As Doug LaBrecque wrapped up "Music of the Night" to close the show, garnering an enthusiastic standing ovation, it was easy to see why the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra brought him and fellow soloist Laurie Gayle Stephenson back for "Bravo Broadway".

For those living under a rock, "Music of the Night" is either a vocal showcase or a vocal nightmare, depending on the singer, demanding bass notes and falsetto tenor, along with pent-up emotion and a full dynamic range, from almost a whisper to top-of-the-lungs.

LaBrecque made the song his showcase, as you might expect from someone who's actually played the Phantom, the character who sings "Music of the Night" in Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" on Broadway.

It was that kind of night.

For those accustomed to masterwords concerts, pops concerts offer a refreshing alternative. From the extra schmaltz and sentimentality available to the performers to the orchestral modifications, including a drum set at center stage and slide whistles popping up in the middle of songs, pops concerts are just fun. And more so when it's Broadway the pops concert is saluting.

There were three stars to the show Saturday -- LaBrecque, Stephenson and the DSSO.

LaBrecque was most impressive, in duets, ballads and even dance numbers. In addition to his powerful tenor voice, particularly shining in "Over the Rainbow", "Music of the Night" and "Begin the Beguine", his showmanship and graciousness won the audience. He even tipped his hat to the Minnesota Vikings (good thing the concert was Saturday).

Stephenson was nearly as impressive. She positively glowed on "I Enjoy Being a Girl" and "Don't Cry for Me, Argentina", showcasing a strong soprano instrument and a great sense for the music. Her stage presence and drama rivaled LaBrecque's. She even copped a (kind of corny) southern accent on "You Can't Get a Man with a Gun". You can get away with that sort of thing in a pops concert.

Unfortunately, some problems with her microphone and some timing problems with the orchestra made her performance less than it could have been.

The third star was the symphony.

A few numbers before intermission, the orchestra was finishing a particularly challenging ending to its Leonard Bernstein showcase when LaBrecque turned to whisper excitedly to Stephenson. After the applause, as LaBrecque got ready for his next piece, he stopped to congratulate the symphony, saying they were "truly, truly a national treasure."

They played like it for much of the evening, particularly on their own showcases.

The horns were outstanding in the overture from "Gypsy". The Bernstein piece feature evocative sounds, almost like traffic noises, at the beginning and the sharp, rhythmic ending that made such an impression on the soloists. Webber's "Jellicle Ball" feature crisp drumming by the set player and the fun of watching Maestro Yong-yan Hu dance on the podium.

There were some rough spots -- for instance, in several pieces, timing with the set player seemed faulty. But the DSSO more than made up for it with its sharp playing elsewhere, and it picked its spots -- nearly all the endings were flawless.

While the stars were impressive individually, the synergy between the two soloists sealed the deal. LaBrecque and Stephenson showed a geniune chemistry, both in their duets and in the way they fed off each other in dance steps ("Singing in the Rain") and showmanship ("Together Wherever We Go").

Their combined singing was magical in "All I Ask of You", where both performers were reprising Phantom roles they had played, and "Anything You Can Do" was perhaps the best expression of the evening's fun.

"Anything You Can Do" was also a great musical showcase, proving that Stephenson can hold a crystal clear note longer than any human being should find possible.

Note to DSSO: Do LaBrecque and Stephenson have plans for next year?