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Product Description

Superstar crossover vocalist Sarah Brightman greets the new millennium with an even surer, bolder sense of her unique musical niche than that evident from 1999's Eden. Like Eden, La Luna is a concept album only in a vaguely free-associative sense. The selection of material here touches on images of the moon that reinforce its ambiguity as a force known to draw together "the lunatic, the lover, and the poet" (Brightman's photo shoots for the album do seem to suggest a sort of Titania-like figure out of a New Age Midsummer Night's Dream). And it's a stylistic as well as thematic voyage, coursing from such contemporary sounds as synth pop (on "This Love") through vintage jazz standards (Billie Holiday's atmospheric and haunting "Gloomy Sunday") to high opera for the title track (a version of the sublime "Song of the Moon" from Dvor¨¢k's fairy-tale opera Rusalka), and drawing elsewhere on the gorgeously sinuous melodies of Bach, Handel, and Rachmaninov--one song, "Figlio Perduto," even adapts the slow movement of Beethoven's Seventh Symphony. Throughout, producer Frank Peterson swathes Brightman's shiny small voice in luxuriant fabrics of sound. Detractors will lament the resulting sameness of tone--no matter what the style involved--but Brightman's focus on spinning an ethereal spell never gets eclipsed. This domestic release includes three tracks not available on the import version and has a special treat hidden in the final track as a bonus. --Thomas May

Sarah Brightman Photos

More from Sarah Brightman

Time to Say Goodbye	Diva: The Singles Collection	Eden
Diva: The Video Collection	Harem	La Luna (Live in Concert)

Japanese reissue version of Sara Brightman's 2000 release, La Luna. This version comes with one bonus track. 16 tracks total. EMI. 2008.

Customer Reviews:

• La hija de la luna
  The dark, glacial, other-worldly beauty of La Luna is a marvel!
  Sarah might not have connected all the pieces with the moon, but it does capture the mood of what the moon is like: dark, freezing, mysterious, mythical, the list goes on.
  
  La Lune- This French pop song opens the cd and perfectly captures the mood.
  
  Winter in July- The melody is catchy, but I like the lyrics better; they are often very profound.
  
  Scarborough Fair- This is so beautiful. This is such a quaint little piece! The way Sarah pronounces "fair" sends shivers down your back; it's so perfect! The song itself doesn't do much for her range, but it's just nice to listen to.
  
  He Doesn't See Me- Wonderful. the music isn't particularly beautiful, but the lyrics and the story they tell are very emotional.
  
  Serenade- she put the Sarah in "serenade"!
  
  How Fair This Place- I imagine being in a moonlit meadow, in just a very heavenly place.
  
  Hijo De La Luna- Catchy tune and very tragic story!
  
  La Califfa- One of the most beautiful pieces ever composed! It is soft, ethereal, other-worldly and the lyrics are dark and yet spiritually uplifting.
  
  La Luna- THE big number! Sarah sings with such beauty, but she sings too much with her pop voice.
  
  Overall, this music soars to the highest heights....more info
• Sarah
  Just as wonderful on the album as it was live. She really knows how to make her audience want MORE!...more info
• Hauntingly Beautiful
  This is the album that got me hooked on Sarah Brightman. Whenever I think of beautiful, haunting albums, I think of this one. Sarah picked the moon as a fantastic theme. What is more romantic or beautiful or haunting then a full moon? The title track, La Luna, is an Italian version of 'Song to the Moon' from the opera Rusalka. Some of my other favorite tracks are Figlio Perduto, which is new age classical type, A Whiter Shade of Pale, which is a pop song, and Hijo de la Luna, which is a fabulous Spanish song with a sad story. This is one of Sarah's best albums, along with Time to Say Goodbye and Surrender. I think this is actually her best album ever. Something about this just keeps drawing me to it. I will cherish this forever....more info
• One of the best
  Since i'm in high school i never really heard sarah brightman before i figure she was just another classical singer but i (of course)was wrong from Winter in July to Hijo de la luna.She is a beautful singer with a wonderful voice.I loved it and i really didn't think i would to be honest,being that my favorite band is mega deth(old rock band)but since i have heard her la luna cd i have bought almost every single one of her cds.Her voice though this whole cd is clear and pure. I also love the fact that she has a orchestra instead of just bass,guitar,and drums. It makes her music really stand out and help add on to the emotions as to make you feel like they are your own emotions.It doesn't matter if you a rock fan or a pop fan everybody and every gene of music can enjoy at least one or two songs.A cd well worth the money....more info
• Great album
  Wonderful album. The unique voice and style of Sarah Brightman shines through in this album. A must have for any fan....more info
• Beautiful
  I haven't got much to say about this album other than check out the track "He Doesn't See Me." Gorgeous!...more info
• Getting better all the time
  Another great thematic outing. Like an all-star pitcher who toys with you, showing you a slow curve, then a change-up, then an off-speed slider, just before knocking your socks off with that legendary 100+ mile-an-hour fast ball, Sarah Brightman's sweet, fragile, little-girl voice sets you up with a quaint pop ballad just before hitting you with that glass-breaking aria. And that's her charm and allure - the suppressed power always lurking just beneath the surface that can explode at any time to knock the audience out of its seat. She's probably done more for classical music than a thousand symphony charity balls. A unique niche she is carving out for herself in world music....more info
• Outstanding Vocals and Music
  This is an all time classic. Sarah Brightman's performance is outstanding....more info
• Suzie's favorites
  I love this cd very very much. Sarah really stands out so much in
  her music because the harmony in her soprano tone is very very
  crystal clear that would never break a glass she keeps her's very
  dramatic-in the way she sings is so so beautiful but also seeing
  her as a person her uniqueness is that she is very very beautiful very beautiful. She keeps her harmony in tact if it doesn't then there is a problem she may get a sore throat or a strep throat I suggest that she has to go and see a throat specialist they are like a good samaritan they could help opera singers like her-the only thing that help her throat if she wants to keep her harmony in tact is a lots of water and breathing in and out very lightly deep. I am a compassionate person is because I really look out for people the things they go through like singing-celebrity singers out there should be careful when they sing. Sarah's song "A Whiter Shade Of Pale" is
  very dramatic because it sounds like it has a version about a ghostly tale that's what I like about songs. I really like Sarah's romantic ballad "Gloomy Sunday" it's very poetical when you look at the lyric's of that song-take it from me I write poetry all my life and I know what it's like reading beautiful or flowery words. I give this cd a score-30....more info
• Bravo, Sarah!
  This is the very first cd I purchased by Sarah. All I can say is WOW. Every song on this cd is put together beautifully, and Sarah's voice soars. This cd is a MUST for every Sarah Brightman fan!...more info
• Amazing!!!!
  I've never been paying attention to her, but after I borrowed her La Luna CD from public library, and listened to one of her songs from this album This Love becomes one of my greatest songs all times. Now, surely I like her, and I cannot wait for her Christmas album. Her Scarborough Fair..........is so wonderful. ...more info
• As Good As EDEN & TIME TO SAY GOODBYE!!!
  ~..which is saying a lot! These 3 Sarah B. albums are among the most timeless pop/classical albums ever recorded! Every song here on LA LUNA is worth the price, and there are some really incredible pieces! (1) The tune based on Beethoven's 7th Symphony Slow Movement, (2) Scarboro Fair, (3) Whiter Shade of Pale, and (4) most amazing of all the very strange and mysterious Gloomy Sunday, among the most haunting ballads ever, and here done to perfection! I've heard this song was banned in France for~~ its suicidal interpretation during WW II, much like Goethe's "Sorrows of Young Werther" over 200 years ago! Any Sarah CD is worth while, but this may be her best! . And for a nice final touch , MOON RIVER ,which is not even mentioned in the album notes! l~...more info
• There is honesty on this album
  This CD is the best release of last year, and unlike what I used to think, there IS honesty throughout on "La Luna." I didn't see honesty in Britney Spears' "Oops I Did It Again" or N Sync's "No Strings Attached" (both of which [were bad]). Sarah is honest because she did what her fans wanted: to make them happy somehow. She turns in every piece with admiration, thought, dignity, and purity. And I love "A Whiter Shade of Pale," especially as this arrangement. As you probably know, that piece has been remixed (and those remixers did a great job) and is available as a 10-track CD single here with 5 remixes of "A Question of Honour" and enhanced CD features. Check 'em out....more info
• great but not as good as the other two album
  This is another great CD from Sarah. But not as good as "Time to say goodbye" and "Eden"....more info
• Simply Amazing
  This is the first Sarah CD i bought myself, having listend to 'timeless' several times that i have permanently borrowed from my mum. I love it, I cant say if its my favourite because I love all her work.

  None one of the tracks on this album are bad

  I really love 'Figlio Perduto', 'A whiter shade of pale', La Califfa', 'La Luna' and the hidden track at the end that follows after 'La Luna', 'Moon River'. Its all a very moving album, and takes you into a different world. I find it all very relaxing, even the more upbeat tracks. I really love 'La Califfa' its so beautiful. La Luna is great, as she makes it her own, its not the typical 'song to the moon'. I have wanted to write a review for ages, now I am here doing it, im finding it hard to put what i think into words. All I can say is, its an amzing album, don't listen to anyone who says otherwise. Her voice is very distinctave(however it is spelt) and the songs are all beautifuly sang.

  From buying this album, I have went onto to buy every other albums she has and appears in....more info

• Beautiful music...
  This album is wonderful. The songs are beautiful, and Sarah's voice is so soothing. Very good album, I highly recommend it....more info
• Over the top
  What pulls this up to 3 stars is Brightman's voice; what pull it down to 3 stars is the extreme way-over-the-top production. I had to make sure it wasn't produced by Phil Specter. Well it was actually Frank Peterson who manages to throw everything at us, including an echo chamber, reverb, distortion, lush strings, drums, a choir - I think I even heard a bagpipe in one cut. This is what they did with Paris Hilton to hide the fact she can't sing. Well, Sarah can sing but you really have to work to hear it. She got some bad advice on this one. Hope she can find a producer who can highlight her marvelous voice and not cover it with all that extraneous noise....more info
• The Most Touching Cd Ever
  Actually I would rate this cd to be 10 stars because Sarah Brightman has such a unique and absolutely wonderful voice that 5 stars just doesn't cover it. This is one cd you will love. I highly recommend it, along with her other cd's. This is one cd purchase you will not regret. Plus her La Luna concert is marvelous also. She performs so incredible that you will watch it over and over again, I guarantee it. If you haven't seen that concert than you REALLY need to because you will fall in love with her music. She has great outfits in the concert and she will blow you away with her music. She is truley a legend and she will continue to amaze us with her talent. Don't delay purchasing the cd today. You will love it!!!...more info
• what can you ask for more?
  i bought many of her CDs. this one a pure enjoyment. what can you ask for more in this world? i enjoy playing this album at night because it has the power to bring me to another world where my heart can find a moment peace. LOVE SARAH!!!! ...more info
• Everythings great for Sarah Brightman (again)...
  My best friend played La Luna for me two years ago...and since then, I have been hooked. But, throughout my various phases, La Luna has always been my favourite album. Not very many people have talent like Sarah shows on this album, and she showcases it wonderfully. And to top it off, imagine my surprise when, after listening to the whole album on a long trip, I discovered that my absolute favourite song ever was the extra track. Sarah does a wonderful job doing what she does, and I will love this album forever....more info
• you like her; i despise her
  i despise this type of singing. 0 star....more info
• Ethereal Goddess Returns
  Angel of music Sarah Brightman emerges as an ethereal goddess of the moon in this album. A misty collage of images and sounds that associate with the moon, the album is has no fixed genre but lets listeners paint a picture in their minds.
  
  A journey from classical to contemporary music, Brightman succeeds in creating a mystical and frosty atmosphere- sound that wraps around the room like silk shawl.
  
  The album cover design is almost as important as the music itself. Brightman- considerably lighter (in weight) than when we last saw her- is portrayed floating in the sky, eyes closed.
  
  One of the best tracks is Scarborough Fair which is a lovely tune in itself. Brightman's slight, quivering voice goes well with the atmosphere of faded memories. La Califfa is an Ennio Morricone arrangement for Brightman from the famous film Cinema Paradiso. Although Brightman sings songs that were already sung by many other people, her unique colour is deeply seeped into each piece. Producer Frank Peterson has also done a magnificent job of weaving in Brightman's thin silk thread voice into a tapestry of luxuriant sounds.
  
  It cannot be said that Brightman sang particularly well, sometimes her thin voice can be rather annoying, and from beginning to end, the album is monotone in character, but the beautiful melodies compensate. I would expect that people would either love the album or hate it, depending on whether or not they like Brightman's voice. The Korean license includes the Bee Gee's First of May which isn't available in the U.S. version. Three and half stars out of five....more info
• problems...
  There is a problem with La Luna.... It's too boring!! It's far more boring than her other works. And as usual, Sarah's weak voice doesn't help her out at all.

  Winter In July - A good song, but it gets boring...

  Figlio Perduto - One of the two songs that's not boring. The only song that's worth hearing.

  A Whiter Shade of Pale - I didn't like this at all.

  He Doesn't See Me - BORING

  How Fair This Place - Again, this shows off Sarah's weak voice.
  
  Hijo De La Luna - great song. not boring at all.

  Solo Con Te - AWFUL!!! I have heard lots of sopranos sing this song, but Sarah's is the worst!! Wagnerian singer Kirsten Flagstad's version is really beautiful, I recommend that recording, but not this. This was simply a torture to my ears!!

  La Luna - I have written something about this in my rewiew for "Classics". Sarah's voice is too weak to sing this. Listen to Renee Fleming's Moon Song and compare it with Sarah's. Fleming's version has more power and emotion. It brang tears to my eyes....more info

• You CAN judge a book (or album) by its cover!
  Who says you can't judge a book by its cover? I bought this album on a whim because I liked the cover and lo and behold, it's become one of my favorite CDs. Sarah has one of the most lovely voices I've ever heard, and doesn't scream like some sopranos do. She's famous for her covers of other artists' songs, and her choice of covers here is interesting. Dido's "Here With Me," anyone? In my opinion, the best tracks are "Winter in July" and "Scarborough Faire," but they are all great, of course. All I can say is.. buy this album- it's beautiful!...more info
• Zardoz fans rejoice
  After nearly 30 years since Zardoz, the haunting Beethoven 7th Symphony allegretto, has a version worth the memory (Figlio Perduto). I've been searching for a version, with voice, for so long. Thank you Sarah....more info
• My Favorite Brightman Album To Date
  For those who don't know, Sarah Brightman creates concept albums. She chooses a theme, and everything from costuming, photos, concert design, song choice all revolve around the chosen theme. The theme for this album is La Luna, or, The Moon.

  What I enjoyed most about this album was how well everything came together to create a mood and atmosphere. The music held the theme so tightly together that it might as well have been glued to the the concept she had in mind. What you get with La Luna is a bit of fantasy that's ethereal and haunting, cold yet passionate, and every bit as fantastic as its predecessor, Eden.

  Most people have heard Scarborough Fair and Dvorak's Song to the Moon, both of which are included on this album, so I'll use them as examples. Both these songs are very passionate songs, but they're both dignified, quiet, and a little mysterious (and mystery, after all, is distance). Most the songs on La Luna are of this vein and style. There's an element of fantasy and mystery in this production. Some songs draw upon folktales to lend a dark, mysterious quality to the album.

  There really is an element of elegant mystery to La Luna which is fascinating. Though some may complain that no runaway hits emerged from La Luna, I say that despite the lack of hit singles, the album as a whole was a success.

  Here are some of the songs that stood out for me:

  -Her rendition of Scarborough Fair is the best I've heard. Her voice is gorgeous, smooth, and perfect for the song.

  -Figlio Perduto is, perhaps, the standout song on this album. For those who know their Beethoven, the music for this song is adapted from Beethoven's 7th symphony allegretto. The lyrics are based on the German poem Erlk?nig (King of Elves), written by Johann Goethe. It's a very haunting piece, and the power of Brightman's voice builds to an impressive climactic ending. Basically. The song tells a story (in Italian) about a boy who is spirited away by the king of elves. It's definitely an homage to Skandinavian folklore, much of which were more like horror stories than the sugarcoated faery tales of modern day. This song definitely is a tip of the hat to 'old' faery tales and is regarded by many as a beautiful song.

  -'This Love' is a song I greatly enjoy. It's laid back, but it definitely requires vocal agility and a lot of feeling. Sarah's mentioned on one of her DVDs that this song was particularly difficult to sing because it required a lot out of the singer, but it still needed to maintain its laid-back quality. Elizabeth Fraser (of Cocteau Twins) co-wrote and sang the original song. I LOVED the original version, and Sarah's version definitely does the original justice.

  -Sarah delivers a gorgeous 'Gloomy Sunday' while showing off a different, jazzier side of her voice.

  I'll stop before I start listing and going off about all the other songs. Indeed, I love almost every song off this album. I've enjoyed this album as a whole more than any of her other albums.

  While I preferred the UK version's She Doesn't See Him to the re-worded US version's He Doesn't See Me (and I also preferred 'First of May' as a bonus track over the US version's 'Moon River'), I'm still very partial to this version.

  She ventures occasionally into pop territory with 'Winter in July' and Dido's 'Here With Me,' but I think her voice is still best suited for the more classic songs (note: I didn't say 'classical'). Despite this, however, I still enjoyed 'A Whiter Shade of Pale.'

  What you'll get with La Luna is a versatile collection sure to please any music enthusiast who enjoys great voices. If you like this album, do make sure to check her La Luna Concert DVD! =)...more info

• It stays with you.
  By rights I should hate this CD. A long time fan of 4AD/Cocteau Twins/Dead Can Dance type of moody music, I kind of took the high snobbery attitude that Enya, Sarah Brightman and whoever else "mainstream" weren't good enough for my high musical tastes.

  Then I had tickets to the Luna Show given to me. I was blown away by the show, and bought the album. Again, the theory is I should really dislike this CD, all covers, some of old sixties tunes, one tune (This Love) a cover of a song sung by St. Liz Fraser of Cocteau's fame. Blasphemous!

  But the stuff stays with you. It sticks in your head and you find yourself humming it absentmindedly. Then you found yourself searching it out for another listen then it really clicks and you can't stop listening and your off buying her other ones.

  La Luna really clicked for me in a certain moment. This summer I vacationed in the Azores off the coast of Portugal. I am from the middle of Canada, 1000's of miles away from any ocean. Imagine rediscovering the magic of moonlight reflecting on the ocean. Now imagine it while listening to La Luna! It's that kind of a CD.

  Anyways, now that I sound totally pompous, if you enjoy her other CD's I am sure you'll dig this one. If your like me and discounted her music before giving it a spin, do yourself a favour and try this, I don't think you'll be disappointed....more info