5 Rodgers & Hammerstein Performances That Will Break Your Heart (in the Best Way)
One of the questions I love asking — in the classroom, in rehearsals, and even just over coffee with friends — is: Which performance really moves you? Not the most technically perfect, not the most famous, but the one that makes you feel something deep in your gut.
When it comes to Rodgers & Hammerstein, the catalog is filled with iconic songs that have been sung, re-sung, and reinvented by countless artists. But some performances stand apart because the singer is able to unlock something raw and vulnerable in the music. Below, I’ve pulled together five performances that, in my opinion, hold some of the most emotional depth ever brought to these songs.
1. Renée Fleming – “You’ll Never Walk Alone” (Carousel)
Nobody expects a soprano of Fleming’s stature to sing at a presidential inauguration. But on January 18, 2009, at the “We Are One: The Obama Inaugural Celebration at the Lincoln Memorial,” she did exactly that—and with such heartfelt grace that the moment became unforgettable. She delivered Rodgers & Hammerstein’s iconic Song from Carousel alongside the U.S. Naval Academy Glee Club, her voice both soaring and tender on those steps of history.
2. Joshua Henry & Jessie Mueller – “If I Loved You” (Carousel, 2018 Broadway Revival)
This version is simply unforgettable. Henry's Billy brims with rough-hewn emotion, and Mueller’s Julie responds with quiet strength and yearning. Together, they turn “If I Loved You” into something both tender and taut with unspoken longing. The emotional chemistry—plus the weight of everything these characters carry—makes this duet deeply affecting.
Critics called this revival “layered” and “breathtakingly emotional,” noting that Henry’s portrayal brought a tormented grace to the troubled carnival barker, while Mueller’s generosity and depth grounded Julie in heart-wrenching clarity. (Broadway News) And Alan Smason captured it well: Mueller “breathes life into the character of Julie,” bringing a heartbreaking intelligence to a woman caught between love and survival. (Theatre Criticism)
3. Theodore Bikel – “Edelweiss” (The Sound of Music)
When Theodore Bikel sang “Edelweiss,” it was never just a sweet farewell to a flower. Bikel himself was a Jewish refugee who fled Austria in 1938, and you can hear that history in every phrase. What might feel like a simple folksong suddenly becomes a hymn of longing—for home, for safety, for identity. His performance carries the ache of exile, but also a quiet resilience.
And here’s something that makes it even more moving: “Edelweiss” was the very last song Oscar Hammerstein ever wrote before his death in 1960. Knowing that, the melody and lyrics feel like a farewell—not only for the Captain, but for Hammerstein himself.
Listen closely, and “Edelweiss” transforms. It’s no longer about Captain von Trapp on stage—it’s about every person who has ever had to leave their homeland behind. That’s what makes Bikel’s rendition so hauntingly beautiful.
4. Ezio Pinza – “Some Enchanted Evening” (South Pacific)
When South Pacific premiered in 1949, audiences had never heard anything quite like Ezio Pinza’s voice on a Broadway stage. Pinza was a world-famous opera bass who had only recently left the Metropolitan Opera to make his Broadway debut as Emile de Becque. And then came “Some Enchanted Evening.”
What’s remarkable about Pinza’s rendition is its simplicity. He doesn’t over-ornament or push the song—it’s all sincerity, sung with the gravitas of a man who has lived a life and fallen in love with all its risks. His deep, velvety bass-baritone carries an effortless weight, making Emile’s declaration of love feel both dignified and vulnerable.
This performance set the gold standard for the song. Decades later, “Some Enchanted Evening” is still one of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s most iconic ballads, and Pinza’s recording remains the benchmark. It’s proof that sometimes the most powerful thing a performer can do is sing with honesty, letting the emotion speak for itself.
5. Brian Stokes Mitchell – “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” (South Pacific)
This song has always been radical, even revolutionary. Written by Rodgers & Hammerstein in 1949, “You’ve Got to Be Carefully Taught” confronts racism head-on, challenging audiences to recognize that prejudice is learned—not innate.
When Brian Stokes Mitchell performed it at the 2005 Carnegie Hall concert, he brought both warmth and authority to Hammerstein’s words, creating a performance that resonated deeply with audiences. His rich baritone delivers each line with clarity and emotional weight, balancing the bite of the message with humanity.
(Note: This performance is available as an audio recording on the South Pacific – In Concert from Carnegie Hall album; no video recording exists publicly.)
My Takeaway
So, which one has the most emotional depth? For me, it’s Fleming’s “You’ll Never Walk Alone.” Every time I listen, it feels like she’s carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders—and somehow offering to carry ours too.
But that’s the beauty of Rodgers & Hammerstein: depending on who you are, where you are, and what you need in the moment, a different performance might hit you hardest. And that’s worth celebrating.
What about you? Which Rodgers & Hammerstein performance lives deepest in your heart? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
