25th Sept        A REVIEW OF KRISTINA

TELEGRAPH & ARGUS (UK)

NATIONAL ENTERTAIMENT NEWS
Press Association

Abba duo unleash another musical

4:23pm Friday 25th September 2009

Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus has brought another musical to New York.

The Mamma Mia! pair's epic musical Kristina - starring Russell Watson and Helen Sjoholm - was performed on Wednesday at Carnegie Hall, giving American audiences a rare opportunity to see and hear a more classical side of the composers who formed one-half of Abba.

Making it more accessible to New Yorker theatregoers, this was the first-ever English-language production of the operatic, nearly three-hour piece, which was written in Swedish and first performed in 1995.

The story is based on Vilhelm Moberg's The Emigrants, a classic of Swedish literature. It takes viewers on a family's odyssey from famine-stricken farms in Europe to the promise and rigors of the American frontier.

This large-scale, concert production was performed by the American Theatre Orchestra, under the musical direction of conductor Paul Gemignani, and showcased an impressive collection of singers.

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SOME REVIEWS FOR THE 2009 CONCERT TOUR.
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CITY LIFE
Reviewed: Tue, 28 April, 2009                                                             
IN GOOD VOICE...RUSSELL WATSON          
WHAT an incredibly emotional evening for me,” booms Russell Watson to an adoring home crowd at Salford’s Lowry Theatre.

And Russell sure knows how to pull those heart strings of his fans to make sure they feel every bit of emotion too.

From the first strains of O Sole Mio, Russell proved to be back to his very best. They don’t call him “The Voice” for nothing.

And for this, the first of two homecoming gigs back in Salford, the bolt-cutter turned people’s tenor really showcased his vocal prowess with a return to all his classical favourites.

Dedicating a stirring Ave Maria to a best friend who had lost his battle with cancer that very morning, there was barely a dry eye in the house.

His version of You Are So Beautiful is touchingly dedicated to his two daughters who he points out in the audience as his “two little angels, although they’re not so little anymore”.

And during a walk through of the crowds Russell dashed to kiss his “inspirational friend”, teen fundraiser Kirsty Howard to the delight and applause of a home crowd ever knowing of the 13-year-old’s courageous charity battles after being born with her heart back to front.

Amazing Grace

Just when you think he’s played all his cards, out comes soul star Jocelyn Brown for an empassioned duet of Amazing Grace.

Then for the uplifting finale, Russell even brings out 17-year-old Hartlepool youngster Lewis Laking join him for a duet on You Raise Me Up.

Russell explains he was so touched by the youngster’s story (of supporting a friend who suffered a brain haemorrhage) after he appeared with him on John Barrowman’s BBC entertainment show Tonight’s The Night, that he invited him to join him on stage.

In a nod to his other most recent TV work, as a judge on the BBC’s Last Choir Standing, he’s brilliantly supported throughout the night by one of the finalists on that show, the pitch-perfect Sense of Sound.

Trademark humour

But of course this wouldn’t be a Russell Watson show without the trademark northern humour as well.

When he teases the crowd with an introduction to a song as “his most requested song that I’ve never recorded”, he runs with an audience suggestion that it’s “My Old Man’s A Dustman” and merrily leads the crowd in a chorus.

And he gets a fit of the giggles when one amorous fan calls out: “I’ve put my leather on, special”

This was textbook tenor stuff – a booming Caruso here, a sing-a-long-a Volare and Funiculi Funicula there.  But Russell knows how to get the crowd on their feet for one of a series of encores – first with his trademark Nessun Dorma and then some rock ‘n’ roll romps through Twist and Shout and I Saw Her Standing There.

An emotional evening? Russell, you made sure of it.

By Dianne Bourne

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From CANE GREEN AUDIO GROUP

Russell Watson Spring UK Tour

March - May 2009

The record-breaking vocalist showed his health problems of two years ago has not affected his voice as he
 performed on his second full UK tour since making a successful recovery.
 The 18 date UK Tour included a night at London's Royal Albert Hall.

Picture from Llandudno

Affectionately known as ‘The Voice,’ Russell has scooped a variety of accolades throughout his career, including four Classical Brit Awards, while he is recognised worldwide as the

UK’s biggest selling classical artist of the 21st century.

He endeared himself to audiences throughout the tour, making jokes and even leaving the stage to wander among the audience, posing for pictures as he sang.

He was joined  by Liverpool’s Sense of Sound choir, who also treated the crowd to some a capella performances, before Watson ended with a rousing rendition of Nessun Dorma

The popular singer began the tour at the Regent Theatre in Ipswich on March 22, 2009, peforming along the way at the Royal Albert Hall in London before concluding at Venue Cymru in Llandudno in May.

Canegreen supplied the PA for the tour

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WOMAN AND HOME

RUSSELL WATSON ON TOUR.

Having hit the headlines over the past two years for personal reasons, Watson must be relieved to finally be back in the limelight for his music and classical flair.
 And, despite having publicly battled not one, but two, brain tumours over the last two years, he’s back with a vengeance.

Russell Watson's latest eighteen-date tour, which kicked off at Ipswich’s Regent Theatre in March, has already received a number of rave reviews.

The tour sees Russell Watson's return to pure classical music, and well-loved arias like Nessun Dorma and Ave Maria are all part of the show.

Russell Watson has reportedly worked flat out to get his vocals back up to standard after his extensive cancer treatment but his hard work has paid off

because his renditions are spellbinding. It’s easy to see how Russell Watson got the tag of being the UK’s biggest selling classical performer of the 21st century.

The tour kicks off at the Royal Albert Hall’s impressive stage and from there the tour will move to venues in Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, and his hometown Salford.

It’s an opportunity to see Russell Watson back in action and, for music lovers, young and old, you won’t be disappointed.

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EXPRESS AND STAR.

Audience loves Russell Watson

Brave opera singer Russell Watson continued his comeback from a brain tumour with a triumphant concert in Birmingham.

The record-breaking vocalist showed his health problems of two years ago had not affected his voice as he performed at the Symphony Hall last night as part of his second full UK tour since making a successful recovery.

It was a St George’s Day treat for fans as he opened the show in fine form with operatic classic O Sole Mio.

A bumper crowd of all ages turned out to see the Salford-born tenor, affectionately known as ‘The Voice,’ who has scooped a variety of accolades throughout his career, including four Classical Brit Awards, while he is recognised worldwide as the UK’s biggest selling classical artist of the 21st century. Other highlights of the evening included a belting version of the theme from hit movie Gladiator, II Gladiatore.

He endeared himself to the crowd, making jokes throughout and even leaving the stage to wander among the audience, posing for pictures as he sang.

He was joined at times by Liverpool’s Sense of Sound choir, who also treated the crowd to some a capella performances, while an organist backed Phantom of the Opera’s Music of the Night, before Watson ended with a rousing rendition of Nessun Dorma.

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I O M TODAY.com

Russell Watson stages spectacular Isle of Man show

On the last night of his British Isles tour the audience really got their money's worth as Watson returned to the stage at least four times and received countless standing ovations.

He said that this was his favourite tour of the 10 years he's been performing, it being particularly great to get to the end of a tour without any problems. The singer recovered from suffering two brain tumours in 2007.


He was supported by Sense of Sound, an a capella choir from Liverpool who participated in the BBC's Last Choir Standing making it to the last six, were the first contemporary choir to make it to the final of Radio 3's choir of the year competition and sang at the opening weekend of Liverpool's Capital of Culture 2008.

Lieutenant Governor Sir Paul and Lady Haddacks attended and it was great to have the Manx national anthem as well as the British at the start of the show. Watson, on the first of his four encores, dedicated his rousing rendition of Land of Hope and Glory to them.

There was a great selection of arias and modern music including Vienna, originally sung by Ultravox in the 80s; La Donna e Mobile, (known as Just One Cornetto to ice cream lovers!), from the opera Rigoletto; Amore E Musica; Caruso; Volare; Nessun Dorma!; Georgia by Ray Charles; Music of the Night from Phantom of the Opera, the tune most requested at concerts but one he has never recorded; Twist and Shout; When I Saw You Standing There; Try A Little Tenderness from the film The Commitments; You Are So Beautiful, made popular by Joe Cocker; You Raise Me Up; House of the Rising Sun.

Throughout the concert Watson was happy to give autographs - one lady had her chest signed - and accept flowers and gifts. He did a couple of minutes posing for photographs on stage with the hope of deterring flash photography during his performance and later made his way up the aisle singing Volare while greeting some lucky members of the audience.

Sense of Sound were fantastic throughout and gave great solo performances including Cry Me A River by Justin Timberlake. As well as the choir and musicians Geoff Leach, Watson's musical director, pianist, conductor and mentor, also received great applause in appreciation for his effort

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