However, I doubt that there are many who honestly enjoy all four or even three of the voices represented here. You'll probably enjoy Placido Domingo & Charlotte Church, or Tony Bennett & Vanessa Williams.

I do want to address the comments criticizing the album because Charlotte Church wasn't a greater part of it. This is a recording of a concert given in Vienna, and the European audiences are going to have a somewhat different taste in music than those of us in America. Obviously, Placido Domingo dominates this concert...probably because he, of the four, has the greatest appeal there. Tony Bennett & Vanessa Williams as popular singers with long careers are strong support and Tony Bennett especially was undoubtedly a strong drawing card for the Viennese concert. However, by European standards, Charlotte Church would be considered an up & coming singer, but certainly not as accepted as the veteran singers. Though immensely popular, she hasn't yet passed the test of time, nor is it likely that her voice is yet developed to anywhere near its potential. Therefore, her solo, duet, and joint performance in the concluding number would be considered quite appropriate for the European audiences.

Of course, the labeling of the album would be more accurate if it had indicated her "guest star" status in the concert.

All in all, many will probably find this CD quite pleasing, but others will prefer an album which leans more strongly toward either the classical or the adult contemporary genre rather than straddling the boundary lines.


More Charlotte Please!   December 11, 2001
18 out of 21 found this review helpful

With Charlotte Church displayed just as prominantly as the other singers, one would assume a well balanced mix. But Charlotte fans, don't be mislead-she sings only two songs! While I enjoy all the singers, I admit I bought this strictly because of Charlotte Church and was very disapointed. Anyone who has enjoyed her solo Christmas album knows she has the perfect angelic voice just made for Christmas carols. Why she was neglected here is a mystery.


Right for the holidays.   November 14, 2001
M. Moisson (Los Altos, CA United States)
9 out of 10 found this review helpful

This CD has the right titles, excellent artists and is all together great for background music during the year end celebrations. A really relaxing first-class release.


Not Really Anyone's Fnest Hour   November 23, 2004
Gregor von Kallahann
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Placido Domingo has done several holiday concert special for PBS over the years. The ones I've seen usually pair him with Jose Carreras on the classical end and maybe one pop diva like Dionne Warwick or Diana Ross. That makes for a mixed bag, and maybe a few awkward moments when the vocal styles don't quite mesh. But with the visuals, the glitz and glamour of the stars usually make these spectacles enjoyable enough.

I've never seen the DVD version of this concert, which also aired of PBS, as I understand it. But I'll wager it works better with the visuals. As a pure listening experience, OUR FAVORITE THINGS comes up short. Domingo is really the only singer who is in top form for the occasion, and his Spanish language carols (probably unfamiliar to most American listeners) are a real treat. Tony Bennett, who has been fine in other recent broadcasts and recordings, sounds a bit hoarse here. He improves as the concert progresses, but he relies more on phrasing than chops and is at a disadvantage when duetting with Domingo. (On the other hand, Domingo's noticeable discomfort with idiomatic American English weakens his performance on tracks like "My Favorite Things" and "I'll Be Home For Christmas").

On the distaff side we have Charlotte Church and Vanessa Williams, whose work I am less familiar with. Church sounds a little nervous and out of her depth when duetting with Domingo. She has a pleasant enough voice, which I hope she does not subject to too much strain before reaching her potential. I am not an expert in these matters, but I have been told by classical singers that too much too soon can be disastrous for a developing voice.

Williams is less distinctive a pop singer than, say, Dionne Warwick or Diana Ross, who could at least begin to hold their own against the classical singers in those previous holiday concerts. She has her moments, but even her duet with Tony Bennett on "White Christmas" seems a bit strained.

Fans of the individual singers featured here may well want to purchase this CD, but (even without having seen it), I'm betting that the DVD would be a wiser purchase. With the visuals of Vienna, the concert hall, the gowns and the glitter, I'm guessing it holds up a bit better. Strictly on a musical level, though, this is none of the stars' shining hour.