Brightman entered the arena in dramatic fashion. Perched on top on an elevated platform with a spotlight dramatically highlighting her presence, Brightman sang one of her new songs, “Angel.”

With the crowd in the palm of her hand, she wasted little time in cruising through the next ten songs of her first act. Performing standout tracks like “La Luna,” “Beautiful Day,” and “Canto de la Tierra,” Brightman never her lost stride or wavered in tone or pitch. Instead, throughout Act I, Brightman’s voice only grew more lush and dramatic.

For Act II, Brightman picked up the tempo and really got the crowd going.

Standout moments were littered throughout the act. In “Figlio Perduto,” Brightman pulled off a large and flawless classical opera closing to the song. As the crescendo neared, the crowd could see the effort in her face, with her skin even turning a slight shade of pink. In addition to her absolutely brilliant rendition of “Kaze,” Brightman really pleased the crowd by closing her main set with her most popular songs, “Phantom of the Opera” and “Time to Say Goodbye.”

Throughout the evening, Brightman’s performance was accompanied by a large video screen that showed images to accent the mood of the track. With lightning bolts among purple and blue skies during “Beautiful Day” and the astonishing look at stars and satellites during “Breath Me,” Brightman’s team did a wonderful job providing the atmosphere for evening’s music.

Outside of Brightman and the occasional guest vocalist, none of the other musicians or instrumentalists on stage were featured prominently during the evening. Instead, the lighting around them remained mostly dark, with the exceptions coming only during the most intense moments of her songs.

In fact, although most of her songs feature stringed orchestra instruments, she was only accompanied on stage by a drummer, a guitarist, a keyboardist, and a bass player. All other instrumentation was queued up as a backing track that the musicians played along with. This, of course, was intentional. With Brightman’s most recent work having an electronic foundation, the feel of the songs on this tour were meant to be experienced in such a way.

Sarah Brightman is an extremely special artist. Her unique brand of pop-opera transcends the boundaries that confine many of her contemporaries. As a result, she stands out amongst the group so much that she can command a massive audience at a hefty price. With ticket prices running from just under $100 per ticket to premier seating at over $200, her ability to pack a venue like Bayou Music Center is a testament to her drawing power as a musician. For music fans looking for a more cultured live experience, and with the money to get in the door, Sarah Brightman provides for an entertaining, if not breathtaking, live experience.

Setlist:

Angel
One Day Like This
Glossoli
Hijo de la Luna
La Luna
Eperdu
Beautiful Day
Bella Maria
Ave Maria
Canto de la Tierra
Nessun Dorma

[Interval]

Closer
Breath Me
Figlio Perduto
Kaze
Scarborough Fair
Song of India
Phantom of the Opera
Time to Say Goodbye

Encore:

Venus and Mars
Question of Honor

Contact Robert at robert@starsandsatellites.com or at @RobertSatellite on social media.