In his Midwest orchestral debut, renowned British tenor Russell Watson will be performing with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra at a gala concert at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the Ohio Theatre.

“We are thrilled that Russell has chosen to make this live debut with the Columbus Symphony Orchestra,” said Linda S. Kass, the Columbus Symphony Orchestra board chair and gala co-chair. “This concert will be a milestone in both of our history books.”

In celebration of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra’s 50th anniversary, which also happens to be musical director Maestro Alessandro Siciliani’s 10th anniversary with the the organization, the orchestra will be hosting many acclaimed artists, as well as some lesser known talents.

“For this year’s landmark season I have chosen guest artists that are foremost in my mind for their musical talents,” Siciliani said. “The exceptional voice of British tenor Russell Watson will be one of the hallmark performances in our musical lineup,” he said.

Having no formal training or coaching, Watson’s singing voice was a rare gift. With his good looks and engaging smile, most would take this 34-year-old Brit for an up-and-coming pop star, not one of the most acclaimed operatic virtuosos in the world.

Growing up in the small factory town of Salford in the Manchester region of northwest England, Watson spent his days on the shop floor of a Manchester Engineering Firm. At night he began performing on the West End club circuit.

It was on one such occasion in a Wigan nightspot that an intoxicated patron requested he sing the famous opera ballad “Nessun Dorma.” The audience response was overwhelming, and Watson received a standing ovation. It was then he first decided to seriously develop his voice.

“I found this voice deep down in my boots that I didn’t think I had and it’s changed everything,” Watson said. “People like me don’t become opera singers. I’m not typical in so many aspects – I’m working class, my mum worked in Woolworth’s in Urmston and my dad had a DIY job. But when I just open my mouth and sing, it overcomes the snobbery.”

Watson’s debut album, “The Voice,” was released in the United Kingdom in September 2000 with tremendous response. Considered the fastest-selling classical recording in British history, “The Voice,” has sold over 1.5 million copies to date.

It differs from most classical albums in that it features a wide array of opera arias, as well as Italian songs and pop-like hits. 

Sweeping the Classical Brit awards in both 2001 and 2002, Watson has taken home the award for Best Classical Album of the Year both times.

His latest release, “Encore,” has already sold over one million copies in the last year and spent 10 consecutive weeks in the U.K.’s pop chart Top 10.

“At such an age,” said William Hayward, Watson’s voice coach and mentor, “he shouldn’t be able to do the things he can. I’ve been in the opera business all of my life, and I’ve never come across anything like it.”

Included in his musical repertoire for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra gala concert, Watson will be performing songs from his albums including opera melodies “Turandot,” “Rigoletto” and “Fedora,” as well as more contemporary hits like “Bridge Over Trouble Water” and “Barcelona.” 

“I want to give classical music back to the people, or rather, to give it to people for the first time … whether I’m singing in front of five or 92,000 people, I just love to entertain,” Watson said. “Everywhere I go people ask me to belt them a note because there is nothing like hearing the power of a big voice hitting the top note – it makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.”

Tickets for this performance can be attained from the Columbus Symphony Orchestra Box Office at 228-8600 or on-line at www.columbussymphony.com.