Leslie Odom Jr. overcomes throat troubles at majestic Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra show

"Hamilton" won't make it to the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts until the 2019 to 2020 season. But Aaron Burr arrived early.

RELATED:National tour of 'Hamilton' headed to Milwaukee and Madison

Or really, the man who originated the role of Burr in the mega-blockbuster Broadway musical, Leslie Odom Jr., who performed with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra Friday.

Tony and Grammy winner Odom, 36, has accomplished quite a bit in the two years since his final "Hamilton" performance: two No. 1 jazz albums, a role in Kenneth Branagh's "Murder on the Orient Express"; starring in a Nationwide insurance commercial (whose jingle made a cameo appearance Friday night). Next month, he'll sing "America the Beautiful" at the Super Bowl. 

But Odom knew fully well why every seat was occupied at the Marcus Center's Uihlein Hall.

He joked that he'd have to save some "Hamilton" songs until the end of the show to keep people from fleeing to the parking lots. And when a few audience members, via a smattering of applause, confessed they had never heard the "Hamilton" soundtrack before, a baffled Odom exclaimed, "What are you doing here?"

Ultimately, you didn't need to know a thing about "Hamilton" to be transfixed Friday. Odom said he was performing with "a third of a voice" and joked that if any notes were off, the Milwaukee doctor he consulted with Friday would be to blame. 

Without that disclaimer, you wouldn't have known anything was amiss. Odom's voice was technically exquisite and emotionally absorbing across every note. He proved to be an admirable successor to his idol Nat King Cole, casually commanding the room, right hand in his pocket, for an enchanting "Unforgettable" (the final number in a Cole medley), and conveying the subtle sadness of Cole's rendition of "Autumn Leaves" without slipping into schmaltz. 

Odom gently smoldered for an encore presentation of "Killing Me Softly" and honored "Rent," the musical that changed his life (and gave him his first Broadway role at 17), with "Without You," climaxing with a powerful, prolonged falsetto note. And an a cappella rendition of Bob Dylan's "Forever Young" was every bit as rich as the night's numbers that employed all 66 performers occupying the stage. 

Those musicians — five members of Odom's band, plus 60 members of the MSO — were magnificent themselves. Odom's band, on an exquisite simmer for much of the evening's 80 minutes, flaunted its chops with solos at the end of "The Guilty Ones" from "Spring Awakening." Antony Orlando Le Fleming's sultry upright bass grooves were followed by Michael Mitchell's rollicking, ragtime-tinted piano playing; and Steven Walker's sparse guitar washes segued into powder-keg percussion rhythms, with John Davis behind a kit and Senfuab Stoney a blur of hand slaps on the bongos. 

The MSO, conducted Friday by Yaniv Dinur, had a few spotlight moments as well, "Autumn Leaves" being a highlight, led by a contemplative symphonic suite surrounding a lone fluttering flute. The glistening, swelling arrangements, largely reminiscent of the scores from Hollywood's Golden Era, greatly enhanced Odom without ever overpowering him.

All the parties were splendid together performing three "Hamilton" songs. Show opener "Wait for It" was a fitting indication of the ensemble's strength, and the orchestra added emotional heft to a tender "Dear Theodosia" without intruding on the paternal reflection's intimacy.

And while "Hamilton" needs no help selling tickets, finale "The Room Where It Happens" was a testament to the show's groundbreaking nature, with a swagger-soaked Odom rapping over thrilling orchestral bombast, concluding with a mic stand slam fit for a rock show. 

Certainly, Odom's involvement in such a beloved, once-in-a-generation phenomenon has opened many doors. But Friday he showed, through sensational talent, that he deserves every opportunity that comes his way.

THE TAKEAWAYS

• "Let's see if my suit's too tight," Odom said as he attempted to sit on the edge of the stage to sing "Joey, Joey, Joey." He joked that there was no way he'd be able to get back up gracefully, but the lighting person had his back, using the lone blackout of the night to give him some cover.

• Sample banter: "I was told the show sold really well in Milwaukee. I didn't know there were so many 'Law and Order: SVU' fans here," Odom said, referencing a small recurring role on the NBC procedural before "Hamilton." 

THE SET LIST
1. "Wait for It"
2. "Winter Song"
3. "Look for the Silver Lining"
4. Nat King Cole medley ("Mona Lisa"/"Straighten Up and Fly Right"/"Unforgettable")
5. "Autumn Leaves"
6. "Joey Joey Joey"
7. "The Guilty Ones"
8. "Without You"
9. "Forever Young" (a capella)
10. "Dear Theodosia"
11. "The Room Where It Happens" 
Encore
12. "Killing Me Softly"
 

More on Music 

Find out about the week's must-see shows, concert tickets and more in the newsletter "Piet Levy's Music Picks." Subscribe at jsonline.com/newsletters.

Piet talks about concerts, local music and more on "TAP'd In" with Jordan Lee, 8 a.m. Thursdays on WYMS-FM (88.9).