The vocal spectacle that is Sarah Brightman transported the audience at Vancouver’s Queen Elizabeth Theatre to heaven on earth, or at least the stage.
The “Hymn” tour was true to theme. When the curtain went up, her orchestra, band and choir ushered her onstage, a resplendent silhouette that floated out. Her radiant crown and dress sparkled as she lifted her legendary range, a counterpoint to the soft, British accent she speaks with the politeness one would expect the Queen of England to address you with.
“I am so fortunate to be able to come to Vancouver, one of the most beautiful cities in the world” as she lauded several times to an appreciative crowd. It was truly a regal affair; the simple staging of church organ style pipes that took on a variety of lighting profiles for each song as the band, orchestra and choir performed behind. The spotlight however was squarely on Sarah Brightman, who shared the stage for a handful of songs with French tenor Vincent Niclo and Romanian Narcis Ianau.
While the religious and spiritual theme of her latest studio album framed the evening, it was her forays into rock, pop and show tunes that most energized the audience. In a timely tribute to Freddie Mercury and Queen, her rendition of “Who Want’s to Live Forever” was both true to the spirit of the song and was also taken to a new level.
Wardrobe changes featured glitzy tiaras, crowns and spectacular gowns, like gilded frames for a classic portrait. Sarah Brightman had the fans in her palm from the opening note and they hung on every word. As the evening went on, the standing ovations grew in numbers.
Other highlights included the always spine-tingling theme from Phantom of the Opera. For most this is a career highlight to perform; for her it launched a career that made her a household name. The music itself gives one goosebumps…Sarah sends it to the heavens with power and pitch perfection. Joined by Niclo, this tune alone was worth the price of admission. We were also treated to a flawless rendition of ‘Ave Maria’. Her vocals are a finely tuned instrument; there wasn’t the slightest flaw to be found.
The performance was rounded out by tasteful yet spectacular stage lighting yet at times overrun by clouds of billowing fog that often enveloped the singer. One wondered at times how that might affect her vocals but she seemed to embrace the effect; all she needed was angel wings and to be lifted to the rafters at the end.
But it was probably the audience that needed to be brought back to earth. A truly heavenly performance from a legend that was not to be missed.
©nightMair Creative.com all rights reserved
written by Scotty Evil
photos by Red Lenses Photography
