It’s ironic that arguably one of the only women in the world who can lay honest claim to the title of “diva” is charming, effusive and patient.
English soprano Sarah Brightman was all this and more late last week despite an administrative error that threw a major curve into her tightly packed tour schedule. While many artists would cancel or cut short a phone interview under such circumstances, Brightman enthusiastically carried on.
“I have been waiting for technology to catch up to really give one the opportunity to do something like this,” said Brightman of her show. “I worked in theater for many years and enjoyed being quite in the technical side of visuals.”
Of course the woman who first stepped into world consciousness as Christine in “Phantom of the Opera” knows a thing or two about staging. Brightman puts her knowledge and creative visions to great use with a virtual and holographic stage that beings her music — including many of the songs from her just-released album “A Winter Symphony” and her January release “Symphony” — to life.
“Now I can create any world I want around me,” she said of the winter scenes, gardens and aquariums that surround her on stage as she sings “Silent Night,” “Ave Maria,” and even Emerson Lake & Palmer’s “I Believe in Father Christmas,” as well as her own work.
“I thought this would be a really lovely, celebratory thing to do,” she said. “The reason that I made this very different, very visual, is I wanted to thank audiences, to celebrate 30 years of them watching my work.”
It’s been quite a time, with 150 gold and platinum sales certificates, sales of more than 26 million albums and 2 million DVDs, and such distinctions as being the only artist ever to hold the No. 1 spot on Billboard’s Classical and Dance charts simultaneously.
“I feel like I have gone quite a long way … in my life,” she said. “I didn’t come from a background of wealth [or privilege]. I got here just by my own passion and hard work.
“Thank you for asking such nice questions.”
Most certainly, a non-diva.
If you go
Performer: Sarah Brightman
Venue: Verizon Center, 601 F St. NW
When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday
Details: $55 to $225; 202-397-7328; www.ticketmaster.com
