Among the several disadvantages of living in the outback of Australia is being presented with a variety of reviews by all sorts of people on every new release before I have a chance of first hand experience with the product. I keep promising myself that I will NOT read the reviews until I have heard/seen/read the original at least once. Of course, the promises end up keeping company with my New Years' Resolutions!

So, for the past little while, I have been avidly consuming reviews on the latest offering from José Carreras, Pure Passion. Unfortunately, but not unexpectedly, the majority of the reviews I have seen had little good to say about this collection. Usually, I ignore those reviewers whose opinion seems to arise from a dislike of anything that Mr. Carreras does simply because he is financially successful in his chosen field and those reviewers who dismiss the tenor's work as crass pulp specifically designed for the 'middle-aged, sex-starved, blue rinse, female audience'. I find that these premises tell one more about the writer than Mr. Carreras or the admirers of his work.

However, this time I have found sympathetic fans writing about Pure Passion in disappointment. So, I was worried. And I was worried for very good reason. The repertoire of the new CD read like all my dreams come true. I just couldn't believe it! The 'Warsaw Concerto', the Overture to 'Tannhauser', and Chopin, Rachmaninoff, Schubert, Elgar, Tchiakovsky - all so very familiar. It seemed to me that this new CD could have been easily titled Laurelle Donovan's All Time Favourite Music. I just loved this music. Many of the melodies are associated with special times in my life. For example, I played a very simple arrangement of 'Marche Slave' for my very first piano examination. (You will remember that I did not state that the 'special times' were ALL happy times) The Overture to 'Tannhauser' would have to be my very favourite piece of orchestral music. I could go on and on. My mind spun with the possibilities. How could anyone improve on what I considered to be pretty well perfect in its original form? "Sing the Overture to Tannhauser???????" Mmmmmmm...... Perhaps, just maybe, Mr. Carreras had been attempting to 'gild the lily'.

Therefore, it was with a certain amount of trepidation that I prepared myself to listen to Pure Passion when my copy finally arrived. I had reasoned that I did not HAVE to enjoy every piece of José Carreras' work. However, it did irk me a bit that I might have to agree with reviewers of whom I have previously made mention in the second paragraph of this review. That would annoy me no end! But, it would matter little. The sun would still rise and set; my family would still love me; and Mr. Carreras' Stiffelio was on record. If he never did any other piece of work, Stiffelio justified his whole existence.

Screwing my courage to the sticking point, I listened straight through - all twelve tracks. I listened a second time, just to make sure.

It was beautiful. Memorable. Interesting. Uplifting. And above all, great entertainment. José Carreras had not 'gilded the lily'; he had simply taken the timeless melodies, added another dimension in song for some, and presented them in such a way that even the most avid purist would be delighted with the result.

Pure Passion is simply a glorious collection - a fitting sequel to Passion. Once again, there is something for all the family here: the rich rhythms of Spain in "El eco de tu voz' and 'Andaluza'; the drama of 'Un ombra' and "Notte slava'; the unabashed romanticism of 'E sara cosi', 'Dimmi perche' and 'Le note di Chopin'; the aching beauty of 'Quando' and 'Parole d'amore'; the emotionalism of 'Celebration' and 'The Story of a Starry Night'; and some good old-fashioned hope for unity in 'Europa'.

The singing is what we have come to expect - technically perfect, elegant, with no self indulgence. More importantly, the voice is rich, warm, honest. It continues to reach across time and space and touch the mind and soul of the listener. The arrangements are magical and the London Musicians Orchestra creates a brilliant background for the songs. Pure Passion is a pure delight for me.

It has taught me many things, not least of which is to have faith in José Carreras' impeccable taste and his brilliant musicianship. And it has reminded me that I should resurrect that promise I made myself about WHEN to read reviews!

Bravo, Mr Carreras!