The Voice

by Russell Watson

Overview

The liner notes to the powerful tenor's overwhelmingly emotional debut begin with the assertion that "Russell Watson is a freak." Well, he looks like a normal 27-year-old from a working-class town in England, but what makes him "freaky" is having such an intensely powerful voice at such a young age (and his grip of operatic Italian is a bit unusual, too). Most likely, the promotional efforts -- which find the handsome singer looking like he's in a GQ ad -- will focus on getting this classic opera material to be heard and appreciated by a younger crowd. The concept here is "opera with a twist," a happy idea where "Nessun Dorma" and "Amor Ti Vieta" play comfortably alongside pop standards like Freddie Mercury's 1992 Olympic theme "Barcelona" (a rock-influenced duet with Shaun Ryder) and "Vienna," a number two hit for Ultravox in 1981. Compared to his effortless tackling of so much challenging material -- not to mention the beautiful swells by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra -- a cover of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" comes across as a bit staid, but it's still a version that brings out as much emotion as possible. Other featured material includes "Nella Fantasia," "Ricordo Ancor" (from Captain Corelli's Mandolin), and duets with Maire Brennan and Cleopatra Higgins. Even if the thought of opera makes you cringe, Watson is still an amazing artist who might just convert you for an hour or so. ~ Jonathan Widran

Product Details

Release Date:	05/29/2007
Label:	Universal Distribution
UPC:	0028947576723
Rank:	8134

Tracks

1. Nella fantasia, for voice & orchestra
2. Caruso, for voice & orchestra
3. Volare, for voice & orchestra (a.k.a. "Nel blu dipinto di blu")
4. The Prayer, song (for the film Quest for Camelot)
5. Il gladiatore, song (based on themes from the film Gladiator)
6. You Raise Me Up (Por Ti Ser¿¿), song
7. Miserere, song
8. Funicul¿¿ Funicul¿¿, for voice & orchestra (& chorus ad lib)
9. O sole mio, for voice & piano (or orchestra)
10. Nabucco, opera (Nabucodonosor)~Va, Pensiero
11. You Are So Beautiful, song
12. Someone Like You, song
13. Nothing Sacred, song (a.k.a. "Is Nothing Sacred")
14. Amore e Musica
15. Magia sar¿¿, song
16. I Believe, song
17. Turandot, opera~Act 3. Nessun Dorma!
18. Barcelona
19. I'm Nothing But a Plain Old Soldier
20. Can't Help Falling in Love (from the film Some Kind of Wonderful)

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Russell Watson   Primary Artist,Tenor (Vocal),Vocals
Shaun Ryder   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guest Artist
Lulu   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Vocals
Faye Tozer   Primary Artist,Vocals
Chamber Choir of St. Catherine's, Bramley, Guildford   Primary Artist,Choir/Chorus
Cleo Higgins   Primary Artist,Vocals
Moya Brennan   Primary Artist,Vocals
Nicholas Dodd   Primary Artist,Conductor
John Savannah   Primary Artist
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra   Primary Artist,Ensemble,Orchestra
London Session Orchestra   Primary Artist,Ensemble,Orchestra
Metro Singers   Primary Artist,Ensemble
Robbie McIntosh   Primary Artist,Guitar
Metro Voices   Primary Artist,Ensemble,Choir/Chorus
Richard Cottle   Primary Artist,Keyboards
Bashiri Johnson   Primary Artist
Neil Jason   Primary Artist
John Parricelli   Primary Artist
Nick Ingman   Primary Artist,Conductor
Jonn Savannah   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Steve McNicol   Electronics
Pino Palladino   Double Bass,Bass
John Themis   Guitar,Bass,Percussion
Geoff Dugmore   Drums
Steve Piggott   Keyboards
Marc Smith   Keyboards,Double Bass
Richard Harvey   Flute
William Hayward   Conductor,Choir Conductor
St Catherine Chamber Choir of Bramley, Guilford   Ensemble
Caroline Dale   Cello
Matt Dunkley   Conductor
Chris Laws   Drums
Fridrik Karlsson   Guitar
Steve Mac   Keyboards
Andrew Price Studio Strings   Ensemble
Simon Hale   Conductor
Steve Pearce   Guitar (Bass)
Mae McKenna   Vocals (Background)

Technical Credits

Alistair Gordon   Arranger,Arranger,Producer,Vocal Producer
Nick Patrick   Arranger,Mixing,Engineer,Producer
Nick Ingman   Arranger,Orchestral Arrangements
Giuseppe   Composer
Renis   Lyricist
Russell Watson   Composer,Producer
Eric Levisalles   Composer
Roberto Pacco   Composer
Renato Simoni   Composer
Adelmo Fornaciari   Composer
Marina Olivati   Stylist
Francesco Maria Piave   Composer
Bruce Carleton Fisher   Composer
Simon Fowler   Photography
Cleo Higgins   Performer
Moya Brennan   Performer
Matteo Saggese   Composer
Dave Bascombe   Mixing
Billy Preston   Composer
Umberto Giordano   Composer
Tony Cousins   Mastering
Steve Mac   Producer
Billy Currie   Composer
Luigi Denza   Composer
Richard Cottle   Programming
Bono   Composer
Carole Bayer Sager   Composer
Ennio Morricone   Composer
Jim Steinman   Composer
David Foster   Composer
Giacomo Puccini   Composer
Bruce Fisher   Composer
Stephen Warbeck   Producer
Hans Zimmer   Composer
Franco Alfano   Composer
Rick Blaskey   Conception Supervisor
Steve McNicol   Programming
Mark Millington   Design,Art Direction
Testa   Lyricist
David Maurice   Programming
Warren Cann   Composer
Ernesto de Curtis   Composer
Clive Black   Conception Supervisor
Felice Di Salvo   Composer
Paul Moseley   Executive Producer
George Weiss   Composer
Berta Ferraud   Composer
Charlotte Reid   Grooming
Giuseppe Adami   Composer
Benny Paccone   Composer
Domenico Furno   Composer
Domenico Modugno   Composer
Paul Simon   Composer
Simon Franglen   Producer
Chiara Ferrau   Composer
Chris Dibble   Mixing,Engineer
Nigel Hess   Composer
Freddie Mercury   Composer
Cesar Franck   Composer
Leon Zervos   Mastering
John Carey   Photography
Hugo Peretti   Composer
Lindsay McPhail   Product Manager
Lucio Dalla   Composer
Giuseppe Verdi   Composer
Rolf Lovland   Composer
Pete Schwier   Mixing,Engineer
Linda Thompson   Composer
Luigi Creatore   Composer
Peter Allen   Composer
Jeff Pescetto   Composer
Midge Ure   Composer
Mike Moran   Composer
Mike Ross-Trevor   Mixing,Engineer
Mino Vergnaghi   Composer,Text Translation