In case you haven't heard of Yulia, and there's a possibility that you don't, she's a classicial crossover artist originally from Russia but now living in New Zealand. This release is the first in a series of live concerts released on her own label. More over, the physical release is limited to 1000 copies and each is individually made by Yulia herself, making owning the CD even more special.
All the tracks feature Yulia's vocals and only a piano accompaniment allowing the listener to truly experience her rare mezzo-soprano coloratura voice. The live element of this release is obvious when you listen to the first track, a version of Schubert's Ave Maria, and you can hear the birds chirping in the background, which just adds to the song itself.
Whilst some people will probably read classical crossover and think opera, that's not all that's here. There are some well known pop songs here too (All By Myself and Nobody Does It Better to name but two) as well as some common crossover material in the form of 'You Raise Me Up', 'The Prayer' and a version of Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart (here known as Regresa A Mi and originally done by Il Divo). There is also a beautiful version of 'Into The West', originally performed by Annie Lennox for the Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King.
Of course, not all the songs are sung in English although it's a well balance of English and foreign language. The great thing is that, when Yulia performs in other languages, it's effortless and dictation is perfect (something there can be an awkwardness when using another language)
Overall, the album as well as the artist is a undiscovered gem. The simple arrangement of piano and voice complements beautifully and there is a sort of intimacy from this release that allows the listener to experience the versatility of Yulia's voice. The songs are performed with great control and emotion that draws the listener in from the first note to the very last. A recommend listen if you're looking for something a little different.
Rating:5/5
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