Coming out of retirement to record and promote The Performance, her first new studio album in 20 years, Dame Shirley Bassey has gone from superannuated cabaret turn to Living Pop Legend in one effortless bound. Setting the seal on one of the shrewdest marketing campaigns in recent memory, the 72-year-old diva made a commanding return to the concert stage for a special performance with the BBC Concert Orchestra as part of the Electric Proms.

The atmosphere was certainly electric as a curtain fell from around a hydraulic platform set in the middle of the stage to reveal Bassey in all her glittering, split-skirt glory. The platform slowly descended to the opening strains of Diamonds Are Forever and she was off. A string of guest musicians made cameo appearances, including David Arnold, Tom Baxter and Richard Hawley, all of whom added discreet guitar accompaniments to various new songs. Bassey greeted each of these favoured “young men” with effusive affection, although none were invited to sing a note, not even James Dean Bradfield of Manic Street Preachers, whose song The Girl from Tiger Bay was a highlight.

For when it comes to a Bassey performance, no supplementary voices are required or desired. Still blessed with a larger-than-life stage presence and an armour-plated vocal delivery, she romped through favourites from her own back catalogue, including the salacious burlesque of Kiss Me, Honey, Honey, Kiss Me and Big Spender, along with standards such as The Lady Is a Tramp, Something and a rather naff version of Light My Fire, by which time she was encased in a flowing, white, fur-trimmed cape.

Virtually every number ended with her voice and outstretched arms rising in one mountainous climb to a final, awe-inspiring bellow. Tossing white carnations to the sea of hands in front of the stage, she locked on to the melody of Goldfinger like a heat-seeking missile while gold confetti rained down from the roof.

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