Broadway and theaters on London’s West End remain shut down amid the coronavirus pandemic, but theatergoers haven’t been completely left in the dark.
On May 9, Sarah Brightman — the original Christine in “The Phantom of the Opera” — is streaming a full concert from 1997 on her official YouTube channel.
Filmed at London’s Royal Albert Hall, the concert features guest appearances from Andrea Bocelli and “Phantom” composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, who was previously married to Brightman.
The concert is not commercially available but is being streamed to raise funds for COVID-19 relief charities, according to a news release. It will be available for 72 hours starting at 1 p.m. MT on Saturday.
“For many of us during lockdown these are reflective and introspective times, so I thought viewing a concert chosen from my performing past would be appropriate and bring you back to a special comforting moment in time,” Brightman said in a news release. “For me then, it was a pivotal period of transition, after which I experienced 20 years of an incredible life and career journey which I wasn’t expecting. … I hope you enjoy and remember it’s still a beautiful world out there and we have so much to look forward to.”
“Sarah Brightman: In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall” will feature a duet with Webber and a performance with Bocelli of “Time to Say Goodbye,” as well as hits like “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” and “Summertime.”
Recorded in September 1997, Brightman’s performances are backed by the English National Orchestra. The concert features a range of classical and Broadway pieces.
Below is the complete list of songs, according to the news release:
1. “Overture: Capriccio Espagnol”/”Scena e Canto Gitano”/”Fandango Asturiano”
2. “Chanson Espagnol” (from “Les Filles de Cadiz”)
3. “O Mio Babbino Caro” (from “Gianni Schicchi”)
4. “Solveig’s Song” (from Peer Gynt Suite No. 2)
5. “Summertime” (from “Porgy & Bess”)
6. “Pie Jesu” (from “Requiem”) – duet with Adam Clarke
7. Medley: “Somewhere”/”I Feel Pretty”/”Tonight” (from “West Side Story”)
8. “Tu Quieres Volver”
9. “Who Wants to Live Forever”
10. “Whistle Down the Wind” (from “Whistle Down the Wind”) – duet with Andrew Lloyd Webber
11. “Overture”/”Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” (from “The Phantom of the Opera”)
12. “The Music of the Night” (from “The Phantom of the Opera”)
13. “Time to Say Goodbye (Con Te Partiro)” – duet with Andrea Bocelli
14. “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” (from “Evita”)
Both Webber and Bocelli have maintained a strong presence during the coronavirus pandemic, frequently interacting and sharing music with fans.
Each Friday, one of Webber’s musicals streams for free on the YouTube channel “The Shows Must Go On.” This Friday the channel will show a 2001 Broadway production of “By Jeeves!” In addition, Webber has consistently posted videos performing songs from his many musicals for fans on Facebook.
Bocelli, meanwhile, performed a historic Easter recital called “Music for Hope” from the empty Duomo Cathedral in Milan, Italy — a groundbreaking concert that broke a YouTube record and garnered more than 27 million views in less than 24 hours. Bocelli also participated in Lady Gaga’s “One World: Together at Home” — a virtual music festival that raised nearly $128 million for COVID-19 relief.