Idina Menzel • Utah Symphony • August 5, 2026 • Deer Valley
Reviewed and Photographed by Kevin Rolfe
On a beautiful summer evening at the Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater in Deer Valley, Broadway, Film, and Contemporary music converged in an amazing setting on a memorable night with Idina Menzel and the Utah Symphony. Surrounded by the mountains and the natural beauty of Park City, the setting provided an almost perfect backdrop for an artist whose voice has become synonymous with some of music’s most powerful and recognizable moments.
Menzel has never been a performer who simply sings a song. Some of my favorite moments of this show came when Idina wasn’t singing at all. She brings emotion, personality, and drama to everything she does. This was especially evident throughout the evening. So many of her stories brought big laughs from the capacity crowd. Other stories or comments brought raw feelings. Emotions were across the board at this concert.
Having the Utah Symphony behind her added an awesome dimension to the show. The orchestra gave familiar songs a sweeping, cinematic quality, allowing Menzel’s voice to soar while still giving the music plenty of room to breathe. There was something special about hearing Broadway material performed on such a grand scale, and in such a grand location. Hearing the Utah Symphony soar through the trees and the mountain we were sitting on is an experience everyone should have.
Of course, for many in the audience, the anticipation centered around Menzel’s celebrated Broadway career. Her performances in Rent and Wicked helped establish her as one of the defining voices of modern musical theater. Hearing these songs by the person who originated these roles is so surreal. Menzel’s voice has held up well, and hearing it live is extra special.
Never was that more true than when she performed “Let It Go” from the Disney film Frozen. As I’m sure you know, Idina Menzel is the voice of Elsa and sang the song for the movie. This concert wasn’t necessarily created for kids, but the kids turned out, and I suspect for this song. It was fun to see all of the Elsa dresses on young girls throughout Snow Park Outdoor Amphitheater. Some were up and dancing to the music, all of them singing along. It was so cute. Menzel gave the audience a chance to sing the chorus, encouraging the children to help the adults.
I had seen Idina Menzel once before. Over ten years ago. She was amazing at that show, and one of the standout moments of that concert was her performance of “Take Me, Or Leave Me” from the groundbreaking musical Rent. In which Menzel starred. I was hopeful that she would perform that song in a similar way that she did back then. And sure enough, she did. Idina sang the song, then invited select members of the audience on the spot to sing the duet part of the song. Eager fans either raised their hands or ran up to the stage in hopes of being picked. Menzel chose three women and one young adult girl.
Each of them took a turn singing a verse, and the audience would react. The song concluded with everyone, including Idina, singing the song. It drew perhaps the largest ovation of the night. It’s such a fun and engaging moment in the concert and a real example of what makes her an exceptional performer.
The Deer Valley setting was another star of the evening. As daylight faded over the mountains and the stage lights became more prominent, the atmosphere became increasingly magical. There are plenty of places where a major concert can be experienced, but there is something uniquely memorable about sitting outside surrounded by Utah’s mountains while listening to an artist of Menzel’s caliber perform with a world-class orchestra. While the rest of Utah was still struggling through high summer temperatures, it was so nice to enjoy a cool evening in Park City.
It’s difficult to choose a favorite moment of the night. But if I had to, I would choose Idina’s performance of “No Day But Today”. Also from the musical Rent. She dedicated the song to the show’s creator and composer, Jonathan Larson. He died the night of the first preview off-Broadway. She performed the song so beautifully that I could see many in the crowd tearing up. It’s a special song, and there was a real connection between stage and audience.
“Defying Gravity” was naturally one of the evening’s biggest moments. It is a song that demands everything from a vocalist, and Menzel delivered it with the confidence and intensity audiences have come to expect. Even for those who have heard the song countless times, experiencing it live with the Utah Symphony behind her made it feel fresh and exhilarating.