Sarah Brightman

Suffice it to say Sarah Brightman is one class act. Known for her soaring soprano and waif-like demeanor, she's musical theater's leading lady... a diva deluxe... and, it might be noted, Andrew Lloyd Weber's ex. She's also a pop princess, with credits that include more than 26 million albums sold worldwide and megagigs like the opening ceremonies for the recent Beijing Olympics, the star-studded Concert for Diana, the Shanghai Live Earth show, and Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Add to that her genre-defying diversity, which has transitioned her from Lloyd Weber's world of lavish stage spectaculars to crossover collaborations with the likes of Andrea Bocelli and Kiss' Paul Stanley. OK, we gotta admit that last one threw us too. The point is, Brightman has the ability to break through barriers. Even the holidays are a bit more earnest with Brightman, thanks to her new album — the aptly titled A Winter Symphony, her first collection of seasonal songs. In concert, that versatility becomes all the more apparent. Whether she'll be belting out songs from Phantom, Cats, and her ex's other monster musicals remains to be seen, but Brightman does borrow the lessons she learned on Broadway and London's West End. Expect to encounter some over-the-top opulence in her stage show as well.