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Joseph Calleja sings at the Hampton Court Festival Opera Gala 17 June

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Joseph Calleja sings at the Hampton Court Festival Opera Gala, 17 June ( ). Gala Fundraising concerts in public halls always have a somewhat unreal feeling This was such a "concert with an additional purpose". O'Neill's fine accompanist, Ingrid Surgenor, delivered the introduction to Puccini's "Recondita armonia" from Tosca with the bell-like clarity of Debussy playing his own music; and in Gastaldon's "O quante dolceae", there's a passage straight out of "La fille aux cheveux de lin".His roared "Nessun dorma" encore was vulgar: no wonder no one got any sleep. His Italian could be a fraction sharper now: here and there, bristling consonants got lost. The same might be said for his French: two faultless big climaxes uplifted "Pourquoi me reveiller?", from Werther, but the victorious Mylio's aubade from Lalo's wonderful 1888 opera Le Roi d'Ys, about the legendary Breton city beneath the waves, seemed too cutting for this subtle evocation of the conquering hero's love for Rozenn.One thought of Debussy's La Cath?ale engloutie, and the composer's ghost seemed to reappear elsewhere.

When he rakes it back three notches and sings piano - whether in the hushed ending of Bellini's arietta "Ma rendi pur contento", or the cooing serenades of Paolo Tosti's "A vuchella" and "L'ultima canzone", which Caruso, Gigli and Schipa made famous before Corelli and Bruson were even thought of - you hear how much he's learned from his masters.O'Neill is a dramatically engaging performer, and - in their tradition - a fine singer, too. Likewise, in the hushed low notes that preface the opening leap of Nemorino's "Quanto e bella", from L'Elisir d'amore; or in the song "Me voglio fa'na casa", also by Donizetti, in which O'Neill rides the vocal line like a friendly caballo. This is one of our great performers, and if there is slight evidence of tiring as he enters the Grand Old Man class, those top notes are as spot-on and bracing as ever.And, as he proved with Federico's emotive lament from Cilea's L'Arlesiana, "E la solita storia nel pastore", O'Neill has a baritone range to envy, too, cultivated in his chilling - and almost cult - Canio in WNO's Pagliacci). That was the reason given by Rosenblatt Solicitors, the disappointed sponsor of this St John's, Smith Square recital, for Decca's much-promoted Maltese tenor Joseph Calleja's non-appearance on Monday.

Maybe they have bank holidays in Malta, too. So, instead of the mellifluous Mediterranean, we had the best of the valleys. And who could complain? Dennis O'Neill once lived opposite a friend of mine in Cardiff, and his morning warm-ups were worth 50 quid a throw. 'Still Growing Up', Wembley Arena, London HA9 (0870 060 0870; ) tonight and tomorrow. Beware bouts of severe indigestion. A homely treatment for such a grand ditty."Sledgehammer" is more conventional.

Then "Biko" is majestic, again showing that Gabriel doesn't need to prod his audience into singing or clapping along. These things happen naturally, house lights burning, the mighty song exposed and more relevant than ever. He's trained daughter Melanie Gabriel well, as she mimics his actions, riding and singing in tandem. Indeed, the whole band is draped in black smocks, following their leader in his spiritual sage look.The oldest songs remain the best Their existence almost transcends their delivery. When Gabriel wobbles around the perimeter on his undersized bicycle, singing without pause for breath, "Solsbury Hill" becomes an oddly anti-anthemic anthem.

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