Disney Favorites

Program Notes

When You Wish Upon a Star is a song written by Leigh Harline and Ned Washington for Walt Disney's 1940 adaptation of Pinocchio. The original version was sung by Cliff Edwards in the character of Jiminy Cricket and is heard over the opening credits and in the final scene of the film.

The Little Mermaid is a 1989 American animated musical fantasy film produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Based on the Danish fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen, The movie tells the story of a mermaid who dreams of becoming human. In January 1990, The Little Mermaid earned three Academy Award nominations, with Under the Sea winning for best song.

Friend Like Me is sung while Genie shows off his powers to Aladdin, including summoning dancers, and telling him in a musical-like fashion that he is a friend, unlike any others. He also demonstrates the many possibilities Aladdin can wish for.

Disney's landmark animated musical was released in 1991 and then beautifully adapted for the Broadway stage in 1994. The 2017 live-action film starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens helps keep the magic alive and reminds us of the wonderful songs composed by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman. This symphonic medley includes: Prologue, Belle, Gaston, Be Our Guest, Transformation, and of course Beauty and the Beast.

A Whole New World is a song from Disney's 1992 animated feature film Aladdin, with music by Alan Menken and lyrics by Tim Rice. The song is a ballad between the primary characters Aladdin and Jasmine about the new world they are going to discover together while riding on Aladdin's magic carpet.