Defying Gravity: The Songs of Stephen Schwartz
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Kölner Philharmonie
Cologne, Germany · 9 & 10 October 2026
“As Broadway gold goes, it doesn’t get much more glittery than this.” Limelight Magazine
“Do whatever you can to be there! One sensational moment after the next. The show was magic.” Theatre People
“The perfect tribute to Stephen Schwartz’s art.” Daily Review
“So much more than a concert!” Broadway World
“A little slice of musical theatre heaven. Pure bliss.” Jo Litson
“Stunning!” SBS
About the show
The songs that make
musicals fly.
Defying Gravity is a concert celebration of the songs of Stephen Schwartz, spanning five decades of musical theatre and film, from Godspell and Pippin to Wicked, Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt.
Stephen Schwartz has won three Academy Awards, four Grammys and four Drama Desk Awards. The concert brings together classics including Day by Day, Colors of the Wind, When You Believe, Popular, Corner of the Sky, Beautiful City, Meadowlark and, of course, Defying Gravity.
It premiered to five-star reviews at Sydney’s Theatre Royal in 2016, starring Sutton Foster, Aaron Tveit, Betty Buckley, Joanna Ampil, Helen Dallimore and David Harris.
Production history.
Next production
Köln 2026
Defying Gravity comes to Kölner Philharmonie with the WDR Funkhausorchester in October 2026.
- Presented by
- WDR and Enda Markey Presents
- Venue
- Kölner Philharmonie
- City
- Cologne, Germany
- Dates
- 9 & 10 October 2026
- Orchestra
- WDR Funkhausorchester
- Director
- Annalisa Rossi
- Conductor
- Guy Simpson
- Orchestrator
- Jack Earle
- Cast
- Soloists
- Merlin Fargel
Harriet Jones
Milica Jovanović
Roberta Valentini
Anton Zetterholm
Original production
Sydney 2016
Defying Gravity premiered at Theatre Royal Sydney in February 2016.
- Presented by
- Enda Markey Presents
- Venue
- Theatre Royal, Sydney
- Director
- Andrew Pole
- Musical Director
- Guy Simpson
- Lighting Design
- Chris Page
- Sound Design
- David Tonion / System Sound
- Cast
- Soloists
- Joanna Ampil
Betty Buckley
Helen Dallimore
Sutton Foster
David Harris
Aaron Tveit
Gallery
Photographs: Robert Catto.