Mika: Sinfonia Pop

Lebanese-born, Brit-raised, falsetto-voiced pop singer-songwriter Mika—who sounds like a cross between Freddie Mercury and Frankie Valli—channels his inner opera star in this 20-song 2015 performance in the elegant Teatro Sociale in Como, Italy, where he is accompanied by a full orchestra conducted by Simon Leclerc. Eyebrows might understandably be raised at the idea of taking a symphonic hammer to such lightweight pop confections as “Last Party” (“If it's the end of the world, let's party”) and “Love You When I'm Drunk” (“I only love you when I'm drunk”), but let's give props where props are due: Mika in fact has a strong enough voice to hold his own amongst the soaring strings and English horns, while the orchestral arrangements often take a suitably playful approach to the songs (on “Good Guys,” an orchestra member rhythmically beats a pair of split logs together). Drawing from his four albums to date, Mika serves up plenty of hits here, including “Grace Kelly,” “Happy Ending” (earning him a standing ovation), “Relax (Take It Easy),” and “Love Today.” While this is not a theatrical extravaganza with costume changes, a light show, or special effects—like Mika: Life in Cartoon Motion (VL-3/08)—this should still appeal to most Mika fans, and might even please lovers of light opera. Presented in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and stereo on DVD, and DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM stereo on Blu-ray, extras include interviews with Leclerc and Mika (who was in a West End production of Oliver! as a kid). Recommended. (R. Pitman)