A: Is for Artistry in song

Sunday night at Madison Square Gardens heavily shrouded in black, arms outstretched, Diva Sarah Brightman made her entrance. Off came the shroud and clad in a to die for, red bustee dress she began to thrill. By the end of the hour and 50-minute theatrical experience, I was not sure what was more impressive, the costumes, the holographic sets or the facts that the ingenue from Phantom of the Opera at 48 was still soaring. This was a concert to please all current fans and gather a new retinue. The concert included "You Take My Breath Away" from Harem, Three numbers from her previous album Symphony including a duet with the rich voice of Mario Frangoulis who also joined her for "Phantom of the Opera" and from her new Winter Symphony album a duet with silver voiced tenor Fernando Lima. Cover tunes like "Dust in the Wind" and "It's a Beautiful World" got new takes that were refreshing. The sets, were the very latest in stage technology, and to say the least, were impressive. Holographic 3-D worlds were projected as gothic castles with dragons and magicians melted into forests filled with stars, into enchanted glens with butterflies and even gigantic Mary Cassatt like poppies. I loved the Busby Berkeley effect as Sarah and her eight dancers lay floating through space swimming. I especially thought it was hysterical when Ms. Brightman appeared as Little Red Riding Hood pedaling a stationary bicycle like Dorothy through a virtual forest, pursued by holographic rats on bikes as "The Nutcracker Suite" played. Her outfits were divine except for the white shoes and very reminiscent of Vivienne Westwood. This soprano is throughly busy what with a film, a new album and a concert tour. Sarah Brightman makes the saying, "Your not getting older your getting better baby" a F.A.C.T.

http://www.sarah-brightman.com/