La Luna [Import]

Sarah Brightman | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 17, 2002)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Import
• Label: EMI
• ASIN: B00005J9IB
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (263 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,269,361 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Superstar crossover vocalist Sarah Brightman greets the new millennium with an even surer, bolder sense of her unique musical niche than that evident from 1999's Eden. Like Eden, La Luna is a concept album only in a vaguely free-associative sense. The selection of material here touches on images of the moon that reinforce its ambiguity as a force known to draw together "the lunatic, the lover, and the poet" (Brightman's photo shoots for the album do seem to suggest a sort of Titania-like figure out of a New Age Midsummer Night's Dream). And it's a stylistic as well as thematic voyage, coursing from such contemporary sounds as synth pop (on "This Love") through vintage jazz standards (Billie Holiday's atmospheric and haunting "Gloomy Sunday") to high opera for the title track (a version of the sublime "Song of the Moon" from Dvorák's fairy-tale opera Rusalka), and drawing elsewhere on the gorgeously sinuous melodies of Bach, Handel, and Rachmaninov--one song, "Figlio Perduto," even adapts the slow movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. Throughout, producer Frank Peterson swathes Brightman's shiny small voice in luxuriant fabrics of sound. Detractors will lament the resulting sameness of tone--no matter what the style involved--but Brightman's focus on spinning an ethereal spell never gets eclipsed. This domestic release includes three tracks not available on the import version and has a special treat hidden in the final track as a bonus. --Thomas May

Product Description

Asian special edition of the Broadway diva's hit 2000 album includes one hidden bonus track, 'Moon River' & a bonus Region 3 NTSC DVD featuring 'A Whiter Shade Of Pale' & highlights from the 'La Luna' concert. Standard jewelcase & slimline jewelcase house --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 58 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Angel from the moon, September 23, 2000

By 

Anthony Morelli "Woofbear" (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: La Luna (Audio CD)

Congrats Sarah! I've been taken to the moon & back. The long awaited Brightman disc has arrived. The songs are ranging from her amazing classical renditions to her angelic versions of pop hits. Sarah is dreamy & laid back in her new cd "La Luna".Don't let the idea of Sarah brightman singing cover versions spoil your likes for her.

The first track "La Lune" brings the hair up on my neck just by listening to the keyboard intro. The 2nd track, "Winter in july", is one of Sarah's "pop married to classic" tracks. The lyrics are heartfelt & reflect her feelings about life. "Scarborough fair" is light and dreamy and "A whiter shade of pale" is operatic and revisited "à la Sarah". Beethoven's "Figlio Perduto" is my 2nd fav. track, I love how Sarah rearranged it to fit her voice. "How Fair this place" is pretty, but too short. The tracks continue into one another, like a multi-mood story of music. I find that tracks like "Here with me" and "Hijo De La Luna" are different tunes all together because "Hijo De La Luna" has a ballroom sound to it, with Spanish lyrics. It is sung à la Kate Bush. "Here with me" is more rock or "Dive-ish". "Gloomy Sunday" tones down the pace resulting in a bluesey, rainy-day track. Keeping with the moon theme, the title track "La Luna", is absolutely amazing. Sarah builds suspense in every breath of this track. Her voice soars as the song reaches its climax, wowing me every time. Unfortunately, the orchestra slightly drowns Sarah out at the end. The disc also features a hidden track. It is a breathy, up close & personal version of "Moon River". Sarah knows how to catch the attention of her fans.

The photos in "La Luna" are breath-taking, right down to the album cover.I dig the space-age lettering of her name on the cover. In comparison, Eden took on a heavier classical flavour, as so with "Time to say good-bye". Nevertheless, "La Luna" balances Sarah's career between "Dive" back in '93 to the present. Don't consider her slowing down even though the thought of a greatest hits double set sounds quite interesting.

I've had the golden opportunity to see Sarah in Montreal at the Molson Center on september 18 for her "La Luna" tour. Describe it, you say, Well, I have one word......EXTRAORDINARY! To hear her is one thing, but to see this woman perform was simply amazing. Definitely worth the money! Sing on Sarah! Hers is definitely one of the glorious voices.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Shear brilliance!, July 10, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: La Luna (Audio CD)

I think this is one of Sarah Brightman's most fantastic CDs ever! I downloaded the songs from Napster but I bought the CD as well because I want the paperwork inside and feel I should support her because I'm an avid fan. I think the CD starts off masterfully and ends brilliantly with her acclaimed "First of May." I liked her version of Scarborough Fair, it's melodic and entrancing. I deeply enjoyed Figlio Perduto, in fact it's the best song on the CD. It's very classical (Beethoven) and employs a dark chorus accompanying her already magnificent coloratura. She does the key change so well that it sounds easy to master. I like Hijo de la Luna, but the prior version is also comparable. I mean Sarah Brightman does use other peoples' songs but does better jobs with them and Frank Petersen is phenomenally talented. His work on Dive, Eden, Fly, etc. is noteworthy and her voice really reflects his support. She is incredible. I greatly enjoyed every song on the CD, especially Dvorak's Silver Moon Aria (which she sings in her usual Italian). It's done quite well, the only thing is that the accompaniment is a bit weak. Lucia Popp sings it better (in Czech) with a full orchestra, but Sarah does it justice! The CD ends with First of May, but she doesn't sound the same as when she originally recorded it. It sounds a bit more breathy but it still beautiful. I highly recommend buying the CD, it's a collector's jewel.

31 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Soft, Sensual and Powerful!, May 30, 2000

By 

Cliff Hollenbeck (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: La Luna (Audio CD)

When listening to music I want to feel its power. I made the mistake of listening first to the title track La Luna on Sarah BrightmanÕs new cd. Is it just me, or does she continue to get better with each new adventure? Although the other songs are also wonderful, IÕm still having a problem even getting to them.

At a time when pop, hip hop and rap singers are promoting themselves as divas, Sarah Brightman not so quietly lets her voice speak for itself. SheÕs a diva all right... and not just because of her exhilarating arias. She continues to be an inspiration to my own work.

If you like SarahÕs near perfect timing, pronunciation, range and power, youÕll love this cd.

Cliff Hollenbeck