Liz Callaway, the Tony-nominated Broadway veteran who is beloved by generations of Anastasia fans who grew up listening to her soaring performance of the Oscar-nominated anthem "Journey to the Past," has just released a new single of Stephen Schwartz’s inspiring anthem "Beautiful City."
"Beautiful City" is currently available for digital download and on the high fidelity streaming platform Tidal, as well as Spotify (which also offers a premium high quality streaming plan), in addition to Amazon Music, and Apple Music.
Callaway has a strong connection to Schwartz's hopeful anthem to the resilience of the human spirit that was introduced in the 1973 film adaptation of Godspell. "The first time I heard this song was a month after 9/11," she recalls. "I was doing a concert with Stephen Schwartz in Kansas. It was such a heartbreaking and difficult time, and Stephen decided to open with 'Beautiful City' because 9/11 was on everyone’s mind. It was so moving, and I loved it right away."
"I was going to release this track in the summer, but then with everything happening in the world—hurricanes, the massacre in Pittsburgh, and the lead up to the election, I thought, 'Let’s do it now.' It feels like the right time, especially with the results of the election on Tuesday, I think people are feeling more hopeful. We have a long way to go, this is going to take a while, but things are looking up."
The single follows the September 28 release of Callaway’s "Journey to the Past" duet with Broadway Anastasia star Christy Altomare. The popular single has generated strong response from theatre fans and Anastasia devotee alike.
"Beautiful City" is produced and arranged by Richard Marrett. Recorded in New Zealand, the arrangement includes a choir from the National Academy of Singing and Dramatic Art and Showbiz Christchurch.
The single was engineered by Michael Bell and Thom O’Connor, and mastered by Don Bartley. Cover art was created by Robbie Rozelle.
Callaway is also set to perform an encore engagement of her latest show A Hymn to Her at Feinstein’s/54 Below December 3–8. The acclaimed act is dedicated to the women who have inspired Callaway throughout her life—including Eydie Gormé, Barbara Cook, Carole King, Billie Jean King, Julia Child, and Nora Ephron.
"I’m really happy to be doing it again because it over so soon. It’s not just musical influences, my heroes or Sheroes include Billie Jean King, I think she’s one of the greatest people. There’s Nora Ephron, and I do a little tribute to Julia Child because I love to cook. It's really about just being a human being. There’s a lot of women who are doing some really amazing things right now. I mean, after the election, look at the, look at all the women who've been elected. It's really, um, it's really exciting.
