Sarah Brightman Returns to Beijing for Sunset Boulevard Premiere
International superstar and beloved British singer and actress Sarah Brightman, known for her angelic voice and for originating roles such as Jemima in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats and Christine Daaé in Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, will be in Beijing at the end of this month as part of the current world tour of another Lloyd Webber musical: Sunset Boulevard. A star of Broadway and the West End for 20 years before transitioning to an equally illustrious career as a pioneering classical crossover artist, Brightman has cemented her position as the world’s best-selling soprano. Brightman is no stranger to China, having toured and performed in the country many times over the years, most notably during the 2008 Beijing Olympics Opening Ceremony, where she sang that year’s Olympic theme song, “You and Me,” with Chinese singer Liu Huan.
In Sunset Boulevard, the lives of Norma Desmond, an aging starlet from the silent film era lamenting the passing of her former glory days, and Jack Gillis, an opportunistic screenwriter down on his luck, become disturbingly and and tragically entwined in this dark tale of love, desperation and delusion based on the 1950 film of the same name. Previous productions of the musical have been nominated for and won numerous Tony and Olivier awards, though the show has a complicated place in music theatre history.
For this production, the Beijing performance of which is the show's China premiere, Sarah Brightman returns to the musical theatre stage after three decades away, taking on the main character of Norma Desmond, a role originated by the legendary Patti LuPone on London’s West End. At 64, the Brightman who appears in this production is understandably a different performer, particularly vocally, than the Brightman who made her mark on youthful roles of the '80s and '90s. Benson Ang, of The Straits Times, writes in his incredibly sensitive review of the production: “Her current vocal state seems a shadow of her past glory, and with an added tinge of pain and loss. However, it gives her performance a dark, self-referential quality, which may or may not have been intentional.” In his review, Ang notes the obvious similarities between Brightman at this stage of her career and the character of Norma Desmond, and opines: “So, in a strange way, Brightman’s casting here is perfect. And it speaks of an actress’ immense maturity to accept a role seemingly reflective of her own career, and in a musical whose music was penned by her ex-husband. A more sensitive thespian might not have entertained the thought of being compared with one’s past self so directly.”
Musical theatre fans, particularly fans of Sarah Brightman who would like an opportunity to see her live, are sure to be interested in seeing this production. If you want to catch the show, there’s still time. To purchase tickets, see the contact information on the poster below or book through an app like Damai. In addition to Beijing, the China run of Sunset Boulevard includes upcoming stops in Shanghai, Wuhan and Shenzhen.
Venue: BPAC – Opera House
Language: English
Date & Time: Mar 27-30, Apr 3-6, Apr 10-13: 7.30pm; Mar 29-30, Apr 5-6, Apr 12-13: 2.30pm
Price: RMB 180-1,380
Booking: Call 66550000, visit www.chncpa.org, scan QR code in poster, or search 日落大道 in your event-booking mini program of choice
Beijing Performing Arts Centre (BPAC) – Opera House 北京艺术中心·歌剧院
Bldgs 1 & 2, Courtyard 1, Lüxin Lu, Tongzhou District
通州区绿心路1号院1号楼、2号楼
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Images: courtesy of the venue
