‘IF GOD would have a singing voice, he would sound a lot like Andrea Bocelli" – great praise indeed from Canadian songstress Celine Dion.

And there was something divine in the way the Italian tenor held an audience of 10,000 people in his power during the near sell-out Echo Arena show.

It was a concert designed to show off his vocal diversity – moving from resonating operatic masterpieces, such as La donna e mobile from Verdi’s Rigoletto, to choral works including Schubert’s Ave Maria and on to a selection of carols from Bocelli’s new Christmas album.

He stood almost motionless as his voice filled the space drawing out the colours in the music – every note meticulously controlled, each word sung with tremendous depth.

Bocelli was joined on stage by the British Philharmonic Orchestra and the Liverpool Philharmonic Choir.

The show also featured two soloists – soprano Daniela Bruera and flutist Andrea Griminelli.

Rebeka introduced herself with the solo O mio babbino caro from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi, her exquisite voice blending sweetly with the harp.

She then dueted with Bocelli on a heavenly Ave Maria against a soundscape of gentle pizzicato strings.

Griminelli’s performance of Franck’s Panis Angelicus was almost ethereal, with perfectly controlled vibrato, while his duet with the tenor on Morricone’s Mission evoked Middle Eastern imagery.

Despite the size of the venue, it still felt like an intimate show and, although you would chose every time to hear Bocelli sing in a smaller concert hall, that one man could captivate an arena of 10,000 people was impressive indeed.