The Classic BRIT Awards will be held on 2nd  October 2012 at the Royal Albert Hall and televised later in the month on ITV1.

Tickets are on sale now and are available from the Royal Albert Hall box office on 020 7589 8212. Ranging from £20 to £287.50 for a full dinner/show experience http://www.royalalberthall.com/tickets/classic-brits/default.aspx

To show your support and vote for Russell in the ‘Album of the Year’  category go to http://www.classicbrits.co.uk

Source: RWUK

We will be filming the music for both programmes at St Peter’s Church in Swinton on Saturday, 22 September from 10.30am to 5.30pm.

If you would like to apply to be part of the congregation for what we hope will be a memorable occasion for all, you can do so in the following ways;

Via email: songsofpraise@bbc.co.uk

Or via post: Songs of Praise (Salford Tickets), 1st Floor, Dock House, MediaCityUK, Salford M50 2LH

We ask that your correspondence includes your full name and postal address, as well as a telephone number, email address (if applicable) and the amount of tickets you would like to apply for.

Please note that our recordings are often very popular and therefore we ask that you only apply for tickets that you will be able to use. We do try to accommodate everyone, but in the event that we are oversubscribed we will allocate on a pro rata basis

Source: Songs of Praise

Whilst sailing from Barcelona to Valencia 7pm on the 7th May 2013 Mr Russell Watson the critic acclaimed tenor will perform this unforgettable experience in a venue like no other.

Be the first to experience this intimate concert at sea with a gala dinner hosted by the world famous Russell himself. With only 200 guests everyone will be sure to get a front row view of the spectacular occasion.

With their unmatched sense of style, elegance and grace, Seabourn ships beckon you to travel beyond the bounds of the imagination. Aboard Seabourn, every desire is met promptly and with a welcoming smile. Whether it’s a warm blanket and a cup of gourmet hot chocolate as you sail into the sunset or a relaxing neck massage poolside, you’ll feel that you’re a member of a very exclusive club.

Source: Concerts At Sea  http://www.concertsatsea.co.uk/event.asp

The singer will play at the event in Washington DC on July 4, which will also act as a send-off for US Olympic athletes.

It comes after a major event at the city’s Capitol Hill last month had to be abandoned following a heavy downpour, and he was unable to perform to 350,000 people.

However, the tenor and the other artists were ushered to a private hall in the Capitol Building where he gave an impromptu performance for guests – and impressed them enough to be asked to be the sole UK performer at the White House.

Russell – whose latest album, Anthems: Music To Inspire A Nation, made the top five – said: “I’ve not visited the States for a few years and to be invited twice in succession to such prestigious events is such an honour.

“It’s a great privilege for me to be singing for the American Olympic team, sending them on their way to the UK for the Olympic Games this year, it’s exciting to be a part of the 4th of July celebrations.”

Russell Watson is the UK’s best selling classical artist ever.  He is the first artist to hold the number one slot simultaneously in the UK and USA in his respected genre.  Russell has sold in excess of seven million albums worldwide.  He has performed for some of the most powerful people in the world  including the Pope, the President of the United States, King of Malaysia, the Emperor of Japan and HRH the Queen.

His debut album, ‘The Voice’ held the No.1 slot for a record 52 weeks, only relinquishing the top spot with his follow up album ‘Encore’ which spent a further 36 weeks in the coveted No.1 spot.  Subsequent releases continued in the same vein, racking up sales of over 7 million.

Russell has recently returned from a hugely successful tour of Australia (including a sold out Sydney Opera House) with his ears still ringing from the torrent of rave reviews.  In May Russell is off to USA to perform on Capital Hill in Washington, then returning to the UK to start his own tour which will continue through June. With capacity already reached for one RAH date, another date has now been added to meet demand.   The latter half of 2012 will see Russell visiting Asia for a series of live dates.

In the Queens diamond jubilee year and with the Olympics on the horizon Russell wanted to celebrate all things British with his new album ‘Anthems – Music To Inspire A Nation’.  A collection of considered, rousing, beautiful songs from around the country, sung deep from the heart, as only Russell can.

A stirring vocal, an emotive song, think last night of the proms, it’s all here.  Russell’s unique, interpretations of sporting anthems ‘Proud’ and ‘Race to the End’ (theme from Chariots of Fire)   alongside his epic take on the patriotic anthems of Scotland, England and Wales are all sung with enough verve to inspire a nation.

Russell’s duet performed with Dame Vera Lynn using vocals from the original wartime recording when she was the forces sweetheart and barely twenty will touch the hardest of hearts.  A guest appearance by the Fron Male Voice Choir on ‘Calon Lan’, and a tear jerking version of The Londonderry Air (Danny Boy) a duet with Moya Brennan of Clannad all segue together to make up this extraordinary album.

‘Anthems – Music To Inspire A Nation’ will be released on May 28th through Sony Classical, Russell’s Diamond Jubilee tour starts in May 2012

Source: Classicalx

Two Classical BRIT Awards. Multiple Double Platinum, Platinum and Gold classified albums. Over seven million records sold worldwide. Now Russell Watson is back for a ten-date UK tour in the Summer of 2012, which will include a special show ‘A Gala For The Queen’s Jubilee’ on Saturday 2nd June.

Perhaps the UK’s greatest ever tenor, Russell returns with a stronger, more driven and powerful voice, his renditions of Pino Donaggio’s Io Che Non Vivo (Senza Te), Mario Lanza’s Arrivederci Roma and Parla Piu Piano (the theme from The Godfather) are nothing less than astounding

Source: Stereoboard

to read more…

http://www.stereoboard.com/content/view/169610/9

Joined by special guests Laura Wright and the London Concert Orchestra, Russell will sing You’ll Never Walk Alone, Men of Harlech, Land of Hope and Glory, and Rule Britannia as well as a selection of his own hits.

The self-styled ‘People’s Tenor’ has sold millions of albums worldwide with his trademark mixture of Italian arias and pop classics.

Recognised as the UK’s biggest selling classical artist of the 21st century, he has broken a succession of records.

Source: SouthWestShows

For full article…  http://southwestshows.co.uk/2011/12/russell-watson-set-for-diamond-jubilee-show-at-plymouth-pavilions-news/

Russell is understandably very upset not to keep his commitments to the Trafford Centre and for letting down the centre and his fans at such short notice, especially for those who have travelled a long distance.

Russell sends his heartfelt and sincerest apologies to everyone. He has instructed his management teams to do everything possible to find a replacement date for the Trafford Centre DVD signing and performance in the very near future.

Meanwhile, copies of his DVD, Russell Watson – Return of the Voice: Live at the Royal Albert Hall, remain on sale and both Russell and his publishers Lace DVD would like to thank all those many wonderful and loyal fans whose purchases have contributed to its great sales success so far

Source: Official

The outdoor concert is the will be brought to you by concert promoters Cuffe & Taylor in association with The National Trust. Simon Whithead, Visitor Experience Manager for Speke Hall said;

“We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone to what will be a fantastic evening of music here at Speke. The setting really lends itself to a large event of this kind, and it also forms part of our aim to make Speke Hall and its estate more accessible to the general public through new and exciting events. We’re delighted to be the host venue for this prestigious event which is being organised by Cuffe & Taylor”.

The concert is the finale of a possible three night event, with other headline artists being announced shortly. The organisers are promising something for everyone in the first of what is hoped will be an annual event.

Russell will perform in the ‘Last Night of the Proms’ on Monday 4th June 2012. Members of the public are encouraged to bring their own picnics and be wowed by the classics, such as Jerusalem, Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia, all culminating with a spectacular firework finale.

The event is the first of its kind for Speke Hall and Cuffe and Taylor are more than confident that it will be a weekend to remember. A spokesperson for the organisation said “As soon as we first visited Speke Hall, we knew that the venue was ideal to host a weekend of music.”

“We really hope that the local residents get behind this event and show their support, as they are the real hosts. We in turn want to make sure that we deliver our usual high standard of event.”

Russell has sung for American presidents, Japanese emperors, British Royalty, an array of European Prime Ministers, Middle-Eastern Sultans, even the late Pope John Paul II who requested a private audience with Russell Watson at the Vatican. With Four Classical Brit awards under his belt and with every Russell Watson UK release hitting the Top 10, among them he boasts two Double Platinum certifications, one Platinum and two Gold. But this album, Russell Watson says, is special.

The new album, Russell’s Ninth, was recorded in June 2010 with the Roma Sinfonietta – Ennio Morricone’s orchestra of choice – and produced by Mike Hedges.  Stronger, more driven and powerful, his renditions of some of the most loved songs of all time, including La Viva Senza Te, Mario Lanza’s Arrivederci. Roma and Speak Softly Love (the theme from The Godfather) are as impressive as you’d expect from a man singing with, literally, a new lease of life after overcoming two life-threatening brain tumours.”.

Tickets will go on sale on Friday 25th November at 09:00am, and are available from Ticketline on 0844 888 9991