She may never be a pop star, her name on everyone乌鸦传媒檚 lips and record on everyone乌鸦传媒檚 shelf, but she乌鸦传媒檚 OK with that.

For her, music is about the artistry, the message and the beauty.

That was one of the many messages Sarah Slean offered to a bustling Vernon audience as she rocked the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Stage alongside the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra Sunday night.

乌鸦传媒淚 like to write songs about the meaning of it all. That乌鸦传媒檚 why I乌鸦传媒檓 not Katy Perry, folks, and I乌鸦传媒檓 100 per cent OK with that,乌鸦传媒� the modern-Renaissance woman laughed. 乌鸦传媒淚f you know anything about me, you know I like to think about the universe and the 乌鸦传媒楪-word,乌鸦传媒� which is why I乌鸦传媒檓 not a pop star and why you乌鸦传媒檝e probably never heard of me. But I乌鸦传媒檓 here now, so all is forgiven.乌鸦传媒�

Clad in an elegant golden dress, Slean took the keys 乌鸦传媒� which she dubbed as possibly the most exquisite instrument she has ever played 乌鸦传媒� as the OSO added a palpable body to Slean乌鸦传媒檚 impressive repertoire.

Under the baton of maestra Rosemary Thomson, the symphony steamed ahead like a well-oiled train for a performance devoid of sharp, unrefined edges.

乌鸦传媒淰ernon, it乌鸦传媒檚 my first time here. I love this piano. I love this room. I乌鸦传媒檓 coming back,乌鸦传媒� Slean said in her classic smooth and well-spoken banter.

With Slean under the primary spotlight and watchful eyes of a captivated Vernon audience, the program focused on Slean乌鸦传媒檚 numbers and weaved in work from the likes of Dimitri Kabalevsky, Giuseppe Verdi and a dark and moody number, I Dreamed a Dream, from Les Mis茅rables 乌鸦传媒� a production Slean was enamoured with at a young age.

However, perhaps the most explosive number came in the form of the classic Cabaret ditty, Mein Herr.

Concertmaster Rachel Kristenson kicked off the track before Slean swept in with her signature pure vocal performance. After Kristenson乌鸦传媒檚 violin solo, Thomson acted as the bellows, sparking the OSO fire to life and adding a warmth to the undefinable flame that is Slean.

The second half of the performance saw Slean clad in an equally beautiful strapless and flowing burgundy dress.

乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 right, second-half costume change,乌鸦传媒� Slean laughed as she sauntered in barefooted.

At the start of the performance, Slean said she doesn乌鸦传媒檛 delve into traditional pop topics. In the second half, however, Slean introduced the audience to A Thousand Butterflies.

The classic pop theme of love is felt throughout the number, but it乌鸦传媒檚 delivered in a way that is undeniably Sarah Slean.

And, while some members of the audience may not have known her when the lights dimmed at 7 p.m., everyone loved her when she bowed to a full standing ovation at 9 p.m.

It was a delightful Slean-filled evening that earned the three-time Juno nominee an array of new fans and a bouquet of flowers brought to her by her new No. 1 fan, an adorable girl, in a theatre full of smiling faces.

entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
Like us on and follow us on .