I remember being 5 or 6 years old and watching in awe as a pretty-looking, round-eyed young woman came on the TV screen, captivating 6-year-old me with her enchanting voice and a video of mystery, mystique, and splendor. The music was captivating. Her voice seemed out of a fairy tale. And the video featured masks, gondolas, and – in the final scene – a chandelier of impressive size that crashed down into the soprano of pretty looks and costume, resulting in a series of the most enchanting timbres and sounds gushing from her vocal chords. Yes, you got it… I am, of course, talking about “The Phantom of the Opera” and Sarah Brightman.
Sarah Brightman entered our lives in 1986 – as the 26-year-old prima donna of the musical “The Phantom of the Opera.” And she became one of those figures that are always just there. In 1992, she was on TV screens across the globe for the opening night of the 1992 Olympics with José Carreras, performing the song “Amigos Para Siempre.” In 1996, she sang “Time to Say Goodbye” with Andrea Bocelli. 1997 saw the duet “Just Show Me How to Love You” with renown tenor José Cura. In 2003, we witnessed Brightman take Ellen Segera’s “Elle Tu L’aime” to a whole new level, in a song titled “Harem,” with a change of lyrics, new beats, a delightful soprano interpretation, and a music video of artistic and visual delight. And these all became songs embedded forever in our souls and being, and songs that will never grow old years and decades on.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5TV8D7Pno4
She became the pioneer of crossover music in the field of opera. Browsing her name online yields terms such as “operatic pop,” “Baroque pop,” “symphonic rock,” and “classical crossover.” Yes, some may complain that “opera” should remain just that. And, such serious and sophisticated a genre should not be blemished with such “simple” genres as “pop” or “rock” or “techno.” However, I prefer to take a more positive stand.
After having listened to her, I can say – in my humble and non-professional opinion – that Brightman has a voice that could have also easily find its place in the traditional world of opera. However, the route she created has done more service to the operatic world than any classical soprano could dare to imagine. She transcended the selective yet limited boundaries of opera and conveyed the genre to the masses. It is thanks to her that millions, hundreds of millions were first introduced to the auditory delights of a soprano voice. Or perhaps enticed to ever visit a musical, or listen to an orchestral arrangement. To this date, Brightman has sold over thirty millions records. That’s a considerable figure even in the world of pop. And, in the world of opera… Well, Brightman is the biggest-selling soprano of all time. And “The Phantom of the Opera” has reaped sales of over 40 million, making it the biggest-ever album of a musical cast.
The evening was the first time that I saw Brightman in person, in a live performance. However, she was a figure that I have known all my life. I heard some new songs. And I also heard the songs that had just always been there, that had become staples in my musical world. Brightman saved “The Phantom of the Opera” for her second final piece. It was a magical experience. It was my first encounter with the song on stage. However, it is a song that has been etched eternally into our souls and has almost become a constant in our lives. So, when she sang “The Phantom of the Opera,” she also sang a part of our lives and being. And, at the age of 54, she sounded exactly the same as she had sounded back in 1986 at the age of 26, and in all the years that followed. And her vocal feats in the end were impressive. She received a standing ovation in the middle of the program. I was also up on my feet, and almost getting sappy eyed as she beamed me back to those first years that I had encountered the song…and to all the hundreds, maybe thousands of times I had listened to it throughout the course of my entire life so far. I feel very lucky to have had the chance to experience this music and Sarah Brightman in the flesh.
