Tour Reviews

l divo by Belinda Hanks

IT'S been five years since Simon Cowell unveiled this quartet of male
Esquire-esque opera singers for the common people to enjoy.

An experiment that has been a resounding success.

The response of the M.E.N. Arena crowd to this the first night of Il Divo's world tour is one of adoration and spirited fervour. Dickie bows a plenty and wine being quaffed in excitable gulps in the build up to the fab four's entrance.

As they appear stridently at the top of a fabulous set lavished by an
extended walkway - belting out the popular There's A Place For Us, it's clear this 'popera' isn't going to lack any balls.

American David Miller introduces the group: Swiss tenor Urs Buhler stands statuesque like while French pop singer, Sebastien Izambard stares modestly out at the crowd and baritone Carlos Marin takes his trade-mark Matadorian stance.

They stride forward singing a Spanish take on Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart.

It mesmerizes the crowd as does the brilliantly executed title track of new album, La Promessa (The Promise).

This is the fifth album for the multi-million selling group.

Il Divo live are nothing short of a thrilling. This is a visceral
experience: four red-blooded males standing in front of stylish backdrops of glamorous women draped in Marilyn Monroe and Marlene Dietrich-style costumes. It typifies the Simon Cowell touch.

Tenors tones

Live cameras frame each singer as they take the lead. David's tenor tones reminiscent of a young Domingo during the rousing harmonies of Angelina and La Luna. It's gutsy stuff.

Clad in dark Armani suits they strut slowly around. The testosterone oozing from Carlos alone sends shivers through the crowd. He waves. They wave back.

The Spaniard's baritone enthralls during Bridge Over Troubled Water.

"We thought it might last a year," says Sebastian. "And look at us now."

Yes lets. The arena is full of symbiotic harmony as they switch from
Spanish, Italian and English. I revel in the spirited All By Myself and
Unchained Melody.

Each track satiated with musical colour shade thanks to the fantastic
orchestral arrangements of long-time collaborator and the tour's musical director, Steve MCutcheon aka Steve Mac (Kelly Clarkson, Leona Lewis).

Pianist William Joseph also joins the fab four.

New tracks include Leonard Cohen's opulent Hallelujah and a rare treat, The Power Of Love.

This brilliant power ballad by Frankie Goes To Hollywood has never before been allowed to be re-cut.

It is a little presumptuous to finish with My Way, however, it is brilliant.

And they return in elegant tails for an encore of Amazing Grace.

Manufactured no more. Il Divo are a classical, popera force to be reckoned with. I don¹t think there is room for rebuttal here.

Play on Il Divo, play on.
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LG

Arena dates for Il Divo boys


The multi-national four-piece have announced they will open their UK tour at the M.E.N. Arena early in 2009.

Carlos Marén, Urs Béhler, David Miller, and Sébastien Izambard - who released their fifth album The Promise in November will perform on February 21 and 22.

The group's first self-titled album was number one in 13 countries including Britain.

Ancora

Their second album Ancora also reached the top in Britain.

They were put together by X Factor judge Simon Cowell and specialise in semi-operatic interpretations of classic tracks as well as a smattering of original songs.

To date they have sold 22m albums.

II Divo play the M.E.N. Arena on Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22. £30 - £60.

http://www.citylife.co.uk/music/news/4648_...r_il_divo_boys_

LG

Il Divo - hunky dudes with classical lasting power
By Liz Connolly

THEY'LL sound like The Three Tenors and look Like Armani models. That was Simon Cowell's vision when he embarked on his Il Divo project back in 2000.

Honestly? I've had just about as much as I can take of Simon Cowell's visions. He's ruining Christmas for me with his horrendous X Factor numbers ones - I want Slade, I want Mud and I don't want any more women draped over radiators who keep, keep bleedin’ love.

But as it was a couple of years back and we all still quite enjoyed the comedy-trousered one, I'll forgive him his worldwide search to bring lyrical, classical music to the masses. Especially as he did it so splendidly in the form of four hunky dudes.

Il Divo, that is American tenor David Miller, Spanish baritone, Carlos Marin, classically-trained Swiss tenor, Urs Bühler and French pop singer, Sébastien Izambard, exploded onto the scene in 2003 and have already completed two worldwide tours and five albums.

Phenomenal success

In fact, they're just about to release their sixth, The Promise. This coincides with a sell-out international and UK tour kicking off at the M.E.N. Arena.

So I spoke to the French connection to find out his thoughts on where it all went so right.

"The success has been phenomenal, but it's taken us a while to get where we are right now," said Sébastien. "We've all been in the business for a long time, and the process of finding the right people for Il Divo and working out exactly what we wanted to do has taken years.

"Simon was of course the visionary but we rarely see him as he's so busy. We produce ourselves and make our own decisions. Of course we have help.

''And Simon keeps in touch. He's so proud of what we've achieved and took a lot of time out of his work schedule in the early days.

Very encouraging

"He's quite different to the person you see on shows like the X Factor," he continued.

"Of course, he always speaks his mind, but he's always very encouraging and doesn't judge us. We have a lot of input into what we do.

''People think classical music must all be covers but there are at least four or five original pieces on the new album. We test them out on tour and if they are a hit, we see what we can do with them.

That's what we'll be doing on Saturday. And we're really pleased the tour is starting in Manchester; everything began for us in the UK and we feel the audiences here are very loyal to us.

Monumental occasions

"Of course, every venue we play has a special significance, but we do have favourites. Singing alongside Barbara Streisand and Celine Dion were monumentous occasions, but Japan, the Arizona desert and Perth were fabulous.

''What you give to your audiences you tend to get back. Being more well known means we have a little more to spend on the show - but the audiences in Manchester are among our favourite as everyone is so down to earth and the mood just lifts us as soon as we step on the stage."

Il Divo kick off their tour at the M.E.N. Arena on Saturday, February 21 and Sunday, February 22. £42.50, £60. Call 0844 847 8000.

Published: Wed, 20 February, 2008


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LG