Symphony is a trademark Sarah Brightman album. It sits dead center on the crossroads of classical crossover, pop, and musical theater with a dash of the unclassifiable tossed in for good measure. It's where she's been forever, and despite all the star power on board, it's more than a safe bet that this is exactly what EMI wanted from her -- something to bring back the masses.

It's not unpleasant to listen to; not a bit. The reprise of her first duet appearance with Bocelli is a firm showcase of both voices, and "Sarai Qui" with Safina may be one of the two best things here. While the arrangements threaten at every turn to do in that big range vocal power of Brightman's and come dangerously close at times, the entwining of the pair's voices is as sweet as cane sugar and as dramatic as the pain of forced separation of star-crossed lovers on the big screen.

As for "Pasi_n," Lima's voice, with all of its high tenor acrobatics, is as lilting as her light soprano. It may work in the theater, it may work in the movies, but it doesn't work at all on a recording standing on its own. "I Will Be with You (Where the Lost Ones Go)" with Stanley is a bit of a cheat but it is welcome camp. Brightman originally recorded this song for the Pokeman soundtrack with Chris Thompson (formerly of Manfred Mann). Stanley's voice doesn't have the sheer effortless glide that Thompson's does. With acoustic guitars all but drowned in strings, the emotional punch of the original is lost here, but it's got its own kind of pomp and circumstance. Stanley can get his rock on a bit and electric guitars fight the strings for dominance (and almost win).

Brightman simply soars, and if her ice queen vocal may not be believable in terms of emotion, it's got enough drama in it to keep the track from falling into the abyss. Bottom line: Stanley sounds like a plant, nothing more. The single version of this cut blows the one here away.