Six encores as opera superstar helps the Capital raise more than £300,000 for leukaemia research

JOSE CARRERAS knocked Edinburgh for six after he invited his Edinburgh audience, including First Minister Henry McLeish and some of the country’s top sports stars, to singalong with him.

The Spanish superstar received six encores after entertaining a sell-out crowd at the reopening of the Usher Hall in a performance to be screened by the BBC tomorrow.

It had all the trappings of a Hollywood event, with the city putting on a party dress and kicking up it’s heels for the concert of the year and in the process raising over £300,000 for Leukaemia research .

Betsy Stirling who audaciously invited Jose Carreras, one of the world’s finest tenors, to sing in Edinburgh, must still be on Cloud Nine after last night’s spectacular fundraising concert.

The great and the good were out in force: First Minister Henry McLeish and Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Sir David Steel were up in the dress circle, while Conservative leader David McLetchie was relegated to the stalls. Former Scotland and British Lions ruby player Gordon Brown took his place alongside his parliamentary name-sake’s brother, John Brown, and Edinburgh Lord Provost Eric Milligan.

The dress circle was a sea of black and white tuxedos and even the BBC crew had tuxed-up for the evening.

Not to be outdone by the pashmina brigade, the Usher Hall was also looking rather glam after it’s recent makeover, the gilt detailing catching the light. But it was the handsome Spanish tenor with his boyish good looks that stole the show.

After two hours he was given a standing ovation along with flowers including a single rose from a devoted fan who had travelled all the way from Australia to hear him.

But still the audience demanded more and Carreras and Aberdeen soprano Lisa Milne delivered five encores between them, exchanging broad beaming grins as they sang their duets. The vibrations from the applause were enough to cause several gold baubles to fall off one of the Christmas trees.

The genuine warmth Carreras showed towards the audience and Edinburgh bodes well for a return visit in the not too distant future.

Tremendous

When the crowds spilled out onto the street after the show, the chorus of approval rang out loud and clear: "Jose Carreras was fantastic! Wonderful! Incredible!"

As the Spanish superstar was whisked away to a celebrity dinner at the Royal Museum of Scotland, hundreds of people drawn to the Capital to hear the opera legend talked excitedly about the big event .

"It was absolutely unbelievable. The atmosphere inside the hall was electric. It was tremendous a opening for the Usher Hall," said Edinburgh fan Pam Ross as she waited to go on to the prestigious after-show meal.

Edinburgh couple Jim and Irene Wallace agreed: "We thought it was excellent. The hall was beautiful, the atmosphere was wonderful and it must have raised a lot for an excellent cause. We’re proud that this is associated with Edinburgh."

Fanatic Liz Baird is a member of the Friends of Jose Carreras and travelled

Carreras knocked the Usher Hall audience for six with his magical vocal talents

David Gimenez, Lisa Milne, Carreras and Janis and Eric Milligan all the way from Ireland to see the tenor perform in Edinburgh. She said: "He is such a genuine man and he even invited the audience to sing a long on one of the songs."

Jose himself paid tribute to the acoustics in the newly revamped hall , telling the 2400-strong audience it "one of the best places I have sung in". He also praised fellow musicians including Ms Milne, who concert-goers said was a "perfect" singing partner for the great tenor.

Limousines and Jaguars lined the street outside the hall waiting to take 600 of the guests to the exclusive dinner at the museum - for which people paid up to £750 a head.

A spokesman for the organisers said the night was a huge success. "It was superb, probably even better than people thought it would be. The audience were up for it . I think the reception was genuine," he said.

The biggest winner on the night was Leukaemia Research Trust for Scotland to which everyone present had donated to through the cost of their tickets. The star has worked tirelessly to raise money to find a cure for the killer cancer ever since his recovery and he has inspired countless sufferers all over the world.

On Thursday night he invited a group of about 40 leukaemia sufferers from throughout Scotland to hear him rehearse, giving them a once-in-a-lifetime chance to hear a world famous opera star for free.

Edinburgh mum Nicola Wilson was among the group overjoyed to hear her hero sing live from one of the best seats in the house. Today, she sang his praises. "It was really good, the atmosphere was great. People with leukaemia were in the first two rows and he came and talked them ."

Disappointed fans unable to get a ticket will be able to see the event when it is televised on BBC1 tomorrow night at 10.15pm.

Donations to Leukaemia Research Trust Scotland on 0870 2423232

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