Andrea Bocelli wows 3Arena

During the interval, there's a vague air of deflation inside 3Arena. "I don't know what," says one attendee, "but it's missing something." The post-show atmosphere suggests whatever that something was, it's discovered in spades before the night was out.

It's hard to pinpoint why Andrea Bocelli serves up a game of two halves. Perhaps it takes a while for the tenor to warm up – or maybe it's the crowd who need time to settle in. The fractured nature of opera recital – tonight he liberally tags on and off with soprano Celine Byrne and solo violinist Caroline Campbell – causes a stop-start effect that slows any . And of his output during the first 45 minutes, only 'La Donna e Mobile' and 'Libiamo Ne' Lieti Calici' are likely to be familiar to a more casual fan (Google them, you'll know 'em), with the latter prompting a rather unlikely clap-along from parts of the near-capacity audience.

That, though, betrays a major facet to Bocelli's success; that he embodies classical music for people who don't necessarily love classical music. Make no mistake, the bloke can seriously sing, but he's neither the most powerful nor emotive tenor around. Like violinist Andre Rieu, his popularity outstrips his talent – but, like Rieu, he's learned to lean into it and use it to his advantage, straddling the worlds of opera, pop and theatre like a great, grinning colossus.

Last year's Cinema album saw the focus fall on songs made famous on the big screen, which make up a large part of tonight's second salvo. From a rendition of 'Be My Love' – his tribute to Mario Lanza – to 'Maria' from West Side Story, there's more energy about proceedings, even if it seems to stray closer to musical theatre than opera at times.

Never is that more evident that when reformed Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger arrives on stage. Her take on 'Memory' shows her vocal range certainly stretches beyond 'Dontcha' and 'Stickwitu', but there's a hint of Glee about the whole thing. It does, however, prove to be the turning point of the evening – from there, Bocelli seems on far firmer ground.

'Brucia la Terra' from The Godfather is impressive; 'Canto della Terra', sang as a duet with Scherzinger, even more so. A three-pronged parting shot of 'Nelle Tue Mani', 'Time To Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro)' and a stirring 'Nessun Dorma' is so moving even a tax collector would likely have to wipe away a tear or two. It might have taken a little while, but the thunderous applause, the standing ovations and the genuine love pouring from the crowd demonstrates the night ends as a roaring success. The Italian takes it all in with a massive, heartfelt smile, as well he should – you'd have to say he's earned it.