For lovers of classical music, this was an exciting event – two of the world’s greatest voices combined in a symphony of sound.

Despite the fact that only half the seats were filled, it could not have taken place in a more perfect setting: The surrounding skyscrapers glittering below a dark blue sky, the low hum of the harbour traffic in the distance and, occasionally,  the silhouette of a plane passing overhead.

The audience was charmed by Charlotte Church in the first part of the concert. She sang songs ranging from Bernstein to Gershwin but also included “Fields of Gold� by Sting. As an encore, we listened to “Somewhere over the Rainbow�. She was accompanied by the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Arnie Roth. Charlotte Church’s voice covers an incredible range of music and one marvels at the unique talent displayed – each song executed with memorable precision and timbre.

The second part of the concert featured José Carreras, one of the “Three Tenorsâ€� and a world famous singer in his own right. The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by David Giménez. José Carreras sang in Italian – songs by Costa, Gastaldon and Strauss amongst others. The audience was plainly mesmerized by his brilliant voice and the heart-rendering music. They did not  allow him to go at the end of his performance – four encores followed, notably “Santa Luciaâ€�, “Granadaâ€� and a Neapolitan folksong, “Winterâ€�, one of his personal favourites. He received a standing ovation by the enthusiastic audience – which returned home having enjoyed a very special evening.

Review By Christiane W.

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