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introKönig Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Germany
30th November 2014
Night of the Proms with Zucchero, Katie Melua, Marlon Roudette, Madeline Juno, John Miles, Ksenija Sidorova

The Night of the Proms are touring now in their twenty-first year. What started 1994 with a show in Dortmund, now fills 12 big arenas 17 times in the weeks from end of November till Christmas 2014. Big part of the success of the NOTP lays on the side of the artists, always being well mixed. Classic meets Pop! That’s the motto of the Night of the Proms (NOTP). The 75 head grasping classic orchestra Il Novecento plays the classics and accompanies, together with the Electric Band, the Pop stars. And those stars were extraordinary also for this year’s edition with ZUCCHERO or KATIE MELUA among others. Orchestra, band, choir, backing singers and stars together with an extraordinary light show delivered once more an extraordinary concert evening where popular music from 300 years of musical history were presented.


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Orchestra Il Novecento                                                Backing Singers

This show in Oberhausen was one of the first German shows. NOTP shows are always special with their mix of classics and pop. This year’s edition again was quite modern and proved once more that classical concerts are not boring but really entertaining. Usual classic concerts have no real show effects, the NOTP is different with an extraordinary light show and big LED elements and screens in the back. Anything is exactly adjusted to the three hours show supporting the mood of the particular piece of music. Also the sound is very important, especially when you are using so many classical elements. Over the years, technicians improved the sound more and more and so, you could now experience a high-class concert sound. A little downer at the show on Oberhausen was a certain echo of the voices reflecting from the back walls, disturbing the sound a little. According the sound, now improvement compared with last years… http://www.notp.com/deutschland

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Conductor                                                                 Choir Fine Fleur


The Show

The night was opened bringing a sleuth of classical force into the venue by the fabulous Il Novecento orchestra covering large parts of the stage and with the help of the FINE FLEUR choir. The classical introduction was followed by accordion artist KSENIJA SIDOROVA, who suddenly appeared in the middle of the audience area, to present the piece ‘Libertango’. She has a special way to treat her instrument and uses it in a very uncommon way. The first to enter the stage and to be known by a larger part of the crowd in attendance should have been MADELINE JUNO. She is young, she is talented and she is known to many by her first single ‘Error’ used in the movie ‘Fack ju Göhte’. The single was presented in September 2013 on YouTube and found more than one million views in just three months. Her debut album ‘The Unknown’ moved the listeners to the core. Besides the mentioned ‘Error’, MADELINE JUNO presented also ‘Feel You’ and ‘Like Lovers Do’.

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Ksenija Sidorova                                                         Madeline Juno

The orchestra afterwards soon led over to the next well-known artist entering the stage, MARLON ROUDETTE. The London artists and ex-front man of number one duo MATTAFIX already proved with his first solo song, ‘New Age’, that he has sense for good songs, crawling deeply under your skin. The smash hit was entering German single charts in 2011 where it stayed for eight weeks. With the help of the song, ROUDETTE could establish himself as successful solo artist in Europe. The first single, ‘When the Beat drops out’, of his new album ‘Electric Soul‘, entered the German single charts in July 2014 as well. At the Night of the Proms, both mentioned songs were played and for the first time on the evening, people were no longer sitting on their chairs but stood up to celebrate the artist, who played ‘Anti Hero’ as third song. His performance was followed by another classical piece and one more song, ‘Adios nonio’, played by accordion artist KSENIJA. Well, well no rest for the wicked. Just a little announcement and the stage was open for the “Mister Night of the Proms”, JOHN MILES. He is part of the event for 25 years now and as first song of the day, he presented a very difficult piece, ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ by QUEEN. And he did very well. Of course, also his ‘Music’ could not be missed and ended the first part of the evening.

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Marlon Roudette                                                         John Miles

A little break of about 20 minutes was due now in order to catch a breath to get some drinks and whatnot before we were in for another classical piece presented by the orchestra, followed by a special ‘Carmen’ interpretation brought onto stage by orchestra together with KSENIJA SIDOROVA. Two proms were still missing, and we have first one now with KATIE MELUA. Her worldwide hit ‘Nine Million Bicycles‘ led the British artist directly into pop Olympus in 2004. The story of success began in 2003 with the release of her debut single ‘The Closest Thing to Crazy’, immediately making it to position ten in the charts. Today, with more than 11 million records sold, KATIE MELUA belongs to the most successful British artists of the new Millennium. On the evening on Oberhausen, she visually impressed with a long golden dress, even though the hat she was wearing would not really fit to the elegant appearance. With her extraordinary voice, she presented the already mentioned songs and ‘No fear for Heights’ as well as ‘God on Drums’. After her performance, orchestra and choir delivered a fantastic performance of the ‘Carmina Burana’ before it was finally time for the big star of the evening, ZUCCHERO, who appeared on stage on a red-golden throne, being uplifted onto stage. ZUCCHERO had a big hit in Germany in 1991 with ‘Senza una Donna‘, and of course this song was part of tonight’s program. ZUCCHERO is the most successful Italian artist world-wide and his presented song ‘Miserere’ was kind of “duet” with deceased big tenor Luciano Pavarotti who was “singing” via screen.

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Katie Melua                                                                Zucchero

Well… it's not nearly over yet if you thought that. Following a speech of gratitude for the entire crew that made this show possible every single evening (Thanks guys), the evening was closed with an all-star version of THE BEATLES song ‘Let it be’.


The Setlist

01. Il Novecento & Fine Fleur – Overture NotP 2014
02. Il Novecento – Slawischer Tanz Nr. 1, Dvorak
03. Ksenija Sidorova – Libertango (played in the middle of the audience area)
04. Il Novecento – Il Trovatore
05. Madeline Juno – Feel You
06. Madeline Juno – Like Lovers do
07. Madeline Juno – Error
08. Il Novecento – Slawischer Marsch & Intro Preludio
09. Marlon Roudette – When the Beat drops out
10. Marlon Roudette – Anti Hero
11. Marlon Roudette – New Age
12. Il Novecento – Copelias Donauwellen
13. Ksenija Sidorova – Adios nonio
14. John Miles – Bohemian Rhapsody
15. John Miles – Music
- break -
16. Il Novecento – Overture, Diebische Elster
17. Ksenija Sidorova – Carmen’s Spiel
18. Katie Melua – Closest Thing to crazy
19. Katie Melua –No fear for Heights
20. Katie Melua – God on Drums
21. Katie Melua – 9 Million Bicycles
22. Il Novecento & Fine Fleur – Carmina Burana
23. Zucchero – All fine
24. Zucchero – Vedo Nero
25. Zucchero – Senza Una Donna
26. Zucchero – Miserere
27. Zucchero – Baila
28. Zucchero – Diavolo in me
29. All Artists – Let it be (The Beatles Song)

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Moderation                                                                Final Song with all artists

The mix of classic and Pop is surely not easy, but the concept of NOTP succeeded once more. Even though you might not be into classic or into this kind of Pop music presented there, the event is highly recommended.

All pictures by Daniela Vorndran (http://www.vorndranphotography.com / http://www.facebook.com/blackcatnet)


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