Don't listen to the Hype. It's awful

A Major Disappointment

It is both painfully honest and laugh-out-loud funny at the same time.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

I was able to borrow this DVD from my library. It is an account of her first concert in a theater before a live audience. The concert footage is only about 35 minutes long, the rest is devoted to showing Charlotte and her family, friends, school, vocal lessons, and all the little things that sudden fame has brought her. As remarkable as her singing is for a 12 or 13 year old girl, to me even more remarkable is her composure and how well she handles herself. She was obviously still a little girl here, and she does not try to downplay that at all. In fact, she opens the concert by bringing her stuffed animal onstage with her.Charlotte Church is not the best soprano. She is nowhere near it. Sarah Brightman, who sings many of the same songs, is better in every way, as are many others. But Church may well be the best young soprano singing today. And one quality she has, which is essential, the ability to hit her notes right on pitch. Right on pitch! Too many young singers simply don't understand the importance of that. Charlotte Church is the real deal.I believe as she continues to develop, she will become one of the very best sopranos alive. At age 12 or 13, her voice was still fragile and bell-like, not yet taking on the timbre of a more mature soprano like Brightman. My guess is that she will achieve the prime of her sound in her mid-20s. But right now she is a delight to see and to listen to. Bravo to this young singer, and this DVD is a great one.

I got this video approx 6/10/00. Today is 8/31/00; 82 days later. I estimate I have already watched it between 50 - 60 times. I haven't bothered to take the video out of the VCR; I just leave it in there. To simultaneously listen to a world class voice and watch the 13 year old body it comes from is an experience that you instinctively know you will probably never have again. Her singing of "The Lord's Prayer", especially the last part beginning with "for thine is the kingdom" has to be heard to be appreciated. There are no descriptive words that can do it justice. The final song, "Men of Harlech" really gets good when the men's choir joins in. And Charlotte really cuts loose with the final note and gets a well deserved standing ovation. Much of the last 25 minutes of this video consists of interviews with Charlotte and others. You will find that she has a totally delightful and HONEST smile and personality.