New York Philharmonic

Add Andrew Litton's faultless direction, the terrific New York Choral Artists, plus the composer/lyricist's imprimatur, and you've got a music theatre benchmark worthy to take its place alongside the Callas/DeSabata Tosca and the Solti Ring.

The New York Philharmonic's performance of Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd was a sudden, sweeping triumph. Andrew Litton conducted, and the horror-film details — the expressionistic dissonances, the gnashing brass and hysterical waltzes, the intricate purling of choral counterpoint - sprang into three dimensions...Andrew Litton persuaded the Philharmonic to play Sondheim like Verdi.

Under Andrew Litton, they played Jonathan Tunick's masterly orchestration with a keeen appreciation of its astringent sound world.

The score — and Andrew Litton's conducting of it — were the occasion of the evening. For the sounds of the New York Philharmonic alone, this gala Sweeney was a night to savor.

The New York Philharmonic was electrifyingly conducted by Andrew Litton.