Brightman’s success came over time

By John Benson

On the surface, it seems to have been quite a year for superstar soprano Sarah Brightman, who this past summer opened the Beijing 2008 World Olympics by singing “You and Me.” Her performance was broadcast worldwide.

However, in many ways, it was just another day for this successful multi-platinum British artist known for bridging the gap between the classical and pop music worlds.

“I wasn’t particularly nervous because I’m a performer, and you have to pull yourself together and actually deliver a song,” said Brightman, calling from Paris. “But it was just an incredibly emotional moment for me. First of all, it was a huge honor to be asked because I didn’t see any other Western artist there that they asked, and it all happened very fast. I only knew about 10 days before the event. So I was immediately in rehearsals, and it was an incredible experience.”

One incredible experience after another appears to be a common occurrence for Brightman, who initially made her mark in the role of Christine Daa in the West End and Broadway productions of “The Phantom of the Opera.” From there she crossed over from the theater to the concert stage with a solo career that blended classical elements and pop music.

Brightman is best known for her mid-’90s Andrea Bocelli duet “Time to Say Goodbye” (“Con te partir ≤”). Over the past 15 years, Brightman has sold more than 26 million albums and 2 million DVDs worldwide. Included on that list is 2008’s “Symphony,” which is her first studio effort in five years.

“I think with ‘Symphony,’ it was interesting to see how my tastes changed and what I wanted to do musically during that time,” Brightman said. “Also, I suppose in a way like a writer, experiencing life and seeing how I changed, I wanted to do an eclectic album. So I love the visuals, which were interesting and gothic and a dark side but in a positive way, a fun way.”

Brightman decided to continue the theme of fun with her first holiday album “A Winter Symphony,” which was released last month.

Noting how much the music of “The Nutcracker” inspired her around the holidays during her youth, the 48-year-old artist felt the time was right to add a seasonal album to her catalog.

“I’d always wanted to do one, and it just worked out,” Brightman said. “The timing of my albums is such that they’re always released at the beginning part of the year followed by tours and promotion. So I was never able to have time to complete another album within the year, but I decided to just go for it this year.”

Included on the album are seasonal favorites “Silent Night” and “Ave Maria,” as well as “I Believe in Father Christmas,” “I Wish it Could be Christmas Everyday” and a cover of Neil Diamond’s “I’ve Been this Way Before.”

Brightman said her current “Symphony” tour, which comes to Cleveland for a show Tuesday at Quicken Loans Arena, will include material from her latest studio album and her new holiday release, as well as her tradition of breathtaking stage productions that include groundbreaking technology with virtual and holographic stage sets.

What remains to be true about Brightman is the fact her theater and classical music past affords her a certain credibility that sets her apart from other international pop music stars such as Celine Dion, Il Divo and Josh Groban. Brightman admits she’s in an orbit unto herself.

“I think my career is very organic, if you like,” Brightman said. “I’ve had such a long career and worked in so many different styles, musically and theatrically, that obviously as I’ve gone along different things have come into play from the experiences that I have. So I think I’m one of those artists who have gone on and on, and obviously as my career becomes more colorful, there is more into it and more to display.

“So that’s probably the difference. Of course, a lot of rock and classical artists coming up, they’ve had less time to do things than I have. So yes, I do kind of feel by myself in this, but I don’t really think in those terms. I just have a passion for what I do. I just love it and that’s why I continue to go on.”