Concert review from Villach 01.02.2002 by Andrea K.

My husband did already surprise me at Christmas eve with tickets for the Helmut Lotti concert. So I had a long time of anticipation.

But finally, at about 18.00 h we were on the way from Klagenfurt to Villach after the long waiting, a hard working day and the preparations for the concert.I already was worrying that the concert couldn't fill my expectations and my anticipation. But I only can say, this fear didn't come true at all. Even the contrary happened. The first big surprise I had when finding our seats. I was sitting right to the middle passage and so I had a free sight to the stage. What a luck!

The time until the concert began seemed to never ending. But shortly after 20.00 h the first singers, musicians and the conductor of the GSO entered the stage and the applause began. This one even increased and got the highlight with the entrance of Helmut Lotti singing the first song. Already after the first presentation there were the first presents handed over for which he said thank you with three kisses and short excerpts from different Love songs.

After a short announcement of the concert's course it was lively going on with the next song. The first part of the concert was filled with different Latino Love Songs as Margarita, Amor and so on. The songs were announced by some smaller or bigger introduction. During the song "Amor" he toured through the Saalsporthall and so he has surely  made happy his fans. Due to my numerous Helmut Lotti CD listening hours (during doing handicrafts, during doing the puzzle with 12'000 parts, silk painting and so on) I was singing with in a big part of the presented songs. Fortunately no seat neighbour feeled himself disturbed through that and didn't complain about. Before the break Michael Jr. presented soe songs of his new CD and it ended with the duet "Friends" by Michael and Helmut (both in leather jacket) with a storming applause. Then there was a 25 minutes lasting interruption , till the second part of the concert began.

The second part was mould by the Classic CD's and the African CD, mixed with Elvis interpretions and a song by the band "Queen". With songs like "Ot of Africa", "Malaika", "Pata Pata", "Du, nur Du allein", "Kalinka" and so on he's achieved also in the second part a good mix between music, sweeping one away and music to dream about. And in addition it was a very nice gesture from Helmut Lotti to sing the waltz "Du, nur Du allein", of which the lyrics has been written by a lady from Klagenfurt, for the her parents. During this song certainly made some hearts beating faster. In any case mine did.

Although the concert lasted three hours with many encores, I have to say  time has gone by much too fast. The concert could have last, at any rate for me, eternally.

The concert's visit has left his traces. The daily round has disappeared and this condition is lasting. When I'm hearing a song, having been sung at the concert, I still see the musicians, the singers, the conductor, Michael Jr. and of course Helmut Lotti standing on the stage and a little smile flits over my face.

So, I say thank you to the orchestra, Michael Jr. and of course about all to Helmut Lotti for this unforgettable evening. I hope, he's coming back again to Villach some more times (better would be Klagenfurt) and that I can spend the one or the other unforgettable evening with Helmut Lotti's music again.

Andrea K.