Sarah Brightman: Live in Concert - One Night in Eden [1999]

Amazon.co.uk Review

As a performer, Sarah Brightman has never sought the comfort of the pigeonhole. In a career now well into its third decade, she's danced with Hot Gossip, been a teenage pop star, developed into a seasoned West End and Broadway musical star, and extended the range of her pure, classically trained soprano voice for the opera stage and concert platform. British critics, unable to pin down an obvious but diverse talent tend to dismiss her as the flaky ex-wife of Andrew Lloyd Webber and leave it at that. But as this 1999 South African concert shows, she's a megastar beyond her own homeland.

Brightman is a guileless artist with eclectic tastes, from Queen to Puccini and Morricone. She remains loyal to her former husband's work and is at her best in the numbers from Phantom of the Opera. In other hands some stuff could be overripe: an Italian version of "My Heart Will Go On", and the ubiquitous "Nessun Dorma", for example. But her sincerity and soaring voice carry it all off. And Brightman proves herself a thoroughbred live singer, knocking today's manufactured pop babes into a cocked hat. The programme also includes an interview with the singer. --Piers Ford

Customer Reviews:

IN PARADISUM WITH SARAH - THE MOST SUPERB MUSIC EVENT ON DVD.......2002-12-14

ONE NIGHT IN EDEN with SARAH BRIGHTMAN is the next best in the world - only SARAH live is better. The picture and sound on this DVD is excellent.
Sarah’s warm-heartedness charisma is amazing. She looks so beautiful, her happy smile and her warm eyes sparkles with joy. She is so talented - her voice is so warm and bright - no matter what style she sings: opera, musical or pop.
The concert starts with IN PARADISUM+EDEN, in Gregorian style. Incredible beautiful.
SO MANY THINGS are fantastic. Queen’s WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER with Sarah, is so phenomenal performed. She looks so lovely with the wind in her hair.
Albinoni’s ADAGIO is used for the song ANYTIME, ANYWHERE. It is in my opinion one of the most beautiful song in the world. LASCIA CH’IO PIANGA and NELLA FANTASIA are two wonderful arias. NESSUN DORMA should always be performed by a soprano - and nobody does it better than Sarah.
CAPTAIN NEMO/LA MER are astounding - Sarah floating in wires, looks like she swims underwater - fantastic sound.
IL MIO CUORE VA (the theme from Titanic) is so incredible performed with Sarah's bright soprano voice. Sarah’s version is much better and beautiful than the original. It’s so beautiful!
ONLY AN OCEAN AWAY and FIRST OF MAY are so fantastic.
WISHING YOU WERE SOMEHOW HERE AGAIN and MUSIC OF THE NIGHT - two of Sarah's signature songs, are always so wonderful performed. DELIVER ME - Sarah sings together with an African native choir - it sounds great. TIME TO SAY GOODBYE is even more beautiful when Sarah sings it solo.
ONE NIGHT IN EDEN is together with LA LUNA – LIVE IN CONCERT the best entertainment products in the world. Thank you Sarah for all the fantastic songs you have given to the world – without you and your voice the world would not be so beautiful.
SARAH there is NO ONE LIKE YOU - HEAVEN IS HERE.

Musical heaven on earth........2001-01-26

Ms Brightman serves up a sumptuous feast for the ears and eyes with this beautiful collection of songs. Each performance giving the viewer a feast of emotion inducing entertainment. Wonderfully crafted, the arrangements perfectly support the remarkable vocal talents, and stage presence of a truly world class performer. 'In Paradisum' melts into 'Eden' and you are instantly transported into a world totally out of this one. Other tracks from 'Eden' supported by theatre classics are performed with magical stage settings, that leave you in a dream like state. Mysterious, dramatic, aquatic( yes, aquatic) and windswept, each track a chapter in the most romantic novel, a banquet served up for your pleasure, with each course leading you into the next with an appetite for more delights. Its hard to choose any favourites such is the overall quality of this performance, but 'So many things', 'Nella Fantasia', the unusual choice of 'First of May' and 'Deliver Me' all seem so poingnant. Add to these 'Anytime Anywhere', Only an Ocean Away', 'Phantom' and so many others and you have a must buy DVD for all Ms brightman fans as well as anyone else who wishes to treat themselves to a piece of pure musical beauty.