the mommy avenger

Last night, I was able to go and see* The Music of Queen at Abravanal Hall in Salt Lake City. I have always enjoyed every experience I’ve had with the Utah Symphony, but last night’s performance was especially dynamic.

The Utah Symphony was all dressed in black and white with conductor Brent Havens at the helm. Right away, MiG Ayesa graced the stage with comical banter to engage the audience. He “flew” all the way in from Sydney to entertain us, and although his arms were tired, he was ready to rock n’ roll.

I was not familiar with MiG Ayesa before last night. He started his career at the age of 20, playing the role of Ritchie Valens in Buddy…The Buddy Holly Story. From there, he found himself on stages throughout the world and ultimately on Broadway in such musicals as Rock of Ages and We Will Rock You, a musical about Queen. He was also on Rockstar: INXS. Since 2002, he has been in the spotlight, on the stage, and creating albums for the world to enjoy. Seeing him on the stage, he was an exceptional performer and very talented singer. He has an incredible voice that could easily carry the songs of Queen, which is not an easy feat.

Bridging the gulf between rock ’n’ roll and classical music, Brent Havens leads the symphony in Queen’s unforgettable songs. Scored to extend the listening experience of Queen’s music—and amplified with a full rock band and vocals—this show captures the band’s distinct sound and high energy with some of the best (and sometimes forgotten) tunes recorded over the years.

Seeing the Utah Symphony bring the songs of Queen to life was really incredible. An exceptional performance was a special arrangement of “Who Wants to Live Forever” created by Brent Havens. It was a beautiful showcase of the talents of the Symphony and an absolute delight for the ears. Patrons were on their feet dancing to favorites like “Another One Bites the Dust”, “Somebody to Love”, “Killer Queen” and more. But, my absolute favorite was, naturally, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” That song is not an easy song to sing or perform and MiG and the Utah Symphony absolutely killed it. It was thrilling!

I am so glad I was able to get to see this performance and I know I would see it again in a heartbeat. We were thoroughly entertained and had an amazing night. For those of you lucky enough to see them tonight in Deer Valley, have a wonderful time!

We love all the diverse performances available with the Utah Symphony. If you haven’t yet, be sure to check out their upcoming 2023-2024 season.

^{*we were invited to facilitate a feature, all opinions are my own*}