TORONTO - Let me state right up front, I don't get why anyone would spend their hard-earned money to see international "popera" quartet Il Divo in concert.

Except for maybe my 69-year-old retired mother, bless her heart.

So the prospect of reviewing their headlining gig on Monday night at the Air Canada Centre was, shall we say, a less than desirable prospect.

Especially, since I had witnessed their underwhelming appearance at the same venue last November when they performed with Barbra Streisand for two nights.

But for the 15,000 or so people - okay, mainly women of all ages - packed into the ACC on Monday night to see these four thirty-something hunks with big, booming voices, it appeared to be a romantic fantasy come true.

Basically, American David Miller, Carlos Marin of Spain, Urs Buhler of Switzerland and Sebastien Izambard of France are the classical crossover equivalent of The Chippendales-meets-Julio Iglesias.

Yes, they can sing, but oh, boy, don't they look good in a cheesy Harlequin Romance cover kind of way, decked out in beautiful black suits with perfectly coiffed hair and pickup bar-ready lines.

Case in point, Marin's opener to the audience went as follows: "Our only purpose tonight is to give you pleasure," he said, before adding: "Through singing of course."

American Idol judge Simon Cowell, who brought this particular foursome together, appears to have chosen wisely.

Il Divo, who sing in English, Spanish, French and Italian, have produced four number one collections in Canada alone, including their most recent disc, "Siempre," and sold 12 million albums worldwide to date in just two years.

So what do I know?

Or, perhaps, there's no accounting for taste.

Backed by a five piece band and 16 string orchestra, the well-groomed foursome eventually made their way to their multi-platformed circular white stage after an overture of their hits.

They opened their hour-and-40-minute show dramatically with romanic language versions of The Moody Blues' "Nights In White Satin (Notte DiLuce)" and Bryan Adams' "Have You Ever Really Loved A Woman (Un Regalo Que Te Dio La Vida)," before reaching back to older material from their 2005 debut, including "Everytime I Look At You and Mama," the latter which they dedicated to their own four mothers in the audience.

You could practically hear the collective sigh.

Me? I was looking at my watch as one song after the next was presented in exactly the same way with little movement from any of the quartet.

No matter, the majority of females in the audience seemed to be lapping up every second of it during such "Siempre" songs as "Caruso," "Musica," and Eric Carmen's "Without You (Desde ElDia Que Te Fuiste)" - this one prompted women to come to the front of the stage baring a single rose for each Il Divo member - covers of Mariah Carey's "Hero (Heroe)", Carmen's "All By Myself" with opener William Joseph on piano, and the oldie but goodies Nella Fantasia and "Unchained Melody (Senza Catene)."

"The music of love is romantic in whatever language," summed up Marin, and before you knew it, women on the floor had gotten out of their seats to dance suggestively in front of their favourite Il Divo member.

"We just hope you've enjoyed being serenaded as much as we've enjoyed serenading you," added Miller before the set-ending "My Way (A Mi Manera)" and the encore numbers, Toni Braxton's "Unbreak My Heart (Regresa A Mi)," "I Believe In You" and "Somewhere."

I think Miller can assume the answer was in the affirmative judging from that one woman who tried to climb up on stage and give Marin a kiss, before being restrained by security.