The mega-selling diva comes across as so polished on record, so "in charge" that I expected her to be the same on stage. But live it's another story.

That's not to say her routine was sloppy. When she strode on stage at the Derbypark Arena outside Hamburg, it was with all the confidence I'd anticipated.

Clad from wig to toe in Dolce & Gabbana - a shocking pink coat over black bustier and zebra-print trousers - she appeared first on a metal bridge that led down to a stage decorated with three giant metal spider's webs.

Midway through the gig with the band firing on all cylinders, Whitney had achieved the impossible and all 15,000 of the well-heeled Hamburgers were up and smiling.

Fuelled by the local Ratzenpiess lager I suddenly found myself among them, dancing and weaving my way through towards the front of the stage.

Whitney rounded off the evening with a movie medley climaxing with a show-stopping I Will Always Love You from The Bodyguard. It was a warm evening but everyone had goosebumps. Her encore turned out to be the best bit, a stomping version of It's Not Right.

Whitney rounded off the evening with a movie medley climaxing with a show-stopping I Will Always Love You from The Bodyguard. It was a warm evening but everyone had goosebumps. Her encore turned out to be the best bit, a stomping version of It's Not Right.

[Report By Matthew Wright]