Lesley Garrett

MICHAEL DRAKE

King's Lynn Corn Exchange (King's Lynn Festival)

She may never be cast as Mozart's Queen of the Night but she was undoubtedly queen for a night as this year's tour came to a triumphant finale on Tuesday.

In a wide ranging programme it became obvious during the opening rhythmic trio of Michel Legrand classics that if there is a song she really cannot help singing it - as she said she “can't be bothered with musical divisions”.

And so as the programme developed from opera to French, American to film music, Lesley Garrett showed that she has a wide range to her voice as well and that she is an extremely versatile singer.

This we remember from her Festival concert a couple of years ago but in a programme in which much was new to her she showed how her style has expanded and how she too has settled into the role of a real entertainer, moving easily from the pathos of a Spanish melange to the Piaf cover Je ne regret rien and from a moody arrangement of Gershwin's Summertime to a very personal Can't Help Lovin' That Man Of Mine.

Practically all the arrangements were made by her music director, the hugely experienced Tolga Kashif (who seemed to be joined to his piano) and he and his four colleagues had opportunities to show off their instrumental skills in brilliant solo spots.

And in front of them Lesley Garrett. Dramatic, amusing, sexy and always with immaculate diction and of course, colourful frocks and once, golden trousers, dressed for both night and day … (cue) Cole Porter song.

Finally, before a standing ovation, It's a Wonderful World and certainly for a couple of hour or so all was right with it.