Idina Menzel @ the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion

It is hurricane season, so who better to blow into town than Hurricane Idina? As evidenced by her concert this past Friday night at the Blue Hills Bank Pavilion, Tony-winning Idina Menzel is at the top of her game.

It is also gratifying to see how her celebrity has grown - the arena was virtually sold out - since John Travolta flubbed her name at the Oscars two years ago. That was when she was singing the Oscar-winning "Let It Go" at the ceremony, perhaps the best-known pop anthem of recent years with which she closed the show on a sweet, if worrisome note. What prompted the worry was how she was crowded on stage with children whom she invited onto the stage. You got the impression that more than the usual amount joined her and as she led this impromptu choir in verses of the song, Menzel attempted to mitigate any possible stage snafu.

It was, nonetheless, a touching way for Menzel to connect with her fans many of whom have been following her since she first appeared in "Rent" some twenty years ago. Flanked by a first-rate orchestra comprised mostly of local musicians, Menzel entered to a tumultuous reception with a stirring "Defying Gravity," her show-stopping turn from "Wicked." Wearing a simple black dress augmented with a black skirt with gold patterns (that she called her "Stevie Nicks thing"), she looked every inch a glamorous diva; but what makes Menzel such a joy in concert is how she belittles that image at every turn. She still, as she points out, a girl from Long Island living out her dreams and grateful to do so.

That spirit filled the concert, which segued from songs from Broadway to pop anthems with seamless skill. At one point she combined the two, beginning with a luxurious, Nelson Riddle-styled version of Cole Porter's "Love for Sale" that morphed into the similarly-themed Queen song "Roxanne." She offered a tribute to Ethel Merman with three of her best-known numbers, ending with a splendid "Everything's Coming Up Roses" that left one thinking that perhaps there's a production of "Gypsy" in her future. Fans of "Wicked" weren't disappointed - in addition to "Defying Gravity" she sang "The Wizard and I" and a heartfelt, a cappella "For Good." Also towards the end Menzel touched on her recent stint on Broadway in "If/Then" with "Always Starting Over," another anthemic pop-styled ballad that she nailed as she sat on the apron of the stage. During this number she spoke of the life-changing events happening to her during the run of the show and how going to the theater was the best therapy for her.

She also sang a number of pop songs from her numerous albums, which were the least satisfying in the show, partly because of sound issues that muffled the lyrics. What worked best were two covers of songs by other pop artists - a poignant take on Joni Mitchell's "River" and a raw, energized version of Radiohead's "Creep," both of which showed her amazing range.

What proved to be the evening's high point was when she invited members of the audience to sing the duet "Take Me or Leave Me" from "Rent." As she weaved through the house she found four participants for whom the song must be a karaoke regular. Each brought the house down and again underscored Menzel's amazing rapport with her fans who were no doubt blown away (to overuse a weather metaphor) with her performance.