Russell & Aled bringing Christmas to Ipswich
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…! Christmas with Aled & Russell is the brand-new album from two of the world’s greatest classical voices, Aled Jones and Russell Watson recorded with the magnificent New Zealand Sinfonietta Orchestra.
Released on November 11th on BMG, the stunning new album features new recordings of universally beloved Christmas songs, including traditional carols such as O Holy Night, O Little Town of Bethlehem and In The Bleak Midwinter, alongside festive favourites including White Christmas, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas, Little Drummer Boy, and Mistletoe and Wine.
The duo recorded the album earlier this year with their producer and long-term collaborator Ian Tilley, alongside the orchestra. The album came together with Aled recording his vocals in London, Russell laying down his vocals in Cheshire, under the supervision of Ian Tilley and the orchestra in New Zealand! The result a gorgeous collection of seasonal tracks guaranteed to warm your cockles.
Performing together again following a three-year hiatus, the powerhouse duo will also embark on a nationwide UK tour this November and December. The duo will be visiting Ipswich’s Regent Theatre on 30th November.
Beginning in Manchester at the Opera House on 13th November, the tour will see the pair sing in 21 of the country’s most stunning theatres and concert halls including the Adelphi Theatre in London before ending on 12th December at the Croydon Fairfield Halls.
For this tour Aled and Russell will be joined by special guest Natasha Hemmings – the classically trained singer, composer and lyricist – who will be sure to delight the audience. Natasha will be familiar to fans who saw her warm the stage for Aled and Russell on their last tour.
Christmas with Aled & Russell succeeds their first two albums, 2018’s In Harmony and 2019’s Back In Harmony, both of which shot straight to #1 on the UK Classical Album Chart and the top 10 of the UK Official Album Charts upon release.
Two of the nations most treasured artists, Aled and Russell have achieved tremendous successes between them, from prestigious awards to record-breaking chart sales.
Aled Jones is the original classical crossover star, having been at the top of his game for over 40 years. Becoming one of the world’s most successful boy sopranos at the age of 12, he has since released over 40 albums and has more than 40 silver, gold and platinum discs.
Most recently he released Blessings, a multi-faith album featuring songs from a range of different religions and starred on ITV’s hit show The Masked Singer as “Traffic Cone”. He has also forged an extensive career as a TV & Radio presenter, currently hosting his own weekly show on Classic FM and the BBC’s Songs of Praise.
A favourite with the royal family since he was a child, Aled has performed for all members of the royal family throughout his life, his most memorable being a private performance for the Prince of Wales and Diana, Princess of Wales at Kensington Palace. Aled was thrilled to be told by Her Majesty The Queen that her husbands favourite radio programme was his show on Classic FM.
Described by the New York Times as a performer ‘who sings like Pavarotti and entertains the audience like Frank Sinatra’, Russell Watson’s debut album The Voice saw him hold the top spot in the UK charts for an unprecedented 52 weeks in 2001, while also topping the charts in the USA, making him the first British male artiste to attain a simultaneous transatlantic #1.
Throughout his incredible career he has performed for some of the world’s leading figures, including the late Her Majesty The Queen, the late Pope John Paul II, and former US Presidents Bill Clinton, George W Bush and Barack Obama.
In 2020, Russell released his latest album 20, a compilation album marking 20 years since the release of his phenomenally successful debut album, and this year has been performing the role of Billy Flynn in the popular musical Chicago.
FULL TOUR DATES
13th Nov Manchester Opera House
15th Nov Reading Hexagon
16th Nov Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre
17th Nov Southend Cliffs Pavilion
19th Nov Venue Cymru, Llandudno
20th Nov Northampton Derngate
22nd Nov Leicester De Montfort Hall
23rd Nov Brighton Dome
25th Nov Cardiff St David’s Hall
26th Nov Swansea Brangwyn Hall
27th Nov Bexhill De La Warr
29th Nov London The Adelphi
30th Nov Ipswich Regent Theatre
2nd Dec Birmingham Symphony Hall
3rd Dec Cambridge Corn Exchange
5th Dec Nottingham Royal Concert Hall
6th Dec York Barbican
7th Dec Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
9th Dec Aberdeen Music Hall
10th Dec Newcastle O2 City Hall
12th Dec Croydon Fairfield Halls