Katherine Jenkins, Nathan Pacheco, the National Symphony Orchestra

On a very cold evening the Brighton Centre delivered the warm glow of a sweet and surprisingly intimate entertainment. Well supported by Anthony Inglis’s responsive orchestra, Katherine Jenkins and versatile tenor Nathan Pacheco sang with three distinct styles: popular, folk and operatic.

Brave, cheery banter did not hide her current heartache. She coloured her first song with husky lower notes and crooned top notes. Where was that glorious mahogany voice? Then suddenly she was in operatic mode and all the rich tone came through, romantic for Borodin, flirty for Delibes. ‘I Dreamed a Dream’ in its original French and ‘I Could Have Danced All Night’ suited her voice perfectly, as did the beautiful Welsh hymn ‘Blaenwern’ (get her CD just for that!). I’d love to see her in ‘The King & I’ or ‘My Fair Lady’ (a Welsh Cockney?) and, when she’s ready, in a smouldering ‘Carmen’, for which she certainly has the voice. However, perhaps she should reserve for her later years Leonard Cohen’s ironic ‘Hallelujah’, which needs a more lived-in delivery.

Now, where do her glittering gowns and blonde-bombshell figure stand in the glamour stakes? Well, somewhere between Marilyn and Marlene is this warm-hearted Welsh lass who is at ease singing to her many grannies, cousins and men-folk. And will Katherine still have an audience in ten year’s time? Of course, as long as combat troops have sentiment and the Welsh love rugby. Who knows, after such heartache she may also acquire the gay following of a torch-singer too?

Brighton Centre, 10 February 2012

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