Dubai: With more than ten studio albums to her name, a set of iron-clad lungs and one of the most popular songs released around the globe to date — yes, we’re talking about the instantly-recognisable Time to Say Goodbye with Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli — Sarah Brightman has made a name for herself as the world’s best-selling soprano of all time.
The 53-year-old singer has done it all — from her humble beginnings as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip to her rich stage career on Broadway and her continuing journey as a solo artist. Now, she’s returning to the UAE for two performances at the inaugural Dubai Classics festival on February 6 and 7, to be held at Shaikh Rashid Hall at Dubai World Trade Centre — something she says she is very much looking forward to.
“I am always excited to come to Dubai — and I always have a great time,” she told tabloid! in an email interview ahead of her arrival.
“Whenever I go there — I have been there as a tourist, as well — I have a lovely time, the beaches are beautiful, there is a feeling of serenity in the city.”
Other than her appreciation for Dubai’s weather and culture, Brightman shared her inspiration behind the Arabesque elements in her music, her plans to be the first artist to sing in outer space and why it’s always important for her to give back to the public through her voice and her philanthropy.
You experimented with Middle Eastern influences on your 2003 album, Harem – what is it about Middle Eastern melodies that appeal to you?
Oh, it is such a rich culture and interesting one. And a huge amount of poetry runs through this area and it is very ancient and so I think a huge amount is to be enjoyed and gained working in this area of music, and also from the stories told from way, way back – the ancient tales and poetry — it’s beautiful and deep, which is why I wanted to make an album like Harem. I could have worked on for years as there was so much to experience once I got into it, but people wanted the album quickly so I did as well as I could. But it’s definitely an area I would like to study more with its story telling.
In 2012, you announced your plans to go on a space-flight mission and to become the first artist to sing in space. What are some things you’ve learned during your training for this mission thus far that you maybe weren’t aware of before?
The amount of medical that one has to go through continually because, obviously, the body grows older each year and my flight is not until 2015; these things need to be monitored carefully. I don’t think I realized how much would have to go into it but the journey is fun and I have enjoyed meeting all the doctors, astronauts and cosmonauts. They have been wonderful and very supportive and because the mission itself is difficult, I think the preparation of what you have to go through is really, really hard. It’s a journey.
Singing in space, especially for a voice as powerful as yours, sounds both like an amazing prospect and a tricky one. How complicated a process will it be, technically speaking?
I am not fully sure yet but I have been told by one astronaut that was up on the MIR station that actually trained as a choir boy, that it was absolutely possible but a lot people can not really answer my question. There have other people singing up there like Chris Hatfield and various astronauts who were amateur musicians playing guitar, playing the flute or whatever, but I don’t think there has been anyone that has had a powerful set of lungs up there – so I think we are all waiting to see, including myself, of course.
Almost two years ago now, you were appointed as the UNESCO Artist for Peace ambassador. Looking back on your time in this role, what were some of the most pivotal things you took on and achieved?
I think [going] to Paris, and meeting with all the scientists and the people in UNESCO working on certain causes – I think they are the most exciting moments. You are able to brainstorm with really brilliant people working for causes and charities and they do good things. These meetings have been some of the most exciting meetings that I have had in my life.
Do you find it difficult to balance your musical career and your humanitarian initiatives? Or do they feed into one another?
I think being an artist, you naturally have a voice in the world because people are interested in what you are doing they are emotionally involved with what you do, because that is what music creates in people. So if one can do some good by just being an ambassador for a cause, and to be there to remind people of it and what can be done and how people can get involved and donate and all the things that charity asks for and these causes – that is really our role. As an ambassador, it is really for us to spread the word.
What are some of the ways in which you work to preserve and sustain your voice?
I train all the time. It is very important to train. We are like athletes – the voice is like a muscle and that is really as basic as that. The rest is about how passionate you are about doing it, how you feel about the pieces you are singing and it is a gift. It needs nurturing and loving and you have to be quite a happy person at the time of singing because it’s about your soul and about a part of you and what you want to give to people.
Time to Say Goodbye with Andrea Bocelli is a song of yours that has truly taken on a life of its own since its release. How do you feel about that song now, after all these years?
You know, my aunt died recently and she had it played at her funeral and it actually brought to light what a beautiful, wonderful piece it is because it gives people an emotion whether it be for a sadness or a celebration or whatever people want it to be. And the fact that people use it for various personal reasons is a wonderful thing because I sort of know that I am doing my job at that point.
