Anka and audience connect during Mirage show

Joe Delaney

Friday, May 18, 2001 | 8:56 a.m.

It was a weeknight, and Paul Anka had the Mirage's 1,500-seat Siegfried & Roy Theatre close to the capacity mark.

Making full use of the capacious stage and the showroom's state-of-the art lighting and sound systems, and backed by the superlative Jon Cross Orchestra, plus a special appearance by the St. Paul's Church Choir, Anka, the quintessential performer, gave a most responsive assemblage 85 minutes of the very best of the man and his music.

After the elaborate opener, Anka came from the back of the showroom, singing "Diana" and weaved his way through the audience, immediately establishing a one-on-one relationship that continued throughout. This was followed by two songs, not written by Anka, as a medley -- "For Once In My Life" and "Come Rain or Come Shine."

An Anka song written for Frank Sinatra, "Let Me Try Again," was next, then a warm tribute to "a good friend from the 1950s, the late Bobby Darin," with "Mack the Knife." Another Anka composition, "Times of Your Life" with a new film segment, was a big winner, setting up "Freedom," written by Anka, backed by the orchestra and the choir.

He went back into the audience for his "golden oldies": "Put Your Head on My Shoulder," "Puppy Love," "Lonely Boy," "Good Night My Love," and "She's a Lady," which was a hit for Tom Jones.

There was a newly-married couple at my table, in their mid- or late-40s, who knew every lyric and sang along with Anka, as did many in the audience.

Back onstage at the piano, he sang "Do I Love You," from his recent "A Body of Work" album. He spoke briefly about his years in the 1960s in Italy and sang a hit written and recorded there, "Ogni Gourno." Next came a touching film segment from a Sammy Davis Jr. television special, with Davis singing Anka's "I'm Not Anyone" -- very warmly received.

"Jubilation," from a Barbra Streisand album, was given the instrumental treatment, a bravura rendition by the orchestra, one of many arrangements of this near-classic performance piece.

"My Way" was performed as a duet, with Sinatra's vocal taken from the original recording, produced and arranged by the late Don Costa, who produced all of Anka's early hits as well. It was standing ovation time, and the audience remained on its feet for a rousing "New York, New York," and were cheering for rock 'n' roll renditions of "Johnny B. Goode" and "Proud Mary."

"You Are My Destiny" closed the show, and the audience was reluctant to let him leave. It was quite a night.