Amazon.co.uk Review
Sacred Arias is Katherine Jenkins' last album in her deal for Universal before she moves to Warner for another six-album deal, and she has decided to go out with a bang--albeit a quiet one. While her previous outing,
Rejoice, saw the Welsh mezzo-soprano striking out more than ever towards the world of pop,
Sacred Arias, as the title suggests, sees her return to her religious-classical roots with comfortably familiar tunes like "Abide with Me", "Ave Maria", "Pie Jesu" and even "Silent Night". The mood on
Sacred Arias is as refined and peaceful as you'd expect given the title, and though there's an abundance of well known material here, Jenkins also offers us the more obscure charms of "Missa Criolla", a dreamy version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" and a soulful take on "Down in the River to Pray". Other classical pieces include "Panis Angelicus" and Barber's haunting vocal piece "Agnus Dei", which help make this a triumphant final flourish for both her and Universal.
--Danny McKenna
CD Description
As one of the more celebrated figures in the classical crossover genre, Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins here presents several religious pieces, all delivered in tasteful andmuted fashion. Familiar tunes such as 'Abide With Me', 'PieJesu' and even 'Silent Night' are neighboured with more obscure, traditional works like 'Missa Criolla' and even an interpretation of Leonard Cohen's 'Hallelujah' (no doubt influenced by the popular Jeff Buckley version). Throughout, Jenkins' impressive voice remains the star, making this release certain to appeal to her existing fans.