Hayley Westenra - Live From New Zealand

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Hayley Westenra's live concert in her native New Zealand treads much of the same ground as other similar programs, including Charlotte Church, Sarah Brightman, Josh Groban, and Celtic Woman. Drawing heavily from her Pure album, the then-17-year-old covers a gamut of styles. The more classical pieces include "River of Dreams" and "Never Say Goodbye" (which are based on Vivaldi and Ravel, respectively), Villa-Lobos's Bachianas Brasilierias No. 5, and Carmina Burana's "In Trutina." She sounds beautiful on Enya's "May It Be" from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (which still hasn't been overexposed quite yet), but less successful are the "hipper" attempts into crossover territory, such as the Brightman-esque "Beat of Your Heart" and "Who Painted the Moon Black." Still, it's hard to fault a young artist for trying something different. Guest stars include younger sister Sophie, Teddy Tahu Rhodes (whose heavy voice tends to overpower Westenra's), and groups as diverse as the Te Orowa Maori Dance Group and the Wellington Cathedral Choir. --David Horiuchi

Description

Track Listing 1. Pokarekare Ana
2. River of Dreams (adapted from "Winter")
3. In Trutina
4. Across the Universe of Time
5. May It Be
6. Beat Of Your Heart
7. Aria (Cantilena)
8. Who Painted the Moon Black
9. How Many Stars? (from "Bombay Dreams")
10. Ave Maria
11. Down To The River To Pray
12. Amazing Grace
13. Benedictus
14. Mary, Did You Know?
15. Both Sides Now
16. Never Say Goodbye (Adapted from "Pavane")
17. Wuthering Heights
18. Hine E Hine (Maiden, O Maiden)
19. 100% Pure New Zealand
20. I Dreamed a Dream
21. Pokarekare Ana

Picture Gallery
Memorabilia Slideshow

Customer Reviews:

Cletic Woman Music Lover.......2007-09-13

Hayley is a very beautiful talented young lady. Everything she does is always a oustanding production. Has a voice that is out of this world! For a first performance program in New Zealand, what a great show to watch!

Excellent Concert w/a few Glitches.......2007-09-11

This is by far and away my favorite "pop" vocalist concert to date. I've probably watched/listened to the concert five times already, and have yet to tire of it.

Haley brings a tonal purity and vocal honesty pleasantly devoid of the gimmickery so prevelant among the rank-and-file on the teen pop scene. In addition, Miss Westenra brings with her an uncannily mature stage presence and comportment, making this concert both an audible and visual delight. Her rendition of "Both Sides Now" is simply the best I've heard or perhaps ever will hear, I believe.

Two sour notes, though, which have to do not with Haley's superlative performance, but rather with a few of the arrangements themselves:
(a) The opening and closing numbers gave what I think was little more than "lip service" to the native peoples. Why didn't they vocally accompany Haley? It was odd and even unsettling to see two Anglo-colonials sing the closing Maori piece, with the indigenous peoples standing around mute and merely tokenesque.
(b) The lyrical destruction of Gounod's Ave Maria was, quite frankly, an embarrassment. Who supplants the latin "Sancta Maria" with something as banal as "Hey there, Maria" and hopes to get away with it? The Ave Maria is a timeless, masterful prayer that deserves better. Well, in a way it is understandable, in light of Protestants' extreme awkwardness about the Blessed Virgin. (I can't imagine how Protestants who enter into heaven will continue to employ such duck-and-cover techniques with the Mother of Our Lord for an eternity!)

That said, this concert still easily earns 5 stars. Haley really brings us a much-needed and long-awaited breath of fresh air, especially in the wake of Britney Spears, Jessica Simpson and the like. I sincerely pray never to see Haley on the cover of the National Enquirer!

brilliant hayley.......2007-09-02

absolutely fantastic. her voice is so soothing and her range of singing an inspiration. an absolute must buy for followers of good music

great voice.......2007-07-03

I heard her the first time on Celtic Woman-Live at Slane Castle and immediately liked her voice. I do not follow music real close but liked what I heard. Before this experience I was unaware of her music. Her voice is so clear that when I received this DVD I enjoyed everything that she sang. It is so much nicer to watch and listen than just listen. I appreciate talent.

Hayley Westenra - Live From New Zealand.......2007-06-14

Just a simple message, this DVD presents a beautiful voice, very up lifting well recommended DVD excellent quality

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