26 February 2026 (gig)
4 h
Performance Review: Jack Savoretti and Katherine Jenkins at The Emerald Theatre
The Emerald Theatre provided an intimate, gilded backdrop for the latest instalment of the BRITs Week for War Child concert series. On Wednesday night, the venue hosted a double bill that leaned heavily into the Mediterranean influence currently permeating British adult contemporary music. The evening paired the operatic pop of Katherine Jenkins with the continental folk-soul of Jack Savoretti, a combination that underscored the charity's knack for high-calibre, cross-genre programming.
Katherine Jenkins opened the proceedings with a set defined by technical precision and a curated selection of crossover standards. Appearing in a sequined floor-length gown with a matching microphone, Jenkins maintained a formal yet accessible stage presence. Her vocal delivery occupied the middle ground between classical discipline and contemporary phrasing, a balance most evident during her performance of "Parla Più Piano." The theme from The Godfather served as a showcase for her lower register and crisp Italian diction.
A significant portion of Jenkins’ repertoire focused on her affinity for the Italian language. She performed a rendition of Dolly Parton’s "I Will Always Love You," translated into Italian—a version for which she famously secured personal permission from Parton. The arrangement stripped back the power-ballad tropes of the 1990s in favour of a more linear, melodic focus. The mood shifted toward the personal with "Jealous of the Angels," a track dedicated to her late father. The performance was restrained, avoiding the over-ornamentation that often affects the genre. She concluded her solo segment with the inevitable "Time to Say Goodbye," delivered with the expected level of soaring vocal projection that has become her trademark.
Following an interval, Jack Savoretti took the stage, immediately shifting the atmosphere toward a more weathered, acoustic aesthetic. He opened with "Candlelight," initiating the track with its signature whistled refrain before his distinctive gravelled baritone took over. Savoretti’s performance style is that of the traditional raconteur, relying on a minimal arrangement of piano and acoustic guitar to frame his songwriting.
His set moved through "First Time" and "If I Get the Chance," tracks that highlight his ability to blend English folk sensibilities with the rhythmic phrasing of Italian cantautori. There was a clear stylistic nod to the mid-century American folk movement; Savoretti frequently tipped his hat to the songwriting structures of Simon & Garfunkel. His vocals remained the focal point throughout, characterized by a rasp that provided a necessary grit to the evening’s otherwise polished production. The performance relied less on theatricality and more on the texture of the live instrumentation.
The finale brought both artists together for an encore. While their individual styles occupy different ends of the vocal spectrum, their duet of Burt Bacharach’s "What the World Needs Now Is Love" was arranged to bridge the gap between Jenkins’ soprano and Savoretti’s baritone. It served as a functional and thematic conclusion to a night dedicated to humanitarian fundraising, ending the event on a note of professional, well-executed harmony.
