REVIEWS 2011
27th April.
A lovely review for the Bristol concert from This is Bristol ..
The Voice wins audience's hearts
Russell Watson: Colston Hall
Russell Watson is not called The Voice for nothing. His is a voice that can cause you to stop in your tracks, to get goose bumps, to get teary-eyed.
That he still has his voice is a minor miracle, for in the last five years he has overcome not only career-threatening, but life-threatening illnesses, with not one, but two pituitary tumours removed.
Receiving a standing ovation from many in the audience before he had even sung a note was testament to his popularity and the affection his fans feel for him.
"You nearly knocked me off my feet," he joked in his strong Salford accent, at odds with the sensational singing voice that has led some to call him the world's greatest tenor.
This was a concert by Watson, but there was an entire orchestra on stage with him, and eight backing singers.
He didn't used to get that kind of support when he was singing in bars and clubs in Manchester and London. But that was before his life changed forever after an owner of one club that
he was singing at told him that his voice might be better suited to opera and requested that he learn Puccini's Nessun Dorma, the song that he played during his encore last night to rapturous applause.
He has not turned his back completely on his former life, however, and at the Colston Hall he put his own spin on some untypical opera fare, including the opening song Somewhere from West Side Story.
Another song from the shows, Phantom of the Opera, was the opening number of the second half, and was the definition of gusto. It was not all bombast, however, with not a dry eye in the house when he dedicated Ave Maria to his grandmother, who died earlier this year.
Nella Fantasia, the song that kick-started his career in 1999, was a highlight, while if he did not have every single member of the audience on his side before, he certainly did after a prolonged walkabout among the stalls during Volare, during which he even managed a bit of conducting.
Who knew opera could be this much fun?
8/10
MARTIN BOOTH
27th April.
A great review of the Plymouth concert from SouthWest Shows.co.uk.
The Voice is back, goes the media hype surrounding Russell Watson’s latest UK tour.
Russell himself says that, following his latest health setbacks, his voice seems to have gone from a V8 to a V12 in terms of ‘engine’ size.
Well, judging by his quite superb performance in front of a packed Plymouth Pavilions audience, it’s now turbo, if not super-charged, as well.
The choice of repertoire was just right, with an ideal mix of musicals, Italian love songs, classical numbers, a Sinatra set, old standards, and a generous bunch of encores which the standing ovation simply demanded.
Variety was there, too, in the delightful form of newly-discovered Gloucestershire youngster, Mary-Jess, who was particularly impressive in her take on Sarah Brightman’s role in Phantom of the Opera’s Say You Love Me duet, where hers and Russell’s voice blended perfectly.
The National Symphony Orchestra, impeccably led by Lizzie Ball, under Robert Emery’s assured baton, was on stunning form, too, with the lushly inventive arrangements adding much to the lavish, and well-controlled sound.
But the true appeal of the evening goes far beyond the music and the first-rate visual presentation.
Russell still comes over as an immensely sincere lad from ‘up north’, with no artificial airs and graces, and a genuinely heartfelt appreciation of someone who has overcome life-threatening illness, with great courage and determination – a wonderful inspiration to us all.
PHILIP R BUTTALL
4th April.
Review for the Liverpool Concert from the LIVERPOOL POST
“I ABSOLUTELY love this place. It’s like going into a great big stately home and there’s a big log fire burning in the grate.”
That was Russell Watson’s feeling about the Phil at his comeback after his battle with cancer, and it was obvious from the emotional reception he was treated to that the deep sense of appreciation was mutual.
He got a the best part of a standing ovation when he arrived on stage, which he basked in, and when he launched into a stirring rendition of Somewhere, its hopeful theme struck just the right note for the tour billed as The Return of the Voice.
After a knockout Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, which he dedicated to his gran who had recently passed away, the mood became more light- hearted. The tour promotes his new album, La Voce, which was recorded in Rome, so his show was stuffed with bouncy Italian numbers like Volare, Funiculi Funicula and Io Che Non Vivo (Sensa Te) to the tune of Dusty Springfield’s You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me, as well as Sinatra songs like Strangers in the Night.
Joining him on stage was young newcomer Mary-Jess – who performed a sweet duet with him during a Phantom of the Opera interlude – and the superb and extraordinarily glamorous Arts Symphonic orchestra, conducted by Robert D C Emery, who has performed with the RLPO, and backed by the Capital Voices choir.
Whether or not the song choices themselves appealed, there was little doubt that his rich tenor has never sounded better – one of the effects of his tumour being removed was to reportedly extended his range.
The Voice is definitely back.
Emma Pinch
2nd April.
Another fantastic review for Russell,they just keep getting better like him.
This from The Liverpool Echo
Russell Watson in concert.
THE Russell Watson story reads like one of those larger- than-life musical dramas he sings on stage.
A Salford factory worker whose towering tenor voice shot him to fame, at the height of his career discovered he had a brain tumour.
Luckily the Russell Watson story has a happy ending – and the audience at his sell-out gig at the Phil was keen to show him how thrilled they were to have him back.
The concert seemed to begin back to front. When he skipped on, all tanned and lithe in a dapper black suit, he was treated to a standing ovation. The first song was a powerful rendition of Somewhere, which with its tremulous message of hope, had some hanky-threatening moments.
Next was the Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rustica – you’d have to be made of rock not to find that one stirring – and with Watson’s rich vocals backed by the Capital Voices choir it had a climactic feel. By the end he was reaching for a box of tissues behind him, explaining it was for his gran, who had recently passed away.
He explained he was now making every minute in his life count; “being here at the Phil embodies that”, You got the feeling he meant it. Mid-way through a soaring exposition of Volare, he leapt into the audience to soak up some of the kisses, gifts and all round adoration of his fans.
Backed by the stunning Arts Symphonic orchestra, he is joined on tour by young newcomer Mary-Jess, who performed a sweet duet with him during a Phantom of the Opera section.
Many of the other songs were taken from his new album, the Italian-themed La Voce. His snappy Funiculi Funicula was perfect for the light mood and he skilfully matched delivery to the song, as with the smooth – and very Sinatra-esque – Strangers in the Night. He has buckets of the old school crooners’ super-confident charm, but while expertly performed – without any of that over-egged “opera star does pop” enunciation – they’re still songs you could hear decently done in the Dog and Goose on a Friday night.
It’s the classical stuff which properly flexes his superlative vocal muscle – demonstrated by his knockout Nessun Dorma. The Voice is back to its best.
1st April.
Another great review for Russell, this from the Sheffield Star.
Russell Watson, Sheffield City Hall
RUSSELL Watson’s La Voce tour means another full venue and a packed stage too. He brings with him the excellent Arts Symphonic Orchestra, whose string section entirely comprises young women conducted by the eccentric barefooted maestro Richard Emery, plus the eight-strong backing section of the Capital Voices Choir.
It’s pretty impressive for a Salford-born tenor without any classical training. Russell served his apprenticeship singing in working mens clubs but has left that world far behind to become an incredibly success story over the last 12 years. He was one of the first classical artists to make the crossover to popular music but an even more impressive achievement showing the calibre of the man has been his recovery from two life threatening brain tumours to return stronger than ever.
His charismatic yet approachable stage persona, allied to a Lancashire accent, delights his adoring audience as he opens with Somewhere and Ave Maria, dedicated to his late gran. He jokes with fans throughout, even singing happy birthday by request to Denise up in the circle for her 50th.
One of the highlights of a wonderful set comes when the faultless Mr Watson is joined by former Sheffield Uni student Mary-Jess for a Phantom Of The Opera sequence.
Funiculi Funicula and Volare go down a storm, especially when he walks, singing, through the audience. Predictably the notional set closer Nessun Dorma raises the roof before three encores give the crowd their ticket value and then some.
Sean Bruce
31st March.
Brilliant review in the Oxford Mail for the concert at Oxford.
Russell Watson: The New Theatre
By Nicola Lisle »
Wow! The Voice is back — and boy, did Russell Watson demonstrate the fact in spectacular style on Monday evening. With no hint of the health problems that have dogged him for the past few years, he took to the stage and instantly captivated the audience with classics from some of his earlier albums, along with numbers from his most recent release, La Voce, all delivered with incredible energy, drama and passion. It’s been said that Russell’s voice has improved since his two life-saving operations, and he certainly has a huge range both in pitch and timbre, from rumbling bass notes to powerfully resonant upper notes.
But Russell’s talent doesn’t just lie in his singing; he also has a natural skill for engaging with his audience, and does so with great warmth and humour. This wasn’t so much a concert, more of a huge, friendly party, with a wonderful interplay across the footlights. Favourite aria Volare featured Russell’s now-famous disappearing act into the audience, as well as a chance to sing along (“That’s the best I’ve heard all tour — mind you, this is only the second date!”), while another favourite, Funiculi, Funicula, was clap-along time.
But there were more serious moments, too — such as Ave Maria, dedicated to his grandmother, who passed away earlier this year, and tender love songs such as I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You and Somewhere.
Promising young singer Mary-Jeffs duetted with him in Music of the Night from The Phantom of the Opera and The Prayer, and he was supported throughout by the excellent Arts Symphonic orchestra, the eight-piece choir Capital Voices and the curiously bare-footed conductor, Robert D.C. Emery.
But the night was all about Russell, and his final offering, a powerful rendition of Nessun Dorma, drew a standing ovation. The evening finished several encores later. There is no doubt about it — the Voice is well and truly back.
28th March.
Great review from the Manchester Evening news for the Lowry Concert.
Russell Watson
By Dianne Bourne | Mon, 28 March, 2011
The Lowry (Lyric Theatre)
March 27, 2011
There aren't many artists who can receive a standing ovation before singing a solitary note.
But then Russell Watson performing at an emotional homecoming in Salford isn't your average gig.
The Lowry theatre was the setting for the opening night of Russell’s new tour, La Voce, the Italian for his famed moniker of course.
And The Voice was certainly in fine fettle as he opened with a powerful rendition of show tune tearjerker Somewhere.
But while Russell has experimented with musical styles over the years it remains the classical tracks where those tenor tones really excel and continue to delight his loyal fans who packed the Lyric to its rafters.
There’s certainly plenty of emotion in his Ave Maria, particularly having dedicated it to his grandmother, who he revealed to the crowds had died earlier this year. Russell, lip quivering, says: “It feels like an emotional journey tonight, especially here in Salford in my hometown.”
On this tour Russell is backed by the excellent Arts Symphonic Orchestra, who benefit not least from the fact their string section appears to be made up entirely of silky-haired grecian goddesses, and the Capital Voices Choir, who Russell rightly credits as: “there’s only 8 but they sound like 800”.
It all adds to a night of richly rounded sounds to accompany Russell’s trademark wit and charm, and he says for the first time in years after fighting two brain tumours, he’s feeling better than ever. He says: “It feels so amazing to be alive and doing what I’m doing without any problems in my life and without the headaches.”
There’s the usual singalongs to Funiculi Funicula and Russell’s jump into the audience during Volare where he’s showered with gifts from his adoring fans.
His family and friends are packed into the front rows, and his 22-year-old girlfriend Louise Harris gets a special mention when he dedicates Elvis’s Can’t Help Falling In Love to a collective “ahh” from the audience and a fair few tears from Louise.
He’s joined on this tour by classical crossover newcomer Mary-Jess who sweetly duets with Russell during a special Phantom Of the Opera section, and later on The Prayer.
But of course it’s Russell everyone is here to see, and the night ends with a triumphant Nessun Dorma, before no less than three standing ovations and encores.
That’s a whole lot of love for La Voce
30th January 2011
Review of the Concert at the Esplanade Hall Singapore
January 29, 2011
Review OF Russell Watson's Concert
Esplanade Concert Hall
29th January 2011
Yesterday's programme showcased his vocal versatility beautifully, as you can see:
O Sole Mio
Panis Angelicus
Ave Maria
Intermezzo from Cavelleria Rusticana
Nella Fantasia
Io Che Non Vivo ( You Don't Have TO Say You Love Me )
I Left My Heart In San Francisco
Music Of The Night
[ intermission ]
Il Gladiatore
Volare
Funiculi Funicula
Strangers In The Night
The Prayer
Parla Piu Piano ( love them from The Godfather )
Nessun Dorma
[ encores ]
Caruso
Mattinata
Can't Help Falling In Love With You
Mr.
Watson did not disappoint! Aided by the exquisite acoustics of the
concert hall ( my love affair with this venue grows more passionate with
each passing year :)), The Voice cast its potent spell over the full
house. This being his very first performance in Singapore, and my first
time watching him 'live', I was thrilled to discover that the past 10
years have not wreaked havoc with his larynx, especially since he's
undergone 2 operations for a recurrent pituitary tumour.
Looking
suave in his suit and white tie, looking as fresh and youthful as the
photo on his debut album ( I was 3rd row centre, so trust me on this! ),
he had everyone eating out of his hand from the second he opened his
mouth and belted out the unmistakeable lyrics of O Sole Mio.
My
personal favourite of the night was I Left My Heart In San Francisco,
taken from the jazz-and-American-standards-themed That's Life. Strangers
In The Night is also from that CD, and my mother absolutely melted when
he crooned it, standing less than 10 feet in front of us. ( She loves
that song to death, and it's a pity she couldn't thank him in person
after the show, because we couldn't get passes for the autograph
session. ARGH! )
Technically speaking, he was undoubtedly in his
element. The fact that a factory worker with no formal training prior to
hitting the big time possesses such a jaw-dropping natural talent is
nothing short of amazing, and as I sat there for 2 hours, savouring
every note, the experience was completely out of this world!
In
fact, as a friend who also attended the show later commented, Watson
sounds even better now than he ever did before, and I totally agree. In
the programme's interview article, even Watson himself acknowledges
this, postulating that it may have something to do with the tumour's
proximity to his nasal cavity. So the obstruction may have been there
for years, resulting in an expansion of his vocal range once the surgery
removed it.
The best evidence of this? A gorgeous falsetto note
during a pivotal moment in Andrew Lloyd Webber's Music Of The Night. I
have heard many versions of this immensely difficult classic, and Watson
pulled it off flawlessly. Bravo!
Popular pieces like O Sole Mio,
Volare, Funiculi Funicula, The Prayer and Nessun Dorma kept the crowd
raucously happy ( especially his stroll through the aisles during
Volare, when he shook hands with many concertgoers ). But the most
memorable moment, for me at least, came early in the evening, when
Watson sang the Intermezzo from Cavelleria Rusticana, offering a short
dedication to his beloved grandmother, who passed away earlier this
month.
It was a devastating, heartrending performance, delivered
with power, poise and passion. However, I was shocked to see tears
streaming down his face during the closing verses, and when his booming
voice trembled and finally broke, I felt my own throat choking up, and
found myself fighting back tears of my own.
That poignant
performance revealed a core of vulnerability underneath the cloak of
carefully honed confidence. It was not an act. But alas, it came far too
early in the repertoire, and would've been far more fitting as either a
closing number for Act 2, or an encore
.My best wishes to Russell Watson,
who's made a tremendous recovery from a serious illness, and whom I
continue to respect and admire.
posted by
spacefan
at
2010
25th Sept 2010
A REVIEW OF KRISTINA
TELEGRAPH & ARGUS (UK)
NATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT 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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RUSSELL AT PLYMOUTH PAVILIONS 2009

22nd April 2009
The
‘Voice’ is certainly back – and with a vengeance! Russell Watson not
only packed them in again, but the lad from Salford’s programme seemed
to show even greater variety and versatility.
Of course,
presentation is crucial, and here Russell is the supreme showman.
Opening with O Sole Mio, he had the audience on-side from the first
bar, and by starting the closing set with Nessun Dorma, he knew just
how to wind his listeners up for the final offering.
But one of
Russell’s greatest assets is the way he moves so seamlessly from an
operatic aria to a belting rock and roll number, or from Ave Maria to a
real old standard like Georgia, with the vocal production exactly right
each time, aided by some great musical accompaniment
Joining him on this 19-venue UK tour was Liverpool-based a capella
ensemble, Sense of Sound, who provided the vocal backings as well as
giving Russell a well-deserved breather with a couple of solos, where
their virtuoso performance of Cry Me A River was breathtaking.
With
a spot of audience participation, the customary walkabout, and everyone
thronged at the front at the end for autographs, this was classic
entertainment at its best - and even if the amplification seemed
occasionally over-cooked, nothing could detract from such a thoroughly
memorable evening in the presence of a sincere, yet totally slick
professional.
PHILIP R BUTTALL
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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
Published Date:
06 May 2009
By TRACY MADDRELL
RUSSELL Watson gave a fantastic, energetic performance to a packed audience of all ages at the Villa Marina on Tuesday.
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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