CULTURE Secretary Andy Burnham leapt to his feet to cheer with the rest of the audience at the Philharmonic Hall on Saturday, after a triumphant concert starring Welsh singer Bryn Terfel and conductor Vasily Petrenko.

And the minister hailed it as the highlight of Capital of Culture year so far.

Clearly bowled over, Andy Burnham added: “Liverpool has definitely come of age culturally.

“The city has now got a great hand of cards. And I’m talking to Phil Redmond and Bryan Gray at the Culture Company about how we can continue this cultural success through to 2009 and also into 2010, 2011 and onwards,” he revealed.

Phil Redmond said he was also ”knocked out” at the concert.

“I agree it was the highlight of 08 so far. But only until the next event,” he quipped.

The show was sold out months ago and expectations were high that the world famous bass-baritone’s first-ever collaboration with Liverpool’s latest classical darling, the 30-year-old Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko, would light a few fires.

Few could have predicted just how spectacular a success it would be with a rousing finale of You’ll Never Walk Alone, featuring Terfel, the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic orchestra and choir – and the whole audience.

Throughout the enthralling programme of opera excerpts by the man awarded the Queen’s Medal for Music in 2006, the electricity that sparked between him and the young St Petersburg-born maestro sent everyone in the hall into raptures.

Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, the MP for Leigh, who was raised in Old Roan, and whose grandparents were from Liverpool, added: “ I feel like a Scouser and it is marvellous that I am in charge of UK culture in Liverpool’s finest year.

“My grandfather drove a lorry for Tate and Lyle, and it is fitting that I’m opening the Gustav Klimt exhibition at the Tate later this month.”