By Isle of Wight Observer
With an audience of almost 400, All Saints’ Church in Ryde, hosted an evening with Russell Watson, with conductor, Robin Burnett, and the Phoenix Choir, who started the concert off with the Lion King’s ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’.
Russell, accompanied by world renowned pianist, Mike Moran, then took to the stage, delivering arias and classics including ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ from Les Misérables.
The spellbound audience appreciated his vast vocal range, and he introduced special guest, soprano Nancy May, part of the Magnificent Buildings Tour, who wowed the crowd with ‘Somewhere over the Rainbow’.
Joking that: “Even coming from Salford, I can feel the cold in the church”, Russell raised the roof with an arrangement written by Mike Moran, mashing Debussy with ‘Moon River’, and renditions of ‘I dreamed a Dream’ and ‘Bring him Home’ leaving the audience demanding more. The evening ended with Russell introducing to the stage his long-time friend and well-known Island magician, Chris Cox, who shared the standing ovation to end a magical evening.
You can watch Russell and Chris look back on their friendship and escapades in a special interview with the IW Observer, with details available shortly.
