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Somewhat confusingly The Opera Band is not the name of the artists, but the title of the debut by Amici Forever, five young singers who present themselves like a boy/girl pop group and offer 15 tracks (including two remixes) of rearranged opera and other popular tunes. The tracks vary between purely acoustic and some that include understated ambient electronics, all being reworked to provide parts for the voices of the classically trained Jo Appleby (soprano), Nick Garrett (bass), David Habbin (tenor), Geoff Swell (tenor) and Tsakane Valentine (soprano). The cuts range from Thomas Otten to Helmut Lotti type arrangements, the voc
Somewhat confusingly The Opera Band is not the name of the artists, but the title of the debut by Amici Forever, five young singers who present themselves like a boy/girl pop group and offer 15 tracks (including two remixes) of rearranged opera and other popular tunes. The tracks vary between purely acoustic and some that include understated ambient electronics, all being reworked to provide parts for the voices of the classically trained Jo Appleby (soprano), Nick Garrett (bass), David Habbin (tenor), Geoff Swell (tenor) and Tsakane Valentine (soprano). The cuts range from Thomas Otten to Helmut Lotti type arrangements, the vocal sound evoking a collaboration between Filippa Giordano and the Three Tenors. Indeed, there's a version of "Nessun Dorma" that won't disappoint fans of this most rousing of melodies, and virtually all of the other tracks will strike an immediate chord. "Whisper of Angels" reworks Fauré's gorgeous instrumental Pavane with harmony voices, Celtic flute and electronics, making an interesting contrast with Regina Carter's recent jazz-orchestral version on Paganini: After a Dream. Handel's "Sarabande" is presented as a light dance anthem while other cuts range from Alex North's hit song "Unchained Melody" to Michael Kamen's theme from Band of Brothers, now transformed into an impassioned vocal tribute to the fallen of WWII. From the Latin of "Canto Alla Vita", edging into Bond territory, to a lavish traditional version of "Come All Ye Faithful", Amici Forever look set to have one of the most successful crossover releases of the year. --Gary S Dalkin
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Manufacturer: Sony Music UK
Release date: 30 August 2004
EAN: 0082876640832 UPC: 828766408324
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