense to include “Me and Juliet’s” “No Other Love,” which uses the same tune as “Beneath the Southern Cross.”

Next time, how about more from “Victory at Sea,” for there are 21 other concert pieces from that score that are every bit as good.

Attendance: Friday, 13,347; Saturday, 17,778.