Russell Watson and Special Guests Beaulieu (From Daily Echo)

Russell Watson and Special Guests Beaulieu

10:52am Monday 2nd August 2010 in

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After all his personal health battles, it was wonderful to see and hear Russell Watson, ‘The Voice’, performing at his best on stage – and what a voice!

Arriving in style in a shiny silver 1909 Rolls-Royce (every boy’s dream!), it is a rare performer indeed who achieves a standing ovation before he sings a note, but that is what Watson received.

Equally at home with high opera as he is with contemporary and easy listening, it wasn’t the chilly wind that sent shivers down my spine during Music of the Night (my personal favourite of the evening), and he covered superbly a wide range of musical styles, demonstrating his outstanding versatility.

But this was not just a one-man show – Watson was joined in this charity concert by two female singers of the highest class. Emer McParland (who has featured on numerous film soundtracks) had a tremendously warm voice, with superb diction, and her rendition of Streisand’s Don’t Rain on My Parade was outstanding. Camilla Kerslake’s crystal-clear voice effortlessly reached the highest notes, at times haunting and ethereal (Cantero), as well as performing a unique Italian version of her manager Gary Barlow’s We Can Rule the World.

The lighting was understated and subtle, but, with music of this quality and artistes of this caliber, extravagant light shows and pyrotechnics would have been superfluous, while the excellent Orchestra d’Amici and harmonious all-female choir, Rodillian Singers – under the expert guidance of conductor William Hayward – never overpowered the soloists as they sang, before all combined for a true Proms-style finale.

My enjoyment was only slightly marred by the irritatingly rude groups who maintained loud, long and unrelated conversations throughout.

As for the concert: That Glorious Noise bordered on the sublime, with a brilliant combination of Watson’s down-to-earth Northern humour and a magnificent range of music. Breathtaking.

Anne Waggott