Brightman set to dazzle in Sunset Boulevard

The room buzzed with excitement, every eye fixed on the door. As Sarah Brightman stepped into the spotlight, the air was filled with the whirl of flashing cameras capturing the arrival of the world-renowned soprano.

Brightman appeared at the Beijing Performing Arts Centre on Sunday to present the performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard for its premiere in China.

The musical, which opened on Thursday at the Beijing Performing Arts Centre, will run until April 13. It then embarks on a national tour, with stops in Shanghai, Wuhan in Hubei province and Shenzhen in Guangdong province.

Brightman remains among the world's most prominent performers, with global sales of 35 million units, and has received more than 180 Gold and Platinum awards in over 40 countries, and garnering more than 1 billion streams worldwide.

At 65, with her soprano voice that blends classical and pop, Brightman has a broad international fan base, including in China. Her ability to seamlessly combine these two genres has made her popular in markets that appreciate both Western classical music and contemporary sounds.

One of the key events that raised her profile in China was her collaboration with singer Liu Huan at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony, where they performed You and Me.

Through her roles in Webber's musicals, such as The Phantom of the Opera and Cats, Brightman has a loyal following in China, particularly among theater enthusiasts.

"I truly feel honored to be back in China. This country has always been very special to me, and the people have always been so kind and respectful of me and my career," she says.

Sunset Boulevard is a musical that emerged from the golden age of Hollywood, and evokes cherished memories for countless film and theater lovers. The story follows the downfall of silent film star Norma Desmond, played by Brightman, who is sidelined by the rise of talkies. Desperate to make a comeback, she crosses paths with struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis, and their fateful relationship spirals to a tragic conclusion.

Written by Webber and adapted from the 1950s film of the same name directed by Billy Wilder, the classic score is the very soul of Sunset Boulevard. Webber's compositional style, which emulates the feel of old Hollywood movie scores, adds emotional depth and musical tension to the narrative. Classic songs like With One Look, The Perfect Year, and As If We Never Said Goodbye will transport audiences into Desmond's world of glory and isolation.

The 2024 production builds on the original's opulent style, merging the cinematic texture, dark aesthetics, and cutting-edge stage technology.

"As an artist and a performer, this has been an incredible role to tackle," says Brightman. "It's beautiful because so much research went into understanding the Hollywood actresses of that time. How they transitioned from the silent era into the talkie era — it's surprisingly relevant to our times. Technology changes so quickly, and many people are left behind.

"Norma has spent years unable to perform, unable to do what she is so gifted at. It's full of pathos, emotion and deeply upsetting experiences for her," Brightman continues. "I'm playing a woman who has had an international career and who has faced the challenges that a solo female artist must navigate in this world."

The male lead, Australian actor and singer Tim Draxl, as Gillis, is drawing significant attention. The character is a down-and-out screenwriter who has fallen on financial and professional hardship. Struggling to find meaningful work in Hollywood, he becomes entangled with Desmond, the fading silent film star desperate for a comeback in the world of talkies.

Gillis becomes Desmond's screenwriter, and she offers him financial support in exchange for his work on her screenplay. Over time, their relationship grows more complex and ultimately destructive. Despite recognizing Desmond's instability, Gillis finds himself unable to escape the allure of her wealth and the promise of a luxurious lifestyle. Their entanglement leads to tragedy as Gillis becomes trapped in a cycle of manipulation, betrayal and loss.

"I think what our show brings to the stage is the essence of Hollywood in the 40s and 50s, at its peak during the golden era," says Draxl.

Speaking about his first visit to China, Draxl says: "I've been wanting to come to China for a very long time, so to start this tour in Beijing is a dream come true. The first day I arrived, I walked through the hutongs and around the Forbidden City. What really struck me was China's pride in its history and the preservation of its culture. It's beautiful."

Australian singer and actor Michael Cormick, who plays Max von Mayerling, Desmond's loyal butler, has sparked interest for his portrayal of the "time-traveling butler".Twenty years ago, he played the young Gillis in the same production, and now, with a calm and steady performance, he brings dramatic tension to the role reversal.

"That's one of the gifts of getting older," Cormick laughs. "Playing Joe and his relationship with Norma was wonderful, but playing Max is like being on the other side of the chessboard. It offers a completely different understanding of Norma and their relationship."

Lin Qinghong, associate professor at the acting department of Shanghai Theatre Academy adds: "From imported classic productions to original musicals, Chinese musical theater is evolving into a vital part of the nation's cultural landscape."

Noting that while the famous production Sunset Boulevard is attracting a large Chinese audience, Lin says that what is even more important is: where is the future of musical theater in China headed.

"To achieve the sustained popularity of musicals, relying solely on importing classics is not enough," Lin says. With the rise of immersive and small-scale musicals in recent years, Chinese audiences have shown a strong interest in "small yet exquisite" productions.

"This format helps cultivate local musical theater talent while also offering audiences a more diverse range of choices," Lin says.