The profound life of gold and platinum selling British classical crossover soprano leads her now to this new addition in her catalogue. Symphony is an epic operatic lament with soaring performances from Brightman and a full symphonic score complete with choir. It's got an overall dark atmosphere allowing Brightman's clear bright voice to beam like a shot of light.

Still, the album, to me, represents some kind of commercial formula for classical crossovers; and who really needs a classical crossover? If you enjoy classical music and Opera you listen to it for it's own sake. Hearing a more controlled and epic Evanesence isn't necessarily a good thing. Evanesence was raw and bore it's beauty eloquently without pretensions. The music brought out the heart in hardcore. Sarah Brightman is just syrupy and over-produced.

I can't deny the technical merit and the ability of Brightman's voice but the music isn't subtle enough for my tastes. I find the songs lacking a conviction outside of their note-for-note perfection, and to be melodramatic and overwrought instead of dynamic and slowly piercing.

The more classical pieces on the album stand above the hybrids, which end up being flat and pretty boring actually. Perhaps for enthusiasts of musicals this will ease them into more contemporary tastes, but not all of us need a compression chamber to enjoy current music which has a more complete impact.