Look up Antonio in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Antonio is a Greek, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish first name. In the English language it is translated as Anthony, and has some female derivatives: Antonia, Antónia, Antonieta, Antonietta, and Antonella. It also has some male derivatives, such as Anthonio, Antonis, Antoñito, Antonino, Antonello, Tonio, Toño, Toñín, Tonino, Nantonio, Totò, Tó, Toni and Toñito. The Portuguese equivalent is António or Antônio. In old Portuguese the form Antão was also used. The Greek versions of the name are Antonios and Antonis (Αντώνης).

The name derives from Antonius, a well known Latin family name, probably of Etruscan origin. Antonius has been said to derive from the Ancient Greek God "Adonis". This, however, is quite unlikely, since the Greek letter "δ" (delta) is equivalent to the Latin letter "d" and there is no recorded transformation of "δ" or "d" to "nt". The Roman general Marcus Antonius held that the origin of the name was Anthon, son of Hercules. This myth, recorded by Plutarch, was probably created by Marcus Antonius himself, in order to claim divine parentage. The name was in use throughout the Roman world which, at its height, comprised the whole of the Mediterranean and much of Europe as well as the Near and Middle East. When the Roman Empire became Christian, the name continued in popularity because of the many great saints who bore the name. Later, the name was spread all around the world as Christianity was introduced into indigenous populations (e.g. the Far East, the Americas, and Sub-Saharan Africa).

Derived from the Latin Antonius, an old Roman family name of unknown etymology. “Priceless” and “of inestimable worth” are popular folk definitions of the name. Var: Anton, Antonio. Short: Toni, Tonio, Tony.

Famous male bearers[link]

Antonio[link]

• Antonio Abetti, Italian astronomer
• Antonio Abondio, Italian sculptor
• Antonio Aguilar, Mexican singer
• Antonio Bamboccio, Italian painter and sculptor
• Antonio Banderas, Spanish actor
• Antonio R. Barceló, Puerto Rican politician
• Antonio Bassolino, Italian politician
• Antonio Barolini, Italian writer
• Antonio Bazzini, Italian violinist and composer
• Antonio di Benedetto, Argentine writer
• Antonio Beretta, first mayor of Milan under the Kingdom of Italy from 1860 to 1867
• Antonio Bonazza, Italian sculptor
• Antonio Bosio, Italian scholar
• Antonio Broccoli Porto, Puerto Rican artist
• Antonio Bartolomeo Bruni, Italian violist, composer and conductor
• Antonio Cabán Vale, Puerto Rican singer
• Antonio Caldara, Italian composer
• Antonio Canaletto, Italian painter
• Antonio Candreva, Italian footballer
• Antonio Canova, Italian sculptor
• Antonio Benedetto Carpano, Italian distiller, famous for having invented the Vermouth and consequently the apéritif
• Antonio Marziale Carracci, Italian painter
• Antonio Cassano, Italian footballer
• Antonio Cavallucci, Italian painter
• Antonio Cervantes, Colombian boxer
• Antonio Citterio, Italian furniture designer
• Antonio Conte, Italian former footballer
• Antonio Corradini, Italian sculptor
• Antonio Correa Cotto, Puerto Rican criminal
• Antonio da Correggio, Italian painter
• Antonio Corti, Argentine boxer
• Antonio Davis, US Basketball player
• Antonio di Natale, Italian footballer
• Antonio Dixon, American football player
• Antonio de La Gandara, painter
• Antonio de la Rúa, former first son of Argentina
• Antonio de Nigris (1978–2009), Mexican footballer
• Antonio Escobar Núñez, Spanish music composer, music producer, sound designer
• Antonio Esparragoza, Venezuelan boxer
• Antonio Ferreira de Oliveira Junior, Brazilian soccer player
• Antonio Floro Flores, Italian footballer
• Antonio Fogazzaro, Italian novelist
• Antonio Gamoneda, Spanish poet
• Antonio Garay, American football players (San Diego Chargers)
• Antonio Gates, American player of American football
• Antonio Gherardi, Italian painter, architect, and sculptor
• Antonio Ghislieri, better known as Pope Pius V
• Antonio Gramsci, Italian writer, politician and political theorist
• Antonio Guzmán Blanco, former Venezuelan president
• Antonio Hernández, Spanish film director and screenwriter
• Antonio Inoki, Japanese wrestler
• Antonio Janigro, Italian cellist and conductor
• Antonio Carlos Jobim, Brazilian creator of the bossa nova
• Antonio Langella, Italian footballer
• Antonio Latimer, Puerto Rican basketball player
• Antonio Lo Surdo (1880–1949), Italian physicist and co-discoverer of the Stark effect
• Antonio Lombardo, Italian sculptor
• Antonio Lopez, United States illustrator who signed his work "Antonio."^[1]
• Antonio Lotti, Italian composer
• Antonio Maceo Grajales, Cuban general
• Antonio Machado, Spanish poet
• Antonio Mancini, Italian painter
• Antonio Manetti, Italian mathematician and architect
• Antonio Margarito, American boxer
• Antonio Martino, Italian politician
• Antonio McDyess, United States basketball player
• Antonio Tobias Mendez, American sculptor
• Antonio Meneses, Brazilian cellist
• Antonio Meucci, Italian-American inventor
• Antonio Monda, Italian film director
• Antonio Negri, Italian philosopher
• Antonio Nocerino, Italian footballer
• Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and his brother Antônio Rogério Nogueira, both Brazilian mixed martial artists
• Antonio Pantojas, Puerto Rican actor
• Antonio Paoli, Puerto Rican opera singer
• Antonio Pappano, British conductor
• Antonio S. Pedreira, Puerto Rican poet
• Antonio Pigafetta, Italian explorer
• Antonio Pignatelli, better known as Pope Innocent XII
• Antonio Pollaiuolo, Italian painter
• Antonio Prieto, Spanish long-distance runner
• Antonio Puerta, Spanish international footballer
• Antonio de los Reyes Correa, Puerto Rican military hero
• Antonio Rivera, Puerto Rican boxer
• Antonio Rodríguez Balinas, Puerto Rican U.S. Army General
• Antonio Rosmini-Serbati, Italian philosopher
• Antonio Rossi, Italian canoer
• Antonio Roybal, Spanish American painter
• Antonio Ruiz Soler, Flamenco dancer
• Antonio Rukavina, Serbian footballer
• Antonio Sabàto, Jr., Italian-American model and actor
• Antonio Sacchini, Italian composer
• António de Oliveira Salazar, 20th Century Portuguese Dictator
• Antonio Salieri, Austrian Court Composer, famous "mediocre" rival of Mozart
• António Salvador, Portuguese long-distance runner
• Antonio Sánchez, Mexican musician
• Antonio Sánchez, Puerto Rican show host
• Antonio Segni, Italian politician
• Antonio Semini, Italian painter
• Antonio Silio, Argentine long-distance runner
• Antonio Starabba, Marchese di Rudinì, Prime Minister of Italy between 1891 and 1892 and from 1896 until 1898
• Antonio Stradivari, Italian luthier
• Antonio Tabucchi, Italian writer
• Antonio Tarver, United States boxer
• Antonio Travi, Italian painter
• Antonio Valero de Bernabe, Puerto Rican, helped Simón Bolívar liberate South America
• Antonio Maria Maraggiano, Italian sculptor
• Antonio Maria Vassallo, Italian painter
• Antonio Valencia, Ecuadorian footballer
• Antonio Vivaldi, Venetian composer
• Antonio Zarro, Academy Award-winning Italian screenwriter

Antonio may also refer to:

• The Great Antonio, Canadian actor

Antonio as middle name[link]

• Carlo Antonio Buffagnotti, Italian painter
• Carlo Antonio Tavella, Italian painter
• Eugene Antonio Marino, first African American archbishop in the United States
• Francesco Antonio Franzoni, Italian sculptor
• Giacomo Antonio Arland, Italian painter
• Gioachino Antonio Rossini, Italian composer
• Giovanni Antonio Amadeo, Italian sculptor
• Giovanni Antonio Dosio, Italian architect and sculptor
• Giovanni Antonio Facchinetti, better known as Pope Innocent IX
• Giovanni Antonio Pellegrini, Italian painter
• Giovanni Antonio Scopoli, Italian-Austrian physician and naturalist
• José Antonio de la Garza, Mexican-American politician
• Juan Antonio Marichal, Dominican baseball player
• Luis Antonio Valencia, Ecadorian footballer
• Marco Antonio Barrera, Mexican boxer
• Marco Antonio Etcheverry, Bolivian soccer player
• Marco Antonio Muñiz, Puerto Rican singer, better known as Mark Anthony
• Marco Antonio Regil, Mexican show host
• Marco Antonio Solís, Mexican singer
• Nicola Antonio Zingarelli, Italian composer
• Tomaso Antonio Vitali, Italian composer

Known as Tony[link]

• Tony Alvarez (baseball), Major League Baseball center fielder
• Tony Alvarez (singer), Cuban singer
• Tony Alvarez (actor), Spanish-Australian actor
• Tony Ayala, Mexican-American boxer
• Tony Baltazar, Mexican-American boxer
• Tony Campos, Mexican-American musician
• Tony Danza, Italian-American boxer and actor
• Tony Fratto, Deputy Press Secretary
• Tony Plana, Cuban actor
• Tony Romo, American football quarterback
• Tony Sanchez, Texas businessman
• Tony Vega, Puerto Rican singer
• Tony Pena, retired Major League Baseball player
• Tony Perez, Hall of Fame Major League Baseball player

Fictional characters[link]

Antonio may refer to the fictional characters:

• Antonio (Merchant of Venice), the title character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice
• Antonio, a character in Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
• Antonio, a character in Shakespeare's The Tempest
• Antonio, a character in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night
• Antonio Bologna, a character in Webster's The Duchess of Malfi
• Antonio, a character on the television show Monster Warriors
• Tony Montana, the main character in the film Scarface (1983 film)
• Antonio, a character in the video game Assassin's Creed II
• Antonio the male otter, a character in the animated TV show The Penguins of Madagascar
• Antonio Fernández Carriedo, the personification of Spain in Axis Powers Hetalia

Other uses[link]

• MV Antonios, a number of motor vessels with this or a similar name

References[link]

José Antonio Domínguez Banderas (born 10 August 1960), better known as Antonio Banderas, is a Spanish film actor, film director, film producer and singer. He began his acting career at age 19 with a series of films by director Pedro Almodóvar and then appeared in high-profile Hollywood films, especially in the 1990s, including Assassins, Evita, Interview with the Vampire, Philadelphia, Desperado, The Mask of Zorro, Spy Kids, the Shrek sequels and Puss in Boots.

Early life[link]

Banderas was born in Málaga, Andalucía, Spain, in 1960, to Ana Banderas, a school teacher, and José Domínguez, a police officer in the Guardia Civil.^[1][2] He has a younger brother, Javier. Although the family name is Domínguez, he took his mother's surname as his stage name.^[3] As a child, he wanted to become a professional football player until a broken foot sidelined his dreams at the age of fifteen. He went on to enroll in some drama classes, eventually joining a theater troupe that toured all over Spain. His work in the theater, and his performances on the streets, eventually landed him a spot with the National Theatre of Spain.^[4]

Career[link]

Early work, 1982–90[link]

His acting career began at the age of 19,^{[citation needed]} when he worked in small theatres during Spain’s post-dictatorial cultural movement known as the 'Movida'.^[5] While performing with the theatre, Banderas caught the attention of Spanish director Pedro Almodóvar, who cast the young actor in his 1982 film debut, Labyrinth of Passion. Five years later he went on to appear in the director's Law of Desire, making headlines with his performance as a gay man, which required him to engage in his first male-to-male onscreen kiss. After Banderas appeared in Almodóvar's 1986 Matador, the director cast him in his internationally acclaimed 1988 film, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. The recognition Banderas gained for his role increased two years later when he starred in Almodóvar's controversial Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! as a mental patient who kidnaps a porn star (Victoria Abril) and keeps her tied up until she returns his love.^[4] It was his breakthrough role in Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!, that helped spur him on to Hollywood.^[6] Banderas' having become a regular feature of Almodóvar's movies all throughout the 1980s, Almodóvar is credited for helping launch Banderas's international career.^[7]

Breakthrough, 1991–94[link]

In 1991 Madonna introduced Banderas to Hollywood in the documentary film Madonna: Truth or Dare. In the film, Madonna says she wants to seduce Banderas even though she knows he was married.

The following year, still speaking minimal English, he began acting in U.S. films. Despite having to learn all his lines phonetically, Banderas still managed to turn in a critically praised performance as a struggling musician in his first American drama film, The Mambo Kings (1992).

Banderas then broke through to mainstream American audiences in the film, Philadelphia (1993), as the gay lover of AIDS-afflicted lawyer Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks). The film's success earned Banderas wide recognition, and the following year was given a role in Neil Jordan's high-profile adaptation of Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire, which allowed him to share the screen with Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.^[4]

Worldwide recognition, 1995–present[link]

He appeared in several major Hollywood releases in 1995, including a starring role in the Robert Rodriguez-directed film Desperado and the antagonist on the action film Assassins, co-starred with Sylvester Stallone. In 1996, he starred alongside Madonna in Evita, an adaptation of the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and in Tim Rice in which he played the narrator, Che, a role played by David Essex in the original 1978 West End production. He also made success with his role as the legendary masked swordsman Zorro in the 1998 film The Mask of Zorro.

In 2001, he collaborated with Robert Rodriguez who cast him in the Spy Kids film trilogy. He also starred in Michael Cristofer's Original Sin alongside Angelina Jolie the same year. In 2002, he starred in Brian De Palma's Femme Fatale opposite Rebecca Romijn-Stamos and in Julie Taymor's Frida with Salma Hayek. In 2003, he starred in the last installment of the trilogy Once Upon A Time In Mexico (in which he appeared with Johnny Depp and Salma Hayek). Banderas' debut as a director was the poorly-received Crazy in Alabama (1999), starring his wife Melanie Griffith.^[8]

In 2003, he returned to the musical genre, appearing to great acclaim in the Broadway revival of Maury Yeston's musical Nine, based on the film 8½, playing the prime role originated by the late Raúl Juliá. Banderas won both the Outer Critics Circle and Drama Desk awards, and was nominated for the Tony Award for best actor in a musical.^[9] His performance is preserved on the Broadway cast recording released by PS Classics. The following year (2004), he received the Rita Moreno HOLA Award for Excellence from the Hispanic Organization of Latin Actors (HOLA).

Banderas in June 2007

His voice role as Puss in Boots in Shrek 2, Shrek the Third and the last film in the Shrek franchise, Shrek Forever After, helped make the character popular on the family film circuit. In 2005, he reprised his role as Zorro in The Legend of Zorro, though this was not as successful as The Mask of Zorro. In 2006, he starred in Take the Lead, a high-set movie in which he played a ballroom dancing teacher. That year, he directed his second film El camino de los ingleses (English title: Summer Rain), and also received the L.A. Latino International Film Festival's "Gabi" Lifetime Achievement Award on 14 October.^[10] He hosted the 600th episode of Saturday Night Live (during season 31).

He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on 6801 Hollywood Blvd. in 2005.

In 2011, the horror thriller The Skin I Live In marked the return of Banderas to Pedro Almodóvar, the Spanish director who launched his international career. The two had not worked together since 1990 (Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!). In The Skin I Live In he breaks out of the "Latin Lover" mold from his Hollywood work and stars as a calculating revenge-seeking plastic surgeon following the rape of his daughter. According to the Associated Press Banderas' performance is among his strongest in recent memory.^[7] He again lent his voice to Puss in Boots, this time as the protagonist of the Shrek spin-off family film, Puss in Boots. This film reunited Banderas with Salma Hayek for the sixth time.^[11]

Business activities[link]

He has invested some of his film earnings in Andalusian products, which he promotes in Spain and the US.^[12] He owns 50% of a winery in Villalba de Duero, Burgos, Spain, called Anta Banderas, which produces red and rosé wines.^[13]

He performed a voice-over for a computer-animated bee which can be seen in the United States in television commercials for Nasonex,^[14] an allergy medication, and was seen in the 2007 Christmas advertising campaign for Marks & Spencer, a British retailer.^[15]

He is a veteran of the perfume industry. The actor has been working with fragrance and beauty multinational company Puig for over ten years becoming one of the brand's most successful representatives. Banderas and Puig have successfully promoted a number of fragrances so far – Diavolo, Diavolo for Women, Mediterraneo, Spirit, and Spirit for Women. After the success of Antonio for Men and Blue Seduction for Men in 2007, launched his latest Blue Seduction for Women the following year.^[16]

Personal life[link]

Banderas with Melanie Griffith at the Shrek Forever After premiere.

Banderas divorced his first wife, Ana Leza, and on 14 May 1996, married American actress Melanie Griffith in a private, low-key ceremony in London.^[5][17] They had met a year earlier while shooting Two Much.^[18] Both Griffith and Banderas were married to other people when they first met.^[5] They have a daughter, Stella Banderas, who appeared with her parents in the 1999 film Crazy in Alabama, in which Griffith starred and which Banderas directed.^[12] In 2002, the couple's dedication to philanthropy was recognized when they received the 'Stella Adler Angel Award' for their extensive charity work.^[5]

In 1996, Banderas appeared among other figures of Spanish culture in a video supporting the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party lists in the general election.^[19]

He is a long time supporter of the Málaga CF.^[20]

He is an officer (mayordomo de trono) of a Roman Catholic religious brotherhood in Málaga and travels, with his wife and daughter, during Holy Week to take part in the processions,^[21] although in an interview with People magazine Banderas had once described himself as an agnostic.^[22] In May 2010, Banderas received his honorary doctorate from the University of Málaga in the city where he was born.^[6]

Filmography[link]

Actor[link]

Director and producer[link]

Theater[link]

See also[link]

• List of celebrities who own wineries and vineyards

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Antonio Banderas

• Antonio Banderas appointed Goodwill Ambassador at Bay Ledger
• Antonio Banderas at the Internet Movie Database
• Antonio Banderas at the TCM Movie Database
• Antonio Banderas at the Internet Broadway Database
• Antonio Banderas at Emmys.com

Sarah Brightman
Sarah Brightman performing at the World Athletics Championships 2007 in Osaka
Background information
Born	(1960-08-14) 14 August 1960 (age 51)
Origin	Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England
Genres	Classical crossover, operatic pop, symphonic rock, symphonic metal, pop, new age, rock, dance, electronica, techno, folk, traditional
Occupations	Singer, actress, songwriter, dancer
Instruments	Vocals, piano, keyboards
Years active	1976–present
Labels	A&M (1993) East West (1995–2001) Angel/EMI (1997–2007) Manhattan/EMI (2008–present)
Website	www.sarah-brightman.com

Sarah Brightman (born 14 August 1960) is an English classical crossover soprano, actress, songwriter and dancer. She is famous for possessing a vocal range of over 3 octaves.^[1][2] She sings in many languages including English, Spanish, French, Latin, German, Italian, Russian, Hindi, Mandarin Chinese and Japanese.^[3]

Brightman began her career as a member of the dance troupe Hot Gossip and released several disco singles as a solo performer. In 1981, she made her West End musical theatre debut in Cats and met composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, whom she married. She went on to star in several Broadway musicals, including The Phantom of the Opera, where she originated the role of Christine Daaé. The Original London Cast Album of the musical was released in CD format in 1987 and sold over 40 million copies worldwide, making it the biggest-selling cast album of all time.^[4]

After retiring from the stage and divorcing Lloyd Webber, Brightman resumed her music career with former Enigma producer Frank Peterson, this time as a classical crossover artist. She is often credited as the creator of this genre and remains among the most prominent performers, with worldwide sales of more than 30 million records and 2 million DVDs, establishing herself as the world's best-selling soprano of all time.^[5][6][7] Her duet with the Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli, "Time To Say Goodbye", topped charts all over Europe and became the highest and fastest selling single of all time in Germany, where it stayed at the top of the charts for fourteen consecutive weeks and sold over 3 million copies.^[8][9] It subsequently became an international success selling 12 million copies worldwide.^[10] She has now collected over 180 gold and platinum sales awards in 38 different countries.^[11] In 2010 she was named by Billboard the 5th most influential and top-selling classical artist of the 2000s decade in the US.^[12]

Brightman is the first artist to have been invited twice to perform at the Olympic Games, first at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games where she sang "Amigos Para Siempre" with the Spanish tenor Jose Carreras with an estimated global audience of a billion people, and sixteen years later in Beijing, this time with Chinese singer Liu Huan, performing the song "You and Me" to an estimated 4 billion people worldwide.^[13] Since 2010, Brightman is Panasonic's global brand ambassador. Together they launched the song "Shall Be Done" at the 2010 Winter Games held in Vancouver, Canada.^[14] Brightman is the element of union in Panasonic's signing of Strategic Partnership Agreement with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, as she stars the campaign "The World Heritage Special" that is being aired on the National Geographic Channel in 183 countries and areas.^[15]

In early 2012 Brightman was appointed as the UNESCO artist for peace for the period 2012–2014 for her “commitment to humanitarian and charitable causes, her contribution, throughout her artistic career, to the promotion of cultural dialogue and the exchanges among cultures, and her dedication to the ideals and aims of the Organization”.^[16]

In 2012 In conjunction with Virgin Galactic, The Brightman STEM Scholarship program (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) was launched. It will help young women in the US pursue STEM education across their four year college careers.^[17]

Apart from music, Brightman has begun a film career, making her debut in Repo! The Genetic Opera (2008), a rock opera-musical film directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, and in autumn 2011 and early 2012 Stephen Evans' "First Night", starring opposite Richard E. Grant.^[18][19] In addition, she formed her own production company, Instinct Films, where her first film is in pre-production.^[20] Brightman is the world's richest female classical performer with a fortune of £30m (about US$49m).^[21]

Family and early life[link]

Brightman is the oldest of six children of businessman Grenville Geoffrey Brightman (1934^[22]–1992) and Paula Brightman. She was raised Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, England. At age three, she began taking dance and piano classes and went on to perform in local festivals and competitions.^[23] At age 11, she successfully auditioned for the Arts Education School in Tring Park, a school specialising in performing arts.^[24] At 13, in 1973 Brightman made her theatrical debut in the musical I and Albert at the Piccadilly Theatre, London, playing one of Queen Victoria's daughters (Vickoria). In 1976 she was in the leading TV dance group Pan's People and was later recruited to lead Arlene Phillips' troupe Hot Gossip in 1977. The group had a disco hit in 1978 with "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper", which sold half a million and reached number six on the UK charts. Brightman, now solo, released more disco singles under her own label, Whisper Records, such as "Not Having That!" and a cover of the song "My Boyfriend's Back".^[25] In 1979, Brightman appeared on the soundtrack of the movie "The World Is Full of Married Men" and sang the song "Madam Hyde".

1981–1989: Stage career[link]

In 1981, Brightman auditioned for the new musical Cats and was cast as Jemima. In rehearsals she met Andrew Lloyd Webber. After a year in Cats, Brightman took over from Bonnie Langford as Kate in The Pirates of Penzance at the Drury Lane Theatre, London, and appeared as Tara Treetops in Masquerade, a musical based on Kit Williams's book of the same title. On that year she left to play the title role in Charles Strouse's children's opera, Nightingale.^[26]

Enticed by a rave review, Webber went to watch her in the show one evening and was flabbergasted. It seemed inconceivable that he could have missed such vocal talent when she'd been in his show for a year. It would be an awakening that would alter more than just his perception of her. It would alter the course of their careers and lives. The two married in 1984, and Brightman appeared in many of Lloyd Webber's subsequent musicals including Song and Dance and the mass Requiem, the latter written for her.^[26]

Scarcely a year later, Brightman's crystalline recording of Pie Jesu rocketed up the charts, selling 25,000 copies^[26] on the first day of release and peaking at number 3, no mean feat for a song in Latin. With classical music permeating the Lloyd Webber household (Brightman was in heavy operatic training at the time), Lloyd Webber was moved to write the Requiem Mass as a tribute to young victims of war. Its Manhattan premiere, starring Placido Domingo and Brightman, was filmed by both PBS and the BBC for later broadcast. The LP eventually became UK's top selling classical album of the year and earned Brightman a Grammy nomination as Best New Classical Artist."^[27]

Brightman starred as Christine Daaé in Lloyd Webber's adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera. The role of Christine was written specifically for her.^[27] Lloyd Webber refused to open The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway unless Brightman played Christine. Initially, the American Actors' Equity Association balked, because of their policy that any non-American performer must be an international star. Lloyd Webber had to cast an American in a leading role in his next West End musical before Equity would allow Brightman to appear (a promise he kept in casting Aspects of Love). In the end, it was a compromise that more than paid off. "Phantom" chalked up a staggering $17 million in advance sales prior to opening night on 28 January 1988, and generated a public and media frenzy that is unmatched since.^[28] The original cast album was the first in British musical history to enter the music charts at number one. Album sales now exceed forty million worldwide and it is the biggest selling cast album of all time, and has gone six times platinum in the US, twice platinum in the UK, nine times platinum in Germany, four times platinum in the Netherlands, 21 times platinum in Korea and 17 times platinum in Taiwan.^[29]

After leaving Phantom, she performed in a tour of Lloyd Webber's music throughout England, Canada and the United States, and performed Requiem in the Soviet Union. Studio recordings from this time include the single "Anything But Lonely" from Aspects of Love and two solo albums: the 1988 album The Trees They Grow So High, a compilation of folk songs accompanied by piano, and the 1989 album The Songs That Got Away, a musical theatre compilation of songs cut from shows by composers such as Irving Berlin and Stephen Sondheim, also Brightman sang the song "Make Believe" at the end during the credits of the children's film "Grandpa"; Howard Blake wrote the music and lyrics.^[30]

By 1990, Brightman and Lloyd Webber separated. After their divorce, Brightman played the lead in Lloyd Webber's Aspects in London opposite Michael Praed, before transferring to Broadway.^[31] Her work in Aspects notwithstanding, Brightman steeled herself and set forth to find her own footing. Perhaps the most poignant declaration of independence came in the form of her second solo album from this period, an eclectic but personal collection of folk-rock songs that she had hand-picked. It was a departure from musical theatre and indeed, a departure for Webber himself. More tellingly, the album bore a most prescient title: As I Came of Age.^[26]

1990s: Solo career[link]

After her very successful stage career, Brightman decided to make a fresh start and embark on a solo career. In 1992, Brightman made an appearance with José Carreras at the Barcelona Olympic Games singing the theme song "Amigos Para Siempre" ("Friends forever") to a worldwide audience of 3 billion people. Following her appearance, Brightman travelled to Germany to work with co-producer Frank Peterson of “Enigma” fame The two collaborated on the album “Dive,” released in 1993 a water-themed pop album that featured "Captain Nemo", a cover of a song by the Swedish electronica band Dive.^[32] The album is considered Brightman's first success as a recording solo artist, receiving her first Gold award for exceptional sales in Canada.^[33]

Brightman and Peterson’s second collaboration yielded the pop rock album, Fly (1995). The album catapulted Brightman to fame across Europe, and she unveiled its hit track “A Question of Honor” – a mélange of electronic, rock, classical strings and excerpts from the Alfredo Catalani opera “La Wally”.^[34] The song and the video were introduced at the World Boxing Championship match between Germany's Henry Maske and Graciano Rocchigiani.

	"Question Of Honour" noicon Sample of the Single from Fly
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"Time to Say Goodbye", taken from the album Timeless, released in 1997, was the second song Brightman debuted for Maske, this time at his retirement match. This duet with tenor Andrea Bocelli became an international hit and sold more than 3 million copies in Germany alone,^[35] became Germany's best-selling single, and was successful in numerous other countries; the album eventually sold over 12 million copies worldwide. It is regarded as one of Brightman's and Bocelli's, signature songs.

In March 1998, her own PBS special, Sarah Brightman: In Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, marked the point when she crossed from Billboard's Top Heat seekers chart to the Billboard 200 chart, with Time to Say Goodbye.^[36] The same year, Brightman starred A Gala Christmas in Vienna along side Placido Domingo, Helmut Lottie and Riccardo Cocciante singing traditional Christmas carols.^[37] On 7 April 1998 she was one of the guest stars in Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th Birthday Celebration singing Hossanaa with Dennis O'Neill, Pie Jesu, Phantom of the Opera with Antonio Banderas, All I Ask of You with Michael Ball and Music of the Night.^[38]

With the success of Timeless, Brightman felt freer to put herself into her next endeavour. Brightman released her next album, Eden in 1998. She hand-selected each song and convinced the Academy Award-winning Italian composer Ennio Morricone to let her set lyrics to one of his film compositions, “Gabriel’s Oboe” from the film “The Mission” resulting in the now legendary “Nella Fantasia”.

The release of Eden also led to a concert tour of the same name, Brightman’s first world tour and a huge success. Eden reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Classical Crossover chart and No. 65 on the Billboard 200 charts and was certified Gold.

2000–2004: Further international success[link]

	"Deliver Me" noicon Sample of the Single from Eden
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This article may contain wording that merely promotes the subject without imparting verifiable information. Please remove or replace such wording, unless you can cite independent sources that support the characterization. (May 2012)

Next came the album La Luna. For this album, Brightman chose songs drawing on influences as diverse as pop, vintage jazz, and high opera, in homages to Dvorak, Beethoven and Billie Holliday. La Luna also reached No. 1 on the US Billboard Top Internet Albums and peaked at No. 17, with 900.000 US sales reaching Gold.^[12] In 2000 Brightman’s PBS La Luna concert, she sang There for Me in a duet with an up and coming star, Josh Groban. At the end of 2001, Billboard magazine noted Brightman as the most important classical crossover artist from the UK.^[39]

In 2000, Brightman sold more records than Elton John and the Rolling Stones, becoming America's highest-selling and top touring British artist.^[40]

Brightman ventured for the first time into film acting in 2000 when she was part of the cast of the German film "Zeit der Erkenntnis", based on Rosamunde Pilcher book.^[41]

In 2001, Brightman released Classics, an anthology including highlights from three of Brightman's chart-topping releases along with seven new tracks; this was released worldwide except Europe. In the US the album peaked at No. 66 on the Billboard's 200 charts and promptly went Gold.^[42] It reached No. 2 on Billboard's Classical Crossover charts.

Her 2003 album Harem represented another departure: a Middle Eastern-themed album influenced by dance music. On Harem, Brightman collaborated with artists such as Ofra Haza and Iraqi singer Kazem al-Saher. Nigel Kennedy contributed violin tracks to the songs "Free" and "The War is Over", and Jaz Coleman contributed arrangements.^[27]

The album peaked at No. 29 on the Billboard 200 charts,^[43] No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover chart, No. 1 on the Swedish Album Chart, and yielded a No. 1 dance/club single with the remix of the title track. Some time later, another single from the album (the ballad "Free", cowritten with Sophie B. Hawkins) became a second Top-10 hit on this chart. A year later of the album's release, Harem was referred as a multi-million seller in EMI's annual music sales report.^[44]

The albums Eden, La Luna and Harem were accompanied by live world tours which incorporated the theatricality of her stage origins. In both 2000 and 2001, Brightman was among the top 10 most popular British performers in the US, with concert sales grossing $7.2 million from 34 shows in 2000 and over $5 million from 21 shows in 2001.^[45] In 2004 the Harem tour grossed $60 million and sold 800,000 tickets.^[27]

2006–2008: Diva and Symphony[link]

Sarah Brightman performing during her Symphony World Tour in Auburn Hills.

Brightman released a DVD collection of her music videos on 3 October 2006 under the title of Diva: The Video Collection. The Singles Collection is the accompanying CD, released on the same date. The album marked the first time Brightman has released a greatest hits album in the United States; it reached No. 1 on the Billboard Classical Crossover chart. Her other reflective offerings for Europe were The Very Best of 1990-2000 and Classics: The Best of Sarah Brightman.

During this time, subsequent appearances include the Concert for Diana in July 2007, where she sang "All I Ask of You" from The Phantom of the Opera with Josh Groban. Around 15 million people from across the UK watched Concert for Diana at home, and it was broadcast to over 500 million homes in 140 countries; On 7 July 2007 Brightman performed four songs ("Nessun Dorma", "La Luna", "Nella Fantasia" and "Time to Say Goodbye") and debuted her single "Running" at the 2007 IAAF Championships in Osaka, Japan on 25 August.^[46] She also participated at the 2007 Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, where she performed "The Journey Home" on the Jolly Polly Pirate Ship.^[47] She recorded a duet with Anne Murray singing "Snowbird" on Murray's 2007 album Anne Murray Duets: Friends and Legends.^[48]

On May 2007, Brightman was invited along with Lesley Garrett to sing at the Wembley Stadium in London the anthem " Abide With Me before the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester United.^[49]

At a dinner held at The Mansion House, on 10 September 2008, His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales highlighted the urgent need for action to halt tropical deforestation. The Prince invited Brightman to sing at the event they hosted to engage the financial community in the task of finding a solution to the problem of making rainforests worth more alive than dead. The music performed was Nella Fantasia (used in the soundtrack of the movie The Mission) and further declared a Hymn to the rainforests.^[50]

On 29 January 2008, Brightman released her first album in five years: Symphony, influenced by gothic music.^[51] In the United States, it became Brightman's most successful chart entry and also her highest ranked album on Billboard's "Top 200 Albums". It was also a No. 1 album on two other Billboard's charts: "Top Internet Albums" and "Top Classical Crossover Albums". The album moved there 32,033 copies in first week,^[52] according to Nielsen Soundscan. The album was a Multi-Platinum and a top 5 release in China, Taiwan, Canada, Mexico, Japan, and Poland, and a top 20 across Europe.^[53][54]

Featured on the album were artists Andrea Bocelli, Fernando Lima, and KISS vocalist Paul Stanley, who duets with Brightman on "I Will Be with You", the album version of the theme song to the 10th Pocket Monsters motion picture, Dialga VS Palkia VS Darkrai (Pokémon: The Rise of Darkrai).^[55] On 16 January 2008, she also appeared in concert at Vienna’s Stephansdom Cathedral, performing songs from her new album. Special guests who sang duets with Brightman include Italian tenor Alessandro Safina, Argentinean countertenor Fernando Lima, and British singer Chris Thompson.

Sarah Brightman performing in "Live Heart Concert" in China (2007).

She performed two songs, "Pie Jesu" and "There You'll Be", at the United States Memorial Day concert on 25 May 2008 held on the west lawn of the United States Capitol in Washington D.C.. The top-rated show was broadcast live on PBS before a concert audience of 300,000 and millions more at home, as well as to American troops serving around the world on the American Forces Radio and Television Network.^[56][57] Brightman made her feature film debut as Blind Mag in the rock musical film Repo! The Genetic Opera which was released on 7 November 2008.^[58][59][60] Brightman was cast in the film at the last minute after the original actress who was cast for the role was dropped.^[60] On 8 August 2008, Brightman was honoured to sing the Olympic theme song, "You and Me", with Chinese star Liu Huan in both Mandarin and English at the Beijing Olympics opening ceremony. The event appeased the already established supreme popularity and recognition of Brightman in the Asian country. The performance was broadcast to over five billion viewers. In the 26 hours after the performance, "You and Me" was downloaded 5.7 million times.^[61][62]

On 4 November 2008, Brightman released her first holiday album, entitled A Winter Symphony, the album debuted at number No. 38 on the Billboard Top 200 and scored a number six in the Top Holiday Albums, being the first entry for Brightman on this chart.^[63] To accompany Symphony and A Winter Symphony, Brightman embarked on a tour in Autumn 2008; "The Symphony World Tour" featured new and groundbreaking technology, with virtual and holographic stage sets that had never been seen before in any touring concert production.^[64]

2009–2010: Rise in Latin American and Asian markets[link]

Following her performance at the Beijing Olympics, Brightman was appointed as the Shanghai 2010 World Expo Promotion Ambassador in Britain. In anticipation of the Expo, she launched "Shanghai Week in London", which showcases the city's heritage and culture.^[65]

In response to persistent calls for a global release of the Symphony: Live in Vienna concert, EMI Music launched worldwide the PBS special which features Brightman's landmark performance at Vienna’s St. Stephen's Cathedral on 16 January 2008, in both audio and visual formats. The Symphony – Live in Vienna television special debuted on PBS in March 2008 during the network’s spring pledge drive and aired throughout the month. The album broke all-time records of sales in Taiwan and experienced success in certain Latin American markets.^[66]

The music of Brightman was featured in the movie Amarufi: Megami no hôshû (international title: Amalfi: Rewards of the Goddess), which was a special production to mark Fuji Television's 50th anniversary. The first Japanese movie to be shot entirely on location in Italy. In conjunction with the release of the movie Amalfi, Brightman released only in Japan an album titled Amalfi - Sarah Brightman Love Songs which reached Gold status in the aforementioned country.^[67][68]

Brightman performing in the Concert of the Pyramid in Chichen Itza, Mexico.

Autumn 2009 saw Brightman starting a new concert tour called Sarah Brightman In Concert covering Latin America with 13 sold-out performances in Mexico, Venezuela, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina, and Brazil. The last venue of the tour, "The Concert of the Pyramid" featured Brightman performing a concert at the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, an UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the New Seven Wonders of the World.^[69]

The year closed as Symphony: Live in Vienna was listed as the thirteenth best-selling album of the year in Mexico.^[70] (In 2008 she also had 2 top-selling albums in the country: Symphony and A Winter Symphony in the 29 and 83 spots respectively)^[71]

Given the increasing popularity of Brightman in Asia, the artist toured there in late 2010 with 5 gigs in Tokyo alone, followed by presentations on Kanazawa, Nagoya, Osaka in Japan, Macau in China and Seoul in South Korea. The singer headed to perform in private events in Canada and Ukraine as well as part of the tour.^[72][73][74]

On 3 November 2010, Brightman was invited to sing at the Tōdai-ji Buddhist temple complex located in the city of Nara, Japan. The temple is a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site as "Historic Monuments of Ancient Nara".^[75][76] The concert was recorded and later broadcasted nationwide by TBS network.^[77]

On 27 January 2011 Hunan Broadcasting System, China's second biggest television network after China Central Television (CCTV) invited Brightman to participate in their Spring Festival, analogous celebration to the New Year's celebrations in the Western countries. She sang Scarborough Fair -Brightman's evergreen song in China- and Nessun Dorma.^[78] For the first time it was revealed that Brightman charges an average of US$ 150,000 for interpretation in such events as Chinese media remarked.^[79] When announcing the arrival of Brightman in their country, local press took the opportunity to mention China's appreciation and gratitude for the singer by her donations for the development of that area of China after the Wenchuan earthquake.^[80]

Her popularity continues to rise remarkably in Asia, with high profile appearances and sales. Brightman was South Korea's best-selling international artist of 2010 with her album Diva: The Singles Collection charting the almost the whole year in the No. 1 spot ahead Mariah Carey, Michael Jackson, Eminem, among others. The album was released in 2006, but charted again in both 2009 and 2010 when Brightman toured there with the Symphony World Tour and Sarah Brightman In Concert With Orchestra. Diva was certified Double Platinum in South Korea. Also, her digital single "Nella Fantasia" has sold 2 million copies in the country.^[81]

In Argentina she dominates the charts and holds with her albums the #1,#2,#3,#4,#7,#8 and No. 11 positions on the country's top 20's list of the best-selling classical records of the year.^[82]

While receiving the UNESCO Artist for Peace Award, Brightman announced that she is recording a new studio album set for a late 2012 release and will embark on another World Tour in 2013.

Philanthropy[link]

Since January 2010, Brightman is Panasonic's global Brand Ambassador. Together they launched the song "Shall Be Done" at Panasonic's Olympic Pavilion at Live City Yaletown, the official celebration site of the 2010 Winter Games held in Vancouver, Canada. The lyrics of the song express Panasonic's vision for the next generation as well as Brightman's vision, infusing the spirit of 'ideas for life' of contribution for a sustainable society. The song has been used in a wide range of global promotional activities including stores, advertising, exhibitions and other events.

On February 8, 2012 Brightman accepted the UNESCO nomination to be an “Artist For Peace” Ambassador.^[83] Additionally, she is actively engaged in Panasonic's UNESCO World Heritage Centre endeavors, and stars in their The World Heritage Special campaign.

2010-Present[link]

Back in the United States she appeared on America's Got Talent's on September 2010 finale episode before that season's winner was revealed. Brightman was the celebrity guest duetting with ten year old contestant Jackie Evancho. ^[84]

On October 1 & 2 2011, she made a special appearance during the finale of The Phantom of the Opera at The Albert Hall; a fully staged production performed at the famous London venue - marking 25 years since the musical received its world premiere. Introduced as his "Angel of Music" by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Brightman performed the title song backed by five past, present and future Phantoms. The production front of an audience of 5,500 was broadcast live into cinemas around the globe including in the U.S, around Europe, Canada, Japan and Australia.^[85]

Awards[link]

Sarah Brightman has received over 180 Gold and Platinum sales awards in over 40 different countries around the world including United States, Australia, Japan, UK, China, Mexico, Canada and Germany.^[86]

Stage credits[link]

Musicals[link]

• I and Albert (as Vicky and street waif), 1973 Picadilly Theatre, London
• Cats (as Jemima), 1981 New London Theatre
• The Pirates of Penzance (as Kate), 1982
• Masquerade (as Tara Treetops), 1982
• Nightingale (as Nightingale), 1982 Buxton Festival and the Lyric, Hammersmith
• Song and Dance (as the girl), Palace Theatre in London on 28 April 1984
• The Merry Widow (as Valencienne), 1985
• The Phantom of the Opera (as Christine Daaé), 1986 Her Majesty's Theatre London, 1988 Broadway
• Aspects of Love (as Rose Vibert), 1990

Plays[link]

• Trelawny of the Wells (as Rose Trelawney), 1992
• Relative Values (as Miranda Frayle), 1993 Chichester Festival and Savoy Theatre
• Dangerous Obsession (as Sally Driscoll), 1994 Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke
• The Innocents (as Miss Giddens), 1995 Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke

Filmography[link]

• Granpa, 1989 animated children's film, singing "Make Believe" over the end credits
• Brokedown Palace, 1999 singing "Deliver me".
• Zeit der Erkenntnis, 2000 feature film (Germany), as herself
• Repo! The Genetic Opera, 2008 feature film, as Blind Mag
• Amarufi: Megami no hôshû (Amalfi: Rewards of the Goddess), 2009 feature film (Japan), as herself
• First Night (aka Cosi), 2010 feature film, as Celia

Selected discography[link]