TORONTO - Illness, schmillness.

Acclaimed British singer-songwriter Beth Orton delivered an enchanting performance at the Opera House on Monday night, despite claims of being "plagued by illness."

"I'm here," said the chatty and funny Orton, whose battle with Crohn's Disease, a chronic inflammation of the bowel, obviously hasn't dampened her spirit or sense of humour.

"Plagued by illness. That sounds awful doesn't it?"

Judging from the ecstatic crowd response to Orton, whose health led to her cancelling an appearance at the Reverb last November, they were obviously glad she finally made it. The 850 people crammed into the Opera House started chanting her name before she took the stage.

Orton, in turn, cast a spell with a 11/2-hour set -- including two encores -- with a fairly even balance of material from her two stellar albums, 1997's Trailer Park and last year's Central Reservation.

It seemed unbelievable that just last week Orton was in New York rehearsing with a brand new four-piece band, guitarist and frequent collaborator Ted Barnes being the exception.

Complementing her distinctive, beat-laden acoustic folk musings was Soul Coughing's Sebastian Steinberg on bass, Matt Johnson on drums and Ed Pastorini on keyboards.

Wearing a slip dress, runners and an acoustic guitar slung over her six-foot frame, Orton began the evening with a slightly weak version of Stolen Car, Central Reservation's first single, before hitting her stride by the third number, Trailer Park's cool, spacey Galaxy Of Emptiness.

There were a few rough spots, like Orton's guitar feedback during Somebody's Daughter, and at one point she had to restart another song after almost spitting up. "I've always wanted to heave on stage," she cracked.

But mostly her voice, a smoky, haunting, instrument reminiscent of an artist from another era, overcame all obstacles while more expansive, fuller-sounding new songs, like So Much More, Couldn't Cause Me Harm and Stars All Seem To Weep got major crowd response.

More subdued material, like She Cries Your Name, I Wish I Never Saw The Sunshine, and Sugar Boy also translated well.

"The party's over," joked Orton at one point, fully aware of her melancholy reputation.

"Hope you enjoyed yourself 'cause now it gets sad."

Actually, the party just seems to be getting started.

Orton is now off on a mini North American tour, but is expected to return to a bigger Toronto venue in August.

JAM! Rating: 4 out of 5