Picking Up My Christmas, the new festive album from Katherine Jenkins, priced £3 in Sainsbury's, didn't seem to be a good omen for this show.
However, if you like your topical tunes with operatic voice and orchestral accompaniment, you can now also grab yourself a bargain today at your local supermarket.
As part of the Raymond Gubbay Christmas Festival, Jenkins returned to Glasgow on Wednesday night. Entering in a stunning cream dress (by wedding dress designer Suzanne Neville, she explained in her second-half Q&A session), there would be a further three costume changes to extract gasps from her adoring, somewhat mature, fans.
Conductor Anthony Inglis was on crowd-pleasing form, helping Jenkins (below) out at every turn like a gallant, well-dressed concierge. The National Symphony Orchestra were almost runaway at times but came good with some Strauss and Tchaikovsky numbers to showcase their own star billing. Joining Jenkins was American tenor Nathan Pacheco, who facilitated the costume changes (though not literally). He picked up the vocal baton with The First Noel and The Most Wonderful Time of the Year, followed later by Schubert's Ave Maria and holiday classic Silver Bells, before starting off a stunning O Holy Night duet, awaiting Jenkins's return in an awe-inspiring red dress with a ridiculously long, flouncy train.
Having found international fame earlier this year by taking part in Dancing with the Stars (the American version of Strictly Come Dancing), Jenkins's album is apparently selling very well on the other side of the pond. The fact she looks like the perfect Barbie doll has probably enhanced her appeal in the States, although her fun Santa Baby (which she sang on Strictly last weekend) and her rendition of John Rutter's I Wish You Christmas were enough to convert the most emphatic of her unbelievers.
A stirring Con Te Partiro provided a fitting encore to the sparkling evening and, apart from the overly long interval, it was worthy of its top ticket price of £55.
HHHH
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