German cabaret sensation Max Raabe once studied to become an operatic baritone at the Berlin University of the Arts. But fate had other ideas. Although Raabe never did realize that ambition, his prodigious talents led him to the fabulous world of Berlin of the 1920s and '30s. As if he were channeling the great artists of that era, Raabe literally found his voice as a premier interpreter of the marvelous songs that evoke an incredible range of emotion. Humor, pathos, yearning, melancholy, passion, ennui — only a musician with incredible style and range can bring these off, and Raabe has received accolades from around the globe for his mesmerizing, haunting renditions, which require him to segue back and forth from baritone to tenor and falsetto ranges with an almost effortless dexterity. UCLA presents Raabe and his 12-piece Palast Orchester, re-creating a Berlin of long ago and far away, complete with sets, costumes and music straight out of Weimar Germany. The program includes songs romantic and ironic from the group's delicious new album, One Cannot Kiss Alone, delivered with Raabe's signature deadpan wit and charm. UCLA, Royce Hall, Wstwd.; Thurs., Feb. 23, 8 p.m.; $25-$90. (310) 825-2101, uclalive.org.

Thu., Feb. 23, 8 p.m., 2012

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