Il Divo - UK - Birmingham - 2nd April 2006

[Dave]

Media previews/reviews and fan reviews/photos of Il Divo's first of three concerts at the NEC, Birmingham (preferably those mentioning Hayley!) should be posted in this thread, together with any follow-up comments.

Please stay on topic to this concert; off topic matters should be discussed in a more suitable thread or board.

[Dave]

Nice review from INS News

Star Team of All the Talents ; REVIEWApr 03, 12:25 PM

By IL DIVO National Exhibition Centre

TAKE one American, a Swiss, a Spaniard and a Frenchman. Wrap them up in an Englishmade package and you have the ultimate boy band.

Il Divo, consisting of the classical singing talents of Carlos Marin, David Miller, Sebastien Izambard, and Urs Buhler, and put together by pop impresario Simon Cowell, are continuing to take the world by storm.

Their first UK tour since they formed two years ago, which includes two further appearances at the NEC later this month, coincides with the recent release of their second successful album, Ancora.

The quartet, backed by a splendid orchestra, emerged in spectacular style through individual ornate arches, and then proceeded to produce a show to match in front of the sell-out audience.

Magnificent vocal harmonies flowed effortlessly right from the opening Regresa a Mi (Unbreak My Heart) and Solo Otra Vez (All By Myself) to Senza Catene (Unchained Melody).

Less familiar, but no less beautiful songs followed, such as Isabel and Passera, while Il Divo also strayed occasionally into English including I Believe In You, Mama, and Somewhere.

Perfect accompaniment was provided by delightful Kiwi teenager Hayley Westenra, two years after charming Birmingham audiences on her first visit.

**** TONY COLLINS

Dave

[Steve H]

Hi Folks,

Thanks to Louise on the IL Divo site for this photo at Birmingham.



Steve H

[Steve H]

Only one mention of Hayley in IL Divo posts,

jeanbeck Wrote:

The concert started with Haley and I thought she was wonderful, she has a magical quality to her voice and her rendering of the Maori song brought tears to my eyes. My son was captivated (he's 21) and is now planning on getting her music, I already have the first album. I feel she would be better off having her own concerts, small and intimate would suit her voice beautifully.She got a lot of applause and I felt very sad when she said "Thanks so much, it makes such a difference to have a lovely audience". It made me wonder what kind of reception she'd had elsewhere.
I'm going to write an individual report about her in the Haley Westenra thread as I think she deserves it!

As yet I can not find Jeans post in a separate thread.

Cheers

Steve H

[Richard]

Hello everybody!

I've just made an interesting observation. In the American concerts with Il Divo, the photographs show Hayley wearing jeans on stage. At Nottingham and Birmingham she is wearing dresses.

I wonder how Il Divo are dressing here in the UK?

Richard

[george]

Hi Richard

Living proof from the other night. You can now consider what you are going to wear so as not to clash!





I wish the stage had been as bright when Hayley performed. I would have got far better pictures.

Regards,

George

[Richard]

Thanks for sharing the picture George!

I never wear white jackets, so nobody is likely to think I'm one of Il Divo! i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Still, I might keep a pen handy in case somebody recognises me from the Internet. It has been known!

Hey George, I've just realised you were at the Nottingham concert, but I expect Il Divo wore the white jackets in Birmingham as well. (Phew, I've managed to get both of us out of trouble!)

Richard

[Steve H]

Hi Folks,

Another nice photo of Hayley at Birmingham, this time courtesy of Charlie (Sue) on the IL Divo forum.



Steve H

[Steve H]

Hi avid Hayley supporters!

A thread has been started on the IL Divo Forum specially for Hayley, here are a selection of items posted since the 2nd April which relate to Birmingham.

ALessandro_87 Wrote:

... And what do you think about my little angel Hayley?

jeanbeck Wrote:

Thanks Alessandro, I was looking for the Haley thread I'm sure there was one but couldn't find it. Having seen her last night I wanted to give my report of her.

I thought she was beautiful! A beautiful sweet young girl with a beautiful voice that has a magical quality to it!

I knew I was going to enjoy hearing her as I have her first album Pure but nothing prepared for hearing her live! My 21 year old son was captivated and wants to buy her Odyssey.

She started off with a lovely rendition of an Irish song, 'She Moved Through the Fair'. I've heard it before and it's hauntingly beautiful.
She also sang a Joni Mitchell song 'Both Sides Now'and said she had all her albums as she loves her.
I can't remember all the songs she sang... Amazing Grace was another and another song from her album Odyssey.
But the one I loved most was the Maori love song, 'Pokarekare Ana'. It was just so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes!

I felt sad when she said thank you to the audience as she said 'It makes such a difference to have a lovely audience'. It made me wonder what sort of reception she'd had elsewhere. I know we were there to see the guys but she was a beautiful songstress in her own right.

I did feel the auditorium was too huge (I thought it was too big for ID too). I think she would be amazing in her own concert perhaps an intimate one for say 1,000 people or so.

I would love to see her again!

Steve H

[Steve H]

A few more from the same thread,

Cate Wrote:

... I thought she was great last night as well, but she does seem a little lost on that big stage on her own.
I saw her in New York, Niagara and San Francisco and she had a small band with her consisting of her pianist, 2 guitarists and a drummer.

So i was really surprised at Dublin when she had no band and sang live to a backing track.
But her confidence had really risen since the 1st few concerts, and you can see that the more concerts you see..

Also Jeannie at a couple of concerts i went too in the US, when she announced it was her last song a few people clapped and cheered,
Which i found quite distasteful.
I know we all want to see Il Divo, but its only right that she should get the same respect that we show they boys.
People wouldn't like it if IL Divo were a support act and they got jeered..

P.S Plus i was sorry she had no live band as her drummer in the US was very cute..
Just ask my fellow Niagara Divas..

Sarahs_Chanson Wrote:

... I've loved Hayley's music for years. I have her Pure album and completely fell in love with the music, especially 'pokekare kara ana', 'dark waltz' and 'never say goodbye'.

She also does a fantastic cover of 'Wuthering Heights' which I absolutely love!

A flood of activity now that a thread has been started specifically for Hayley.

Take Care All

Steve H

[roger]

My thanks to the ladies of the Il Divo forum for the lovely comments and beautiful photographs of Hayley.

Best wishes,
Roger

[Dave]

stevehome said:

A flood of activity now that a thread has been started specifically for Hayley.
Steve H

Hi Steve,

There has been a thread running over there specifically for Hayley since January - the guy who started the latest didn't look hard enough (in The Lounge), LOL. But they do need a regular "bump" because over there, they seem to auto-archive then delete old threads (with no recent posts).

The oldest Hayley thread, started last year in Entertainment And Creativity, seems to have already gone - so come on guys, why not keep the other Hayley threads going and we can post in Il Divo threads as well as long as we remember whose forum it is (do I have to do ALL the work over there? )

Anyway, the January thread is here and I've just resurrected it i.postimg.cc/9fYxy370/smilie-big-grin.gif

Cheers, Dave

[stevemacdonald]

"She got a lot of applause and I felt very sad when she said "Thanks so much, it makes such a difference to have a lovely audience". It made me wonder what kind of reception she'd had elsewhere."

I'm delighted to learn audiences are more enthusiastic now. It's a fact she's much better known in the UK than on the other side of the pond. It's also true American audiences are roudier all around. My worst peeve is all the talking that goes on during the music. It's not even okay during the louder parts, but people do it all the time here, no matter how sweet or delecate the music.