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 brings together songs from across my whole career. I’m delighted to see the concert reaching new audiences around the world.”Stephen Schwartz
Defying Gravity celebrates the extraordinary songs of Stephen Schwartz, bringing five decades of musical theatre and film together in one spectacular concert—from Godspell and Pippin to Wicked, Pocahontas and The Prince of Egypt.
The recipient of three Academy Awards, four Grammy Awards and four Drama Desk Awards, Stephen Schwartz has created some of musical theatre and film’s most enduring songs. The concert includes Day by Day, Colors of the Wind, When You Believe, Popular, Corner of the Sky, Beautiful City, Meadowlark and, of course, Defying Gravity.
The concert premiered to five-star reviews at Sydney’s Theatre Royal in 2016, with an extraordinary cast led by Sutton Foster, Aaron Tveit, Betty Buckley, Joanna Ampil, Helen Dallimore and David Harris.
Production history.
Next production
Cologne 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
Production images
Photographs: Robert Catto.