Milan stop on the 'Sacred Love Tour'...

Sting as he was, vintage hits at the Forum - The English pop star performs hits from The Police and his early solo albums. Trumpeter Chris Botti opens the evening.

Here he is again. As punctual as the changing seasons, Sting returns to Italy. After his summer concerts, which saw him perform in Verona and Rome, the English pop star is at the Assago Forum tonight (and on the 2nd in Modena) for this final leg of the world tour that has kept him busy for a year: two more dates in Europe, then a stop in Asia in 2005, and then a (short, given his pace in recent years) break.

Fans' online buzz has revealed a slightly changed setlist compared to the summer leg of the 'Sacred Love Tour'. But not much. A few songs have been replaced and a few changes made to avoid boring his most loyal fans, but the basic structure remains the same. The opening performance is entrusted to the strains of "Send Your Love," taken from the latest album, the uninspired "Sacred Love." However, it remains the most performed. A third of the evening's songs (there should also be "Dead Man's Rope," "Inside," "Sacred Love," "Whenever I Say Your Name," and a version of "Never Coming Home" grafted onto "When the World Is Running Down" to give it a boost) come from that track, which would explain the measured reactions and cool reviews from fans.

The strongest emotions, in fact, come when Sting and his band perform classics, both from his solo career and those with the Police. "Fragile," "Fields of Gold," and "Englishman in New York" form a trio of breath taking ballads. And the closing of the first half of the show with "Roxanne" is always a thrill. The encores, however, are expected to include the Arabian-tinged "Desert Rose," "If I Ever Lose My Faith in You," the gem "Every Breath You Take," and "A Thousand Years."

The band accompanying Sting (Dominic Miller on guitar, Mark Kipper Eldridge on keyboards and programming, Jason Rebello on piano and keyboards, Rhani Krija on percussion, and Keith Carlock on drums) may also be joined by Chris Botti, trumpeter named one of People magazine's 50 Most Beautiful People of 2004. He will be opening for Sting on this tour, and in return, he regularly invites him onstage for a duet on "Was Brought to My Senses."

Ticket prices aren't exactly cheap (from 35 to 71 euros plus advance booking), but let's console ourselves: earlier this month, Bill Gates paid Sting around 400 thousand euros to play eight songs at a party the computer magnate hosted at a club in New York.

(c) Corriere Della Sera by Andrea Laffranchi