| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
cathyk2002

Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 690
|
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:22 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks for reminding me Marian - need to pack my hankies too !!
Really looking forward to this and weather forecast seems to be for sunshine as well - will make a change from standing around in the wind and rain for the 'Red Carpet' _________________
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
cathyk2002

Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 690
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 7:14 am Post subject: |
|
|
Well, I'm all packed and ready to go straight after work down south !! _________________
 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
nataliegooner

Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 183
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 7:16 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Have good trip down Cathy |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
JessicaL

Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 551 Location: Belfast
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 7:53 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Safe journey Cathy and all off to the Classical Brits -will be thinking of you all tomorrow night and listening to classic fm's backstage at the Classical Brits show hopeing to hear our Jonathan -so looking forward to the reviews . _________________ Jonathan Ansell's official forum
http://jonathanansell.forums.umusic.co.uk/ |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
jonfan

Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 187
|
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 9:20 pm Post subject: |
|
|
All of you going to the Classical Brits tommorow, have a wonderful time ,and safe journeys to you all,  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Marian

Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 629 Location: Middlesex
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Molly

Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 516
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:25 am Post subject: |
|
|
Have a great time everyone!
Looking forward to hearing all about it later.
Love and hugs to our boy!
Good luck to him and Hayley for the duet - hope everything goes well for them.
And good luck to Hayley for the Brit award - fingers crossed for her.
Love Molly xx _________________
Jonathan on Tour...October/November 2008 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
nataliegooner

Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 183
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 10:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
Im excited
Im going to work after I had my mug of tea,kettle on
Then it be home something to eat then get ready |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
xcept ClassicalX


Joined: Jan 02, 2006 Posts: 2680 Location: Cx Office
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 7:56 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| CLICK HERE to see a photo of Jonathan and Hayley arriving in style at the Brits tonight |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Molly

Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 516
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 8:06 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks very much xcept!
Fantastic photo!
What a way to arrive! They both look gorgeous!
Love Molly xx  _________________
Jonathan on Tour...October/November 2008 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
jonfan

Joined: Sep 18, 2007 Posts: 187
|
Posted: Thu May 08, 2008 11:12 pm Post subject: |
|
|
I love the photo , Hayley and Jonathan ,look as though they are really enjoying themselves ,thats what I call arriving in style  |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
JessicaL

Joined: Sep 19, 2007 Posts: 551 Location: Belfast
|
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Molly

Joined: Jan 14, 2006 Posts: 516
|
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 8:59 am Post subject: |
|
|
I'm so looking forward to seeing the show on tv on the 15th.
All the photos are so exciting - and everyone says that the duet was superb. I cant wait to hear it.
Loads more photos here on Jonathans Official site:
CLICK HERE
Love Molly xx  _________________
Jonathan on Tour...October/November 2008 |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
xcept ClassicalX


Joined: Jan 02, 2006 Posts: 2680 Location: Cx Office
|
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 10:19 am Post subject: |
|
|
To see the brief interview with Jonathan at the awards CLICK HERE
Source: Classic FM |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
Dilog

Joined: Feb 19, 2006 Posts: 46
|
Posted: Fri May 09, 2008 11:29 am Post subject: |
|
|
I turned up at the RAH around 5 – found a good parking space and joined quite a few familiar faces around the Red Carpet at Door 6
Lots of paparazzi all standing in front of the Brits screen but behind the barricades so the game was on to who would make the best entrance?? Well we knew Hayley and Jonathan were arriving together but we did not expect the biker entourage – it was a fantastic entrance on a very, very warm evening. As you can see Hayley was wearing an olive green chiffon gown with very high silver sandles - not sure how she managed not to skewer the skirt with a heel. Jonathan was in this new silver suit - not sure if it is the right colour for him but it certainly complimented Hayley
VW seemed to be sponsoring the cars – somehow does not seem quite the thing to turn up in a Passat but the Harley’s certainly won on that score!
Other noticeable entrants: All Angels in slightly strange collection of dresses which did nothing for their young skins; Natasha March in one of her silver extravaganzas; Lesley Garrett also in silver but it worked so much better; Jane Asher looked just fantastic in a sheath dress - how does she still do it??; Sarah Brightman in the most weird black concoction with those thigh boots again; Will Martin, looking amazingly young; Myleene in a magnificent yellow gown which was a bit on the long side; Nicola Benedetti wore a stunning purple gown; Anna Netrebko had what can only be described as a Bjork moment – you will just have to see the pics to believe this white mini dress; David Garrett arrived on a bike with his Strad on his back but it was a relatively low key entrance – expected him to take off his helmet and shake his hair free but he just went in … Andrea Bocelli arrived last and received applause but no Josh Groban?? Had quite a bit of fun telling people what was going on and identifying people the folks in the crowd.
One day I will get my champagne and smoked salmon sandwich at the RAH but it was not to be this night as the bars had decided not to sell sandwiches. But the Grand Tier boxes were also serving dinner – probably the overflow from the Arena and we have decided that is the way to go – so please someone somewhere make it possible for us to do that just once
But on with the main event, we had seats in the front row of the Stalls opposite the stage where we could see the dinners and we were also on the aisle that most seemed to use for their comfort breaks so Jill made a great entrance bumping into Alfie Boe . The Hall looked wonderful; the stage had what looked like a giant piece of curling drift wood supported by wooden pillars and there were large screens either side. When we arrived just after 7 the Arena was filled with the ‘guests’ eating dinner – Jonathan’s Ansell and Shalit were sitting at Table 6 – think he was one of the few performers to have dinner – now we know about free meals Have no idea what they ate but they all seemed very chatty. The London Chamber Orchestra occupied the stage end of the arena so sadly we could not really see them but again this could be for the box.
At 8 an announcement was made and the lights went up onstage with Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman who stated with a duet from her latest album which I am sorry to say was singularly forgettable and the orchestral volume and balance needed a bit of attention. Myleene came on stage this time in a light violet confection and stood at the podium on the left hand side to announce the first award and presenter who was Laurence Llewellyn Bowen. Can’t remember enough about the awards safe to say they showed each nominee on screen, announced the winner who then came on stage to collect and all gave very good speeches which I am not altogether sure were not on autocue as no one messed up – but hey that makes good tele!
Next up a solo soprano whose name is not in the programme and presumably took Nigel Kennedy’s spot – silly man not to have managed to appear but on checking the programme maybe it was supposed to be Anna Netebko?
Steve Isserlis the Cellis won an award and them performed but made a daft statement about ‘hope you are all enjoying yourselves as I am now going to change all that ‘ and proceeded to play a rather melancholy piece of Bach.
They then spent time with the stage bringing out a piano and choir and then we were treated to Josh Groban and February Song. Great, he is a little special and the sound was improving. Then he was supposed to be performing with Nigel Kennedy but did Smile by Charlie Chaplin with a piano accompaniment. Just not sure this was the right song choice for the occasion as it is really Swing??
Then we had the stings of David Garrett with another violinist and guitarist. Which was just splendid. DG had changed out of his jeans into a suit – looked really good and could have done with hearing more of this
We had a break at some stage and think it was here but honestly can’t really remember – but all I can tell you is the boys from Blake spent an awful lot of time going up and down those stairs!!
Next up what we had come for and seeing this type of audience I realised what a huge event this was for Jonathan and as usual I was a bit apprehensive. Unlike the other performers who had come onstage in the dark HW come on from the left, in the light with orchestra playing, followed by JA from the right. It was a stunning portrayal of a love duet – tenor and soprano singing to each other and singing together with all the relevant acting. This was the best performance of this duet so far – much improved on the Good Morning version the balance between them was spot on. Not sure about the silver suit but it had the desired effect of being ‘seen’ against Hayley’s green dress rather than the lady taking the visual high ground which is the usual thing.
I understand that Andrew Lloyd Webber who was sitting at a table near the stage suddenly turned round when JA started to sing – and so he should and so should everyone else as although I am more than biased this really was the performance of the night in terms of Classic Brits.
The we had the ALW award presented by Michael Grade with an amusing speech but ALW come up and accepted this on behalf of his family as he thought his brother Julian deserved it more – which I think we can all agree on – and for his Father who had been a Prof of composition at the Royal Academy of Music.
Sarah Brightman and one of the Choirboys sang Pie Jesu in ALW’s honour. Now I was lucky enough to have been at the premiere (and I think only) performance of Requiem at Westminster Abbey – it may have been a long time ago but SB has lost something, maybe her voice is a bit to cabaret these days??
In between we had album of the year – which kinda surprisingly was won by Blake. Think this was down to their electioneering skills – they got their vote out.
To close the show Andrea Bocelli and Anna Betrebka singing a duet from La Traviata, she is just stunning but AB again seems to be loosing it a bit. Listened to him on GMTV to confirm this and something is now missing?? So wanted to hear Anna with Jonathan.
So to sum up the night – real great experience, very well put together although I think more artists could have been showcased and I would have liked them to use the big screens to show the performers faces but Jonathan was in wonderful illustrious company and came out of it with his reputation well and truly enhanced. But the comparison was there between the old and the new and on this occasion the new won and I would very much like to go to a concert which contained the newer artists as I think that would be just magnificent. To Jonathan that was a job more than well done, it was a great achievement with all the nerves being directly into the performance (yes we did see the shaking leg at the dinner table). We also know that more than a few people in the audience were really impressed. As one Scots gentleman said to Pauline Ansell when she was asked – ‘who’s that’ outside the stagedoor – ‘Jonathan Ansell, my son’ came the reply – ‘he was quite good’! No he was not quite good the pair of them were outstanding, impressive, just fabulous and I look forward even more to this coming tour.
Di
this may not all be quite in the right order .... |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
|
|
|