Katherine at Westonbirt Arboretum 19 July 2008

xcept

Welsh Classical singer Katherine Jenkins will perform, with the National Symphony Orchestra, on Saturday, July 19 2008.

Having sold more than three million records worldwide, Ms Jenkins is one of the most successful mainstream classical singers.

Westonbirt's marketing manager Kellie Lovett said she was pleased to have someone of her stature performing.

"We are delighted that Katherine Jenkins will be gracing the stage at Westonbirt," she said.

"She is sure to be a big draw."

Source: This is Wiltshire

xcept · Posted: Fri Jul 25, 2008 11:40 am Post subject:

The Great British Operatic Summer

I cannot recall the last time I had a pre-arranged assignation in the woods with a stunning blonde.
In fact, OK, I confess, I don't think I have ever had one. Until last Saturday night, that is, when you would have found me heading up Tog Hill, Wick, and on to the A46 heading north.
My destination was Westonbirt Arboretum. My “date” was none other than stunning Welsh warbler Katherine Jenkins.

Katherine was to be the star of a glittering evening in the middle of this majestic arboreal landscape where you really can see the wood from the trees. Or should that be the trees from the wood?

As soon as I swept through the entrance to the arboretum I realised this was a place I don't visit often enough. I had quite forgotten just how magnificent it is and what a perfect location it makes for a quintessentially British summer evening.

I parked up and immediately felt more inadequate than I normally do. Just sitting in the car looking at the thousands trekking past the windscreen made me shudder. For, although the evening seemed reasonably warm and placid, it was obvious other concert-goers were hedging their bets.

A light summer jacket and open neck shirt conformed to the “smart casual” instructions I had received from my hosts, the Forestry Commission. Yet all around me were countless souls giving the appearance of folk who were just embarking on the first leg of a trek to the North Pole. Quilted jackets, heavy weather gear and umbrellas were de rigeur.

It didn't stop there, though.

Clutched under each of their arms were folding tables, collapsible chairs (some complete, I noted, with some rather natty wine glass holders on each side), groundsheets, blankets, tablecloths, jumbo-size vacuum flasks and full silver service picnic hampers.

It was like watching an army on the move. In fact, it's always been said an army marches on its stomach, and this particular one was most certainly doing that.

Seven thousand people turned up to plonk themselves down on the ground in front of the giant stage. You wouldn't have known this lightly populated part of the Gloucestershire countryside was so crammed with humans, though, such is the capacity of Westonbirt to absorb these numbers in the manner of a giant green blotter.

Ms Jenkins didn't disappoint, either, popping off stage every couple of arias or so to reappear in yet another dazzling dress even slinkier and daring than the one before. Goodness knows where it would have ended up if her performance had lasted three hours rather than two.

In between came those handsome hunks Blake, a perfectly balanced counterpoint to Katherine. It got me thinking, though, that not too many decades ago, anyone who came up with the idea of putting on an operatic performance with a full symphony orchestra in the Great British Outdoors would have been told to go away and not be so stupid. It would have been viewed as populist box office suicide.

Yet here we were with a full house and an audience giving the performers a rapturous reception. It's an indication of how opera has made huge strides in popularity, and much of that has to be down to the unstuffy approach adopted by the likes of Katherine Jenkins, Lesley Garrett and others of their ilk.

They deserve to be applauded for their efforts. And Katherine was on Saturday, over and over again.

Let's not forget Pavarotti, either. His immense stature may have departed the scene but he also introduced a whole new audience to this style of music ... and managed to ensure he will forever be remembered for delivering one of the iconic football anthems.

Nissan Dormal, as we say here in Bristol.

Just think what he could have done with Goodnight Irene or Drink Up Thy Cider.

Source: This is Bristol