Sarah Brightman, 'A Winter Symphony'

The buzz: As a classically trained dancer and singer, disco star, and one-time wife and muse of Andrew Lloyd Webber, pop soprano Sarah Brightman has led a gifted life. Small wonder, then, that she has decided to tackle holiday spirituals and standards, as well as songs by Neil Diamond and Vince Gill, which have been orchestrally upgraded by composers Carsten Heusmann and Frank Peterson for those who love swelling scores.

The verdict: Brightman's high register and angelic pipes are an acquired taste, as they never leave their comfortable nest. But that's the soprano's gig, and it comes in very handy on revisions of Bach's "Ave Maria" and "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"—pop symphonies that ought to make classical fans feel right at home. However, with more contemporary arrangements like "Arrival" or the rousing "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Every Day," Brightman's fragile throat is overshadowed by aggressive arrangements. She works best on her own or with spare soundtracking, such as on her covers of Neil Diamond's "I've Been This Way Before" or Vince Gill's "Colder Than Winter."

Did you know? Brightman sang lead vocals on the 1978 disco single "I Lost My Heart to a Starship Trooper," which capitalized on "Star Wars" mania and became a British hit.

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