Sarah Brightman heads to Dallas with her first-ever holiday tour

RICH LOPEZ | Staff writer
rich@dallasvoice.com

With just 17 dates, singer Sarah Brightman is making her way across the United States with her soprano holiday cheer. In her extensive career, her “A Christmas Symphony” tour marks her first specifically for the season. But after the year we just had, she said it was necessary.

In fact, this tour started because of her initial efforts last year.

“This came about when we went into lockdown last Christmas,” she said by phone from Chicago. “I just thought about what I can do to be useful to myself and others. We put together this streaming concert which had a lovely response.”

That sparked the idea of hitting the road — specifically in the U.S. — for this tour.

With holiday carols, some covers and a smattering of her own hits, Brightman will bring a mix of sounds to the Winspear Opera House on Monday, Dec. 20.

“I’ve never done this kind of tour before, and it is very much a holiday feeling,” Brightman said. “I feel very relieved to be doing it and it’s so fun to hear the feedback from the audience.”

She toured America for a number of reasons, but it also made the most sense for right now.

“I’m hoping to take this show all over the world eventually. I’ve been asked to go to Japan and other countries, but for now, we picked carefully,” she said. “America always feels closest to me, and its very much a part of my life, and we’re all sharing the same language. So it felt obvious to come with a show like this first.”

The importance of this show and tour isn’t just the timing. The holidays are personal to Brightman, but with both the streaming event in 2020 and the tour, she’s able to employ folks who have been out of work for some time.

She also adds hometown flavor to each of her performances this tour.

“Musicians had been out of work during lockdown, so it was great to employ them for the concert last year,” Brightman said. So when that idea grew into a tour, she and her crew hit the road with the idea of collaborating with local musicians at each stop.

“That’s been so interesting. We are using choirs and orchestras from each city we are in, which brings something slightly different to each show,” she said. “That makes it so nice to see new faces everywhere.”

Brightman’s not too shy to admit that she loves singing her hits in this show — especially those from her breakthrough performance in Phantom of the Opera as Christine: “It’s that moment when the audience goes ‘Yay,’” she laughed. “I think some people think I would get tired of these songs, but it’s what the audience wants and I appreciate that.”

But it doesn’t sound like she will be singing one song that resonates big time among the gays. In the late 1970s, Brightman was part of the disco group Hot Gossip, and the group’s big hit — “I Fell in Love with a Starship Trooper” — and its video was irresistible to the world of gay camp.

“Oh my gosh, yes we can talk about that,” she said. “Did you know I did a gay Pride in London, and I performed this song, and everyone went berserk. It’s so completely over the top.”

Brightman has always been aware since then that she has her gay fans. What Broadway diva doesn’t?
“I am so grateful, because you know why? The community really knows what’s coming next and has such good taste,” she said. “To be part of that and the community enjoying my music, I cannot be more appreciative.”

Brightman is best known for her work in the theater. She was part of two blockbuster shows at their onset: Cats and Phantom. Now, we are in a time of musical blockbusters coming one after the other with the likes of Wicked, Hamilton, The Lion King and others entering the canon as fast as they can.

To have been a part of a time that paved the way for monster shows isn’t lost on her. “It was a privilege to be part of both and people came far and wide to see those,” she said. “It was an exciting time then, and it is now. I think then it was more specific, but now everyone wants to go see these shows, and there’s more interest in theater arts.
“Plus, when it was taken away, I think people also realized they missed it and that it’s good for the soul.”

Once her tour is done, Brightman will be back in England to celebrate. “Yes, I’m going back to my family. My brother and his boyfriend will cook the Christmas lunch, and all 22 of us will be together. It’s very lovely and traditional.”

But first, she’ll hit the high notes of the holidays for her Dallas audience.

“These shows are very much a two-way thing. We are celebrating something together, and the fans have been so lovely in the audience, at the meet-and-greets,” she said. “Christmas is quite a particular time and personal to people, so to be a part of their holidays is beautiful.”

Sarah Brightman performs Monday at the Winspear Opera House. For more information, visit ATTPAC.org.