– Customer review on 08/06/2011

I will admit that when I first saw the track listing for this CD, I felt disappointed. "Come on!" I thought, "Katherine should be more original than this! Practically every soprano records `O Mio Babbino Caro' at one point or another, and here are two common songs from the classical crossover genre, `Nella Fantasia' and `The Prayer'. Should I even invest in something that will only be a re-hash of things I have already heard many times?" In the end however, I decided that even with the unimaginative song selections, I would buy this CD.

I am very glad I did! There are so many gems here that I now consider this Katherine's best album. Surprisingly, "Nella Fantasia" instantly became a favorite of mine. Her rich, warm tones really brought this song to life in a way I had never heard before. It could have been written for her! Ultimately, I concluded that she did justice to every single track, from the rousing gypsy dance ("Chanson Boheme") to the beautiful hymn, "Dear Lord and Father of Mankind." I would not have left out a single one, not even "O Mio Babbino Caro" (which I still think is sung too often.)

One thing people seem to be arguing about is what genre Katherine belongs to. With arias like "One Fine Day" in her repertoire, she can hardly be called a pop singer, but seeing that she has never actually performed in an opera, she can't rightly be called a legitimate opera singer, either. Instead, she is a part of a growing community of what we call "Classical Crossover" singers. Some people like this, some people don't. I just accept her for who she is - a classically trained recording artist who consistently produces wonderful music.