An Absolute Delight For Katherine FansRecently I purchased the latest Katherine DVD Katherine In The Park, and was absolutely delighted with it. This concert, filmed at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod on 9 July 2006 a year earlier, clearly shows Katherine as a rising star who was fast making a name as one of the most popular singers of today. It is a delightful concert containing many of Katherines most popular songs:
L'Amore Sei Tu (I Will Always Love You)
O Sole Mio
Be My Love (her tribute to the great Mario Lanza)
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
Time To Say Goodbye
just to name a few. And to make it even better, the various arias and musical extracts from Bizet's Carmen with Katherine wearing a Spanish Costume (she looks absolutely superb in this).
There is also a guest Tenor, Nikki Spence who joins her in a duet from The Phantom Of The Opera (All I Ask Of You) and a solo song by Nikki from West Side Story (Maria).
There are also some lovely Video extras, 5 in all, beautifully filmed, with the highlights being Questo e Per Te and Time To Say Goodbye. These tracks are in 2 Channel Stereo only.
Alright, some readers may think I may be going over the top a little since I am a die hard Katherine fan, but being a music lover over the past 40 years, I have heard many great singers over the years, and I do know a great singer when I hear one.
The DVD has also been recorded in three sound formats: PCM 2 Stereo, Dolby Digital 5:1 and DTS Dolby Surround Mix. If you are lucky enough to have a sound system which can play the DTS Dolby Surround Mix, then you are in for a treat. Picture quality is also very good too.
A great buy.
Katherine Jenkins at her best . . .Blah?? . . . anything but!! Katherine's performance at Llangollen was fantastic.
You obviously appreciate Katherine's recorded music, but one can never
expect an exact reproduction when sung live - instead, and obviously
it helps here to be actually in the audience, you absorb the whole
environment, the artist, the music, the orchestra, the surroundings
and the mood, what Wagner termed the 'Gesamtkunstwerk'. Katherine is
musically stunning live, is stunningly beautiful, and both the crowd
and the orchestra adored her, all of which does comes across on the
DVD. Her unforced charm is real, and is part of the live experience,
not a sticking plaster for what you felt were deficiencies in her
performance - greatness msically, as in any other genre, is more than
dry technical brilliance or a faithful yet souless reproduction of the
studio sound.
For me, the context of the music is extremely important, especially
the emotion and inspiration behind the performance of the artist, and
the connection between artist and audience; Katherine has the latter
in abundance, and it comes across clearly on the DVD, which is full of
enjoyment for the viewer - for me, the 'Wow' moments included
Katherine's stirring renditions of 'Cymry Fach', which leaves me in
tears, and 'Calon Lan', plus the deep emotion she expressed through 'O
Mio Babbino Caro', dedicated to her late father, who encouraged and
inspired her singing as a child. As regards Opera, Katherine herself
pointedly does not refer to herself as an Opera Singer, and has
repeatedly stated that she is still learning and developing musically.
Katherine Jenkins' 'Live at Llangollen' is to be thoroughly
recommended. Whether for established KJ fans, or those wishing to
experience Katherine's talent, emotion and appeal for the first time,
this is the DVD to watch and enjoy.
Excellent, exceeded my expectationsExcellent DVD of the lovely Katherine Jenkins.
Some imperfections inherent in a live recording do not reduce in any way the high quality of this DVD.
All I expected it to be!Well! I enjoyed this concert immensely when it was on ITV in the UK and I enjoyed it again on DVD. I managed to refrain from getting it straight away and got it as an Xmas present - I am not disappointed. Well just about one thing but more later. I think that Katherine is a beautiful woman who sings beautifully. It was LIVE so one expects the odd fault. After all that's what live performances are all about, highs and lows. 'L'amore sei tu' at the start caught her a bit cold I think but it was still pleasant to hear her sing it live and note the subtle differences between that and recorded versions. Not to dwell on faults, for the most part all was well sung and well presented although I must admit to not being overfond of the tenor's rendition of his half of 'All I ask of You'. Mind, I thought Katherine's excellent! Now to Carmen! I enjoyed her performance far more than on the CD's and was intrigued to see how she tried to 'become' Carmen. I know she wants to perform this opera at some time in the future and I am sure that it would be beautifully sung - but, and for me it is a big but - I just can't see her as a 'woman of opportunity' (to use the kindest term about Carmen) who cynically destroys a man because he isnt instantly attracted to her. It's a problem for a Mezzo - particularly for such a 'nice' looking woman - the parts are often 'difficult' women. My only disappointment was no Dalila - another part I would give my right arm to see her attempt.
For me the DVD was almost worth the money for including the four promo's that have been shown on Classic FM TV. 'L'amore sei tu' is wonderful.
I don't know enough about the technicalities of music but I sometimes wish she was a soprano - all those marvellous parts! Could she sing them? I don't know - probably not but imagine if she could! She certainly manages the arias well.
I have digressed. In my view this is an excellent recording of a very good concert. Sound is good as is camera work and the DVD is well presented. I suppose if you like her you will buy it anyway - even if you don't try to get past the beautiful woman and listen to the voice.
Wonderful concert, wonderful young ladyA great concert in which Katherines personality and doqn ti earth nature shines through. I am so glad O Mio Babbino Caro is on here as I have seen Katherine sing it live on 3 occasions, and it brought tears to my eyes everytime. I can also say that Katherine is the nicest, most down to earth persob you could wish to meet, and she appreciates that her fans have helped to get her where she is today.
Buy this disc today, you wont be disappointed!!!
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