[4] The "stellar cast"[4] included Belinda Lang (Aunt Eller) with Nathaniel Hackmann (Curly), Scarlet Strallen (Laurey), Robert Fairchild (Will Parker), David Seadon-Young (Jud), and Lizzy Connolly (Ado Annie), with comedian/actor Marcus Brigstocke (Ali Hakim).
The John Wilson Orchestra joined forces with soloists Julian Ovenden, Louise Dearman, Lucy Schaufer, Scarlett Strallen, and the Maida Vale Singers.
The cast[5] included Ben Davis (Fred Graham / Petruchio), Alexandra Silber (Lilli Vanessi / Katherine), Tony Yazbeck (Bill Calhoun / Lucentio), Louise Dearman (Lois Lane / Bianca) and Alex Bourne (Harrison Howell).
[7] The authentic sound of Broadway was revived in the ballet sequences from Richard Rodgers' On Your Toes and Leonard Bernstein's On the Town, featuring the brass and woodwind sections.
Contrast was provided by romantic songs from Frank Loesser's The Most Happy Fella, a ballad from Rodgers's Allegro and a comic routine delivered by a quartet from the Maida Vale Singers, from Jerry Bock's Fiorello.
The soloists and orchestra re-created interpretations by Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Julie Andrews and Doris Day.
Highlights included the title songs from 42nd Street (Annalene Beechey), Strike Up the Band (Caroline O'Connor), and Top Hat (Matthew Ford).
Other outstanding numbers were "A Fine Romance" and "Secret Love" (Clare Teal), "Can't Help Singing" (Sarah Fox), "Jolly Holiday" (Mary Poppins, sung by Beechey)[9] and "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" (Stuart Matthew Price).
Operatic tenor Charles Castronovo interpreted "Serenade" (The Student Prince) and the duet "One Hand, One Heart" (West Side Story) with soprano Sarah Fox.
[10] This project grew out of an invitation by Proms controller Roger Wright for John Wilson to do a concert commemorating the 50th anniversary of lyricist Oscar Hammerstein's death.
[11] The choir was the Maida Vale Singers and the international star soloists included Julian Ovenden, Sierra Boggess, Kim Criswell, Anna-Jane Casey and Rod Gilfry.
During November, the John Wilson Orchestra reunited with soloists Sir Thomas Allen (baritone), Kim Criswell, Sarah Fox, Seth MacFarlane and Curtis Stigers for a British national tour of A Celebration of Classic MGM Musicals, visiting Manchester,Nottingham, Gateshead, Glasgow, Birmingham, and Bournemouth.