AS CLASSY AS ALWAYS

As classy as always

Operatic pop group Il Divo is due for a concert date in Kuala Lumpur next month. Nothing like a new album to get the masses in the mood for a great show ahead, says JASON CHEAH.


ON THE back of the phenomenal success of its first two albums, the self-titled Il Divo and Ancora, the international operatic supergroup Il Divo’s task of coming up with the goods on a third album was not an easy one.

Nevertheless Sebastian Izambard, Urs Buhler, David Miller and Carlos Marin, otherwise known as Il Divo, are now back with Siempre (translated as Always), their third long player effort in the space of just over two years.

A new album means a big tour ahead.

And with the quartet set to kick off the Asian leg of its world tour in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 16, it’s obvious that Siempre looks like consolidating the group’s commercial success in these parts.

Presented by the CIMB Group, the group’s Kuala Lumpur date next month takes place at the swank Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre. The Star is the official newspaper for the concert.

As the fans start counting down the weeks to the big Il Divo show, it’s always handy to get familiar with the group’s new album, released by SonyBMG here. To think Il Divo has gone on to great heights without a commercial single release.

In Britain, Siempre’s first week sales have already outstripped that of its predecessor Ancora, entering the album charts at No.2, just behind the comeback album of British boy band Take That.

For Il Divo, the next few weeks will be massive as Siempre is expected to rake in the Christmas sales. The new album features 10 songs, many of which were produced by music legend Steve Mac who has worked with the group on all of its albums.

With previous releases Il Divo and Ancora collectively cracking the 12 million sales mark worldwide, Siempre has some tough stats to follow but if initial responses are anything to go by, it is set to be another record-breaking release.

Watched by millions worldwide, the group definitely got the masses talking with their duet with Toni Braxton, singing the World Cup song titled The Time of Our Lives at the opening festivities held at Munich Stadium in June. Recorded in Dublin and Stockholm, the new album is much anticipated, featuring other producers such as Per Magnusson and David Kruger in the mix.

If you want crowd-pleasing treats, the Il Divo blokes have the material waiting for you. Reworked Italian and Spanish renditions of such pop classics as The Moody Blues’ Nights in White Satin (Notte Di Luce), Harry Nilsson’s Without You (Desde El Dia Que Te Fuiste) and more recent material like Bryan Adam’s Have You Ever Loved a Woman (Un Regalo Que Te Dio La Vida) pepper the album.

There’s also yet another cover version of You Raise Me Up (Por Ti Sere) – this time sung in Spanish.

Other renditions include Caruso and Musica, an adaptation of John Miles’s Music, which he specially rewrote for the Il Divo boys who have performed it with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

But the most significant moments on the album are the four brand new original tracks written for the quartet, Come Primavera, La Vida Sin Amor, Una Noche and Tell That to My Heart (Amor Venme A Buscar).


Il Divo has crowd pleasing treats on its new album, Siempre.
In fact, the album is, actually, by Il Divo standards, a little more up-tempo than either Il Divo or Ancora, with a more Latin feel to the music. That necessary means that there might be dancing in the aisles at the Plenary Hall next month with the Siempre grooves.

“We’re branching out a little, but it’s still the Il Divo sound ... the whole album has a much more Latin feel, more up-tempo. It’s more fun,” Miller states in the quartet’s latest official biography.

“In my opinion, this album is the best of the three. The original songs are better; the vocal arrangements are more precise, more elaborate. And of course, it’s still always romantic. How could it not be?” Marin adds.

Izambard, also states: “The new album is different from the other two, it’s another side of Il Divo, a side we’ve never shown before. We use Cuban percussion and guitars, the melodies are very different ... Il Divo starts swinging!”

Il Divo will be performing on Jan 16 at the Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.


Tickets for the Il Divo concert are divided into six categories – diamond, platinum, gold, silver, mezzanine and gallery, and start from RM500 upwards. Shangri-La Hotel is the official hotel for this event. For details, call the hotel’s Il Divo hotline (% 03-2074 3525). Or call the axcess hotline (tel: 03-7711 5000). Browse (www.axcess.com.my). Siempre is now available through SonyBMG.

Nice article, thanks Kay!

Miss Kay, you're just full of news.