Hi everybody
I thought I'd leave it a week before posting my thoughts about the concert at Buxton to see if I still thought about it the same way as I did when I left the concert on that chilly night in the Peak District.
Happily, I do (to be honest, I didn't really doubt it
).
It was my first visit to Buxton, and I immediately fell in love with the place. A sturdy yet windswept town, we had our hotel rooms in the Old Hall Hotel, literally a hundred yards across the road from the Opera House. We checked in, had a brief scout around and then a relaxing shower after the trip up from Southampton. An early evening meal preceded the concert.
Although I booked well before Christmas, just after theTurner Sims concert in Southampton, I only managed to get row M seats. This was less of a problem than it may have been at other venues, though, because it was still relatively close to the stage. This is in part due to the old-worldly look and design of the Opera House, a truly stunning venue for an artist like Hayley.
The concert began at around 7:30, and as it proceeded it turned out to be exactly the same play list as at Southampton, though I believe in a slightly different order and with the addition of the second encore of Amazing Grace. For the first half of the concert Hayley wore her green Celtic dress, but she did us proud for the second half. I recall that as she strode onto the stage in a flowing - to my eyes - orange gown, she had a slight knowing smile on her face, as if to say "this is going to knock them out!" - and my word, it did. Back in row M I'm sure I heard a few murmured "wow's" from the regular HWIer's in the front rows!
My thoughts on the concert are more on Hayley's performance and delivery. There are many members here who have seen Hayley far more times than I have (five - the Pure tour, with Il Divo, Woburn Abbey, Turner Sims and Buxton) - but I believe that she treated us to one of her finest performances to date. It was certainly the best performance I've seen from her - and that's even given that I was in the second row at Southampton and she was singing only about ten feet away from me.
I believe it was Jon from the States in another thread here who mentioned the passion in her performance on "This Morning" the day before with Jonathan Ansell. I thought this when I saw it on Friday evening too, and Hayley just kept up the passion throughout the concert in Buxton. Looking at my notes after the concert, I had about half-a-dozen songs down as the best versions I've heard her sing.
Scarborough Fair was the best version I've now heard by anybody. She was on fire in this song with a passion I've not seen anyone give it, but this was coming from the heart. Then there was Both Sides Now, not normally one of my favourite Hayley songs: I believe this should be sung by an older singer, and I think the best version is Joni Mitchell's version heard in Love Actually, where she sings it as a 50-odd year old with a smoky, gravelly voice that you can believe has "seen life from both sides now". However, Hayley imparted in this song more world-weariness and emotion than any twenty year old has the right to; it was her best performance of it by far that I've heard. I could go on - Lascia Ch'io Pianga, Danny Boy, In Trutina, The Water is Wide, just about everything actually. The audience, whom by now Hayley had eating out of her hand, seemed particularly taken by the up-tempo Santa Lucia which I think left a smile on everyone' faces. Last mention I will leave to Sonny, fast becoming a standard for Hayley, and better with every concert that she does: own up, was there anybody by now who still had dry eyes?
All in all, a scintillating world-class performance from Hayley - I would be interested to know from other people who have seen her more often than I have just how good they thought this concert was in Hayley's career. For me, it was the very best I've seen her (if only Decca had sent a recording team there for a live album - maybe next time!). Not only that, it is well up on my list of best concerts ever: McCartney in Birmingham when he started singing Beatles songs again, a three-hour extravaganza from Bruce Springsteen over twenty-five years' ago, Simon and Garfunkel at Hyde Park (was that really four years ago?) and the first time I saw Dylan in 1978. Interestingly, all of these with the exception of Simon and Garfunkel were well before Hayley was born!
The meet and greet afterwards was memorable. At least this time I was not starstruck and befuddled as I'd been at Turner Sims and I actually managed to hold a conversation with Hayley
. With my friends we were with her for fully five or six minutes, having a laugh and a chat, and presenting her with a small gift and a card for her birthday that she was genuinely touched to receive. I asked her about the new album and she mentioned she had a "couple of other projects on the go"; the first I took to be the Japanese CD, but the second made me look on Imdb when I got home, and I found out about "Shadows from the Sky".
So was I Hayleywowed? Most certainly. But then again, I knew I would be - oh if only all the people on the forums who want to see her live could do so, because a live Hayley concert is so very special.
And like Mark, on Monday when I got home I emailed my thanks to the Buxton Opera House for the kindness and patience of the staff, and received a warm reply from Pat Russell, the theatre secretary.
To: <theatresecretary@boh.org.uk>
Sent: Monday, April 07, 2008 11:46 AM
Subject: Hayley Westenra Concert, 5th April
Hello
I'd just like to write a quick Thank You letter for the theatre and staff for the Hayley Westenra concert last Saturday.
It was a mesmerising performance in an astounding venue, and the kindness and patience of the staff at the signings after the show were, I think, above and beyond the call of duty. I would like to therefore take this opportunity on behalf of myself, and I think all her fans, to say a big thank you to all concerned.
Many, many thanks, and I will hope to visit again
Colin
and I received the reply:
Very many thanks. It's always nice to receive praise, and your e-mail has been passed to our Chief Executive and heads of front-of-house and technical departments.
Look forward to welcoming you again in the future.
Regards
Pat Russell
Theatre Secretary
I believe, therefore, that whoever of the staff listened to the concert would have been Hayleywowed anyway, and now the kindness of her fans means that she'll be welcome back to the Opera House whenever she wants
.
And in the end, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. While I already had tickets for the Broadlands concert, I noticed on Monday when I was home that tickets also went on sale for Dunstable. I wasn't going to attend this concert being just a week or so before Broadlands, but Buxton was so good I simply succumbed: so I managed to get a front row ticket (AA5) for July 17th!
I am hoping for my new website to be up and running soon; when it is I hope to be able to post some pictures.
Best regards
Colin