At 64, Sarah Brightman feels she is ‘age-appropriate’ to play Sunset Boulevard’s faded star
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Sarah Brightman in Sunset Boulevard.
PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD
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SINGAPORE – Acclaimed English composer Andrew Lloyd Webber had former wife Sarah Brightman’s voice in mind when he created the music for Sunset Boulevard some 30 years ago.
However, it was only in 2023 that the renowned English singer-actress was ready to play washed-up silent film star Norma Desmond.
The award-winning musical, based on the 1950 film of the same name, follows the turbulent and tragic relationship between delusional Norma and struggling screenwriter Joe Gillis.
Discarded by Hollywood, which went on to embrace “talking pictures”, Norma yearns to return to the limelight. A chance encounter with Joe raises her hopes, but he has his own agenda.
Brightman tells The Straits Times via the phone from Bournemouth, England, that the time is right for her to play Norma.
She takes the lead in Sunset Boulevard’s Asia premiere at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Theatre from Feb 7 to 23.
It marks her first musical theatre production in Singapore, which is part of the Australian season that opened in Melbourne in May 2024.
“It is age-appropriate for me,” says the 64-year-old soprano, whose claim to global stardom was originating the iconic role of protagonist Christine Daae in Lloyd Webber’s hit musical, The Phantom Of The Opera, in 1986.
“It also came at the time of my life when I felt more open to performing every night again,” adds Brightman, who is making her comeback after three decades. She bowed out of the scene with Lloyd Webber’s Aspects Of Love in 1993.
She also received reassurance from Lloyd Webber – the former power couple married in 1984 and divorced in 1990 – that her voice is “strong, yet has that vulnerable quality” to portray Norma.
“As it was written for my voice, the songs in Sunset Boulevard feel incredibly familiar to the way I sing,” says Brightman.
Sunset Boulevard premiered in London in July 1993 with American singer-actress Patti LuPone playing Norma, before moving to Los Angeles where American actress Glenn Close took over the leading role. It went on to win seven Tony Awards in 1995, including for Best Musical, Best Original Score and Best Book.
The musical enjoyed a West End revival in 2023 starring American singer-host Nicole Scherzinger, and featured a modern and minimal set. It won seven awards at the 2024 Laurence Olivier Awards, including for Best Musical Revival, Best Actress for Scherzinger and Best Director for Lloyd Webber.
That adaptation is on Broadway, with Scherzinger reprising her role.
“Norma is such a fabulous role, especially for somebody of my age with all the experience,” says Brightman.
“My voice is different from the other performers and, being a national star all my life, I could relate to Norma’s plight, as she was once this huge star.”
Sarah Brightman in Sunset Boulevard.
PHOTO: DANIEL BOUD
Brightman finds it rewarding to take on challenging roles in her 60s. “I don’t think I could have done it in my 30s or even 50s. Now, having gone through life, there is less fear of losing,” she says.
The celebrated classical crossover diva is known for her three-octave vocal prowess, but she does not do anything special to maintain it.
“Keeping my voice healthy is practical. I still practise with a vocal coach for 2½ hours every day and do warm-ups before shows.”
Her favourite song in Sunset Boulevard is the solo As If We Never Said Goodbye, in which Norma reveals her longing to be back in the spotlight.
When she first performed it at a Melbourne rehearsal in May 2024, she says she could feel that everyone around her was starstruck.
“The younger cast members were going, ‘wow, we’re in the same room as the legendary Sarah Brightman… Christine is here’,” she recalls.
“But that sense of awe dissipated quickly. Professionalism quickly set in and everyone got along very well.”
Her pre-performance rituals include spending half an hour on stage before the curtain rises and warming up by running up and down the prop staircase to “be part of the stage”.
“There’s a lot that Norma does with that staircase,” Brightman says.
She is looking forward to being in Singapore, a city she has always cherished. She last performed here at a Christmas concert held at The Star Theatre in December 2022.
“I’ve been to Singapore many times. I’m a complete foodie, so I always look forward to visiting restaurants,” she says, though she adds that she has to watch what she eats this time as she needs to protect her voice.
She wants to interact with her fans, even if they know her only as Christine.
“I don’t mind what people remember me as, as long as they think of me,” says Brightman.
Book It/Sunset Boulevard
Where: Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, 10 Bayfront Avenue str.sg/sdEb www.sistic.com.sg
When: Feb 7 to 23, 8pm (Tuesdays to Saturdays); 1pm (Sundays). There is an additional 2pm show on Feb 8
Admission: $88 to $258 via Marina Bay Sands (
Joanne Soh is a lifestyle correspondent at The Straits Times, with a special interest in entertainment and pop culture.
