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When Jackie Evancho sings about dreaming the impossible dream, it makes you wonder:
What dream is impossible for this 11-year-old?
Performing Tuesday before a packed Benedum Center, the soprano prodigy from Richland Township performed songs from her hit CDs, Dream With Me and Heavenly Christmas, along with other selections, to a crowd that often rose to its feet.
Jackie was accompanied by the Benedum Center Orchestra, which started the show with the Overture to Il barbiere di Siviglia. Robert Tweten conducted.
At the end of the orchestral piece, Jackie took the stage with no fanfare. She simply walked out from the left wing and up to the microphone to sing "All I Ask of You" from The Phantom of the Opera with her soaring clear-as-a-bell voice.
"I am very happy to be back in my hometown," she told the crowd.
Even though she has sung at venues around the world after gaining fame through her America's Got Talent appearances, Jackie still creates a sense of awe. It simply does not seem natural for a voice that big to come from a little girl with poise that is way beyond her years.
She shared the stage with tenor Christopher Dallo, who sang solos and a duet with Jackie.
Among the songs she sang in the first half of the show were "The Impossible Dream," "The Lord's Prayer," "A Time for Us" and "Angel.
The second half of the show was dedicated to holiday music, starting with the orchestra playing three dances from "The Nutcracker."
Jackie sang "The First Noel," "Believe" from the Polar Express, "White Christmas," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "O Holy Night."
Her duet with Dallo on "The Prayer" brought the entire house to its feet.
Jackie thanked the conductor and the orchestra "for making me look good." Then with a giggle, she thanked the audience "for supporting and guiding me and helping me."
Although she started the show with lyrics telling of a quest "to reach the unreachable star" in "The Impossible Dream," the end of the show was more telling of her life.
In her final encore, she sang"When You Wish Upon A Star," which ends, of course, with the words:
Your dreams come true.
Chuck Yates
4:11 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
►► Cindy... terrific review... always enjoy your excellent work.
Allen
4:31 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Very nice, i love her!!!! She already has $3 million (source: http://celebrityinc.com/net-worth/singers/jackie-evancho/ )
Walter Minton
8:25 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
She means she thanks God and that's her life. Wishing on a star won't get you far, but when you call on God's name your whole life won't be the same.
Sempi Ternam
10:30 am on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Cindy, thank you for this beautiful article. It was great to return to Pittsburgh and to be at Benedum again. Jackie's Christmas concert was the best ever! Merry Christmas to you, and to all the Evancho family, to Jackie Fans everywhere, and to the wonderful residents of Pittsburgh whom I talked with at the concert and after. All the best of everything for 2012!
Alex Moss, Columbia, SC
Cindy Cusic Micco
12:57 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thank you all for your comments! Merry Christmas to all of you ... or maybe I should wish you a Heavenly Christmas :-) It's always good to hear from Jackie's fans.
Dr.Fred Brown
6:45 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Thanks again, Cindy, for coming to our Fan Gathering at Katz Plaza. It was a dear pleasure to meet you. Our celebration went on well into the wee hours of the morning. This is a great artical and showcases our Angel, Jackie very well. We ALL look forward to greater things from Jackie Evancho - and the Patch
bill philpott
9:20 pm on Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Merry Christmas Cindy and thanks a bunch for the write up on Jackie. She is so good and I wish I could have been there. I have only seen her live once but hoping she will come back to Texas soon. Again thanks for the Jackie articles. bill philpott
Joe Hoesch
12:27 am on Thursday, December 22, 2011
This was our first time seeing Jackie live in concert. She was flawless and so confident in her ability that she owned the huge crowd from the very beginning. Her reaction to the thunderous applause and standing ovations after each song and the little things she does and says between songs are endearing. Her ability to connect with the crowd has apparently made her more comfortable on stage. A good example occurred half way through "White Christmas" when the audience applauded briefly to let Jackie know that she accidentally turned her microphone off. She just smiled a little, turned the mic back on and kept right on singing just like the pro she has become. This incident could have un-nerved any seasoned performer. Later she would thank us for the "help and guidance" which of course made us feel like we were part of her wonderful performance. These are the things she does that can't be taught. I don't look for better things in the future. It can't get any better than it is right now.
Terry Baker
12:52 pm on Thursday, December 22, 2011
Thanks Cindy, for your very nice article. After attending Jackie's debut hometown concert with the Pittsburgh Opera in October I was very, very excited to return for the first of what I hope will many hometown Christmas performances by America's Sweetheart. Jackie created a magical evening of pure joy that I will never forget - a great Christmas present from Jackie to her family, friends and fans, to be sure. And thanks to Jackie, I'm falling in love with your wonderful city. She's a great ambassador for Pittsburgh of whom you can all be very proud. I sure am. Merry Christmas to you all.
Terry Baker
Minneapolis, MN
Joe Merkt
6:16 pm on Thursday, December 22, 2011
Thank you, Cindy, for another wonderful article about Jackie. The concert on Tuesday was just magical. I've been to four now, and this one was incredible from begining to end; in a word "Fantabuloso".
Merry Christmas!
Joe Merkt
Nashville
Ken
1:13 am on Friday, December 23, 2011
Great story about an AMAZING young lady . I am delighted to hear that she did a duet with Christopher, I can't wait to hear them singing together. Since her first song with the Canadian tenors I have been hoping to hear her singing with another male tenor or group. Next on my wish list is Andrea Bocelli, followed by IL Volo - would anyone else like to see that??? Would also love to hear comments about how Jackie and Christopher sounded together.