Placido Domingo, Patricia Kaas, Alejandro Fernandez: Christmastime in Vienna

All the supertenors have their indulgences. Luciano Pavarotti has charity concerts in which he sings with Sting, José Carreras makes disc after disc of soppy love songs, and Placido Domingo can't stop making Christmas recordings--usually in Vienna. This one, recorded in 1998, features a particularly odd assortment of guest stars: Mexican pop star Alejandro Fernández lends his pleasingly mellifluous voice to songs such as "Blanca Navidad" and "El nino del tambor," but those not already in love with French star Patricia Kaas may be baffled, even repelled. The French love to mix pop genres in ways that sound illogical to American ears, and she proves no exception, delivering pale imitations of Ethel Merman grace notes and Aretha Franklin phrasing with no sense of artistry, expression, or musical point of view. Domingo maintains his integrity throughout, even though this whole enterprise sounds hastily arranged, with some bad tuning in the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and Gumpoldskirchner Spatzen (that's a choir, in case you couldn't guess).
--Patrick Stearns, amazon.com

The fifth song in the final Christmas Medley here is The Band's "Christmas Must be Tonight" from Islands.

Tracks

1. Announcing Christmas
2. Y Nos Vamos Pa Belen
3. Leise Rieselt Der Schnee
4. Cancion De Cuna (Para Jesus)
5. Merry Christmas, Baby
6. El Nino Del Tambor
7. It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
8. Here Is Christmas
9. Amours Eternels (Midnight In Moscow)
10. Blanca Navidad
11. Por El Valle De Rosas
12. Christmas Medley: Ihr Kinderlein Kommet
13. Christmas Medley: Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
14. Christmas Medley: Jeg Er Saa Glad Hver Julekveld
15. Christmas Medley: Buenos Reyes
16. Christmas Medley: Christmas Must Be Tonight
17. Christmas Medley: Hay Que Sembrar En Navidad
18. Christmas Medley: Il Est Ne Le Divin Enfant
19. Christmas Medley: Mary's Boy Child
20. Christmas Medley: Ding, Dong! Merrily On High
21. Encore: Silent Night

Placido Domingo, Patricia Kaas, Alejandro Fernandez - Christmastime in Vienna - 1999 - Sony Classics 61798