Broadway star Sarah Brightman was the inspiration behind such stage hits as Phantom of the Opera and Requiem, written in her honor by ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber. In 1981, she was cast in the role of Jemima in Lloyd Webber’s Cats; there she and the composer were introduced. Their relationship lasted through 1990, during which time Brightman created the role of Christine Daaé in Phantom, also appearing in Requiem and Aspects of Love. Brightman recorded a number of solo albums, including 1988’s The Trees They Grow So High, 1989’s The Songs That Got Away, 1990’s As I Came of Age, 1993’s Dive, 1995’s Fly, and 1998’s Eden. Brightman adopted a Middle Eastern theme for her 2003 release, Harem. In 2007, Brightman appeared on BBC One’s Just the Two of Us and performed at the Concert for Diana. The following year saw the release of Symphony and A Winter Symphony, as well as the airing of the PBS special, Symphony: Live in Vienna. Sara is the only artist to ever perform at two Olympic ceremonies (Barcelona and Beijing). She has sold over 30 million albums with 180 going platinum and gold, spanning 40 country and 5 continents. She continues to tour the world.
