Stars: Michael Ball, Antonio Banderas, Boyzone, Glenn Close, Sarah Brightman, Marcus Lovett, Donny Osmond, Elaine Paige, Kiri Te Kanawa, Bonnie Tyler, Julian Lloyd Webber, Dennis O'Neill, Lottie Mayor, Ray Shell

Director: Steven Pimlott

Summary: The Andrew Lloyd Webber 50th birthday celebration held at the Royal Albert Hall. A fifty-two piece orchestra conducted by Michael Reed and a chorus of children from the National Youth Music Theatre accompany those performing. Choreography was by Anthony Van Last.

British superstar composer Andrew Lloyd Webber is feted in this 50th birthday benefit gala produced by Lloyd Webber's own theatrical company at London's historic Royal Albert Hall. The tribute includes highlights from Lloyd Webber's blockbuster stage hits, including The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Evita, and Sunset Boulevard.
An eclectic performing cast filmed live during the event features Tina Arena, Michael Ball, Antonio Banderas, Boyzone, Sarah Brightman, Glenn Close, Julian Lloyd Webber, Marcus Lovett, Lottie Mayor, Dennis O'Neill, Donny Osmond, Elaine Paige, Ray Shell, Kiri Te Kanawa, and Bonnie Tyler.

WIN DVDs by rating this DVD

Average User Rating:

WIN DVDS by being amongst the first to review this DVD. Reviewing DVDs earns you bonus entries and lets you WIN DVDs!Please login before reviewing this DVD. If you're a new user, register for free and enter to WIN FREE DVDs!

In 1998, a concert celebrated Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's 50th birthday at the Royal Albert Hall. It featured more than two hours of hits from a body of work spanning almost three decades. In this record of a memorable night, star after star steps onto a massive, Eurovision-style set to revisit golden moments in their long association with Britain's most successful composer of musicals. Elaine Paige in big frocks and even bigger voice delivers "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" and "Memory" with her usual power; Michael Ball and Donny Osmond stretch the last vestiges of boyish charm to the very limits but still sound great; and Boyzone get the youth vote. Then there are Kiri te Kanawa, Bonnie Tyler, Tina Arena and of course, another encore for Julian Lloyd Webber and those Variations on the cello. But the stars are Sir Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Brightman in an outstanding selection from The Phantom of the Opera(probably his best work), Antonio Banderos who really can sing, and Glenn Close, a stupendous, moving Norma Desmond in songs from Sunset Boulevard. All in all, a deserved celebration for someone who has given so many people a great deal of pleasure, and a treat for musicals fans of all ages. --Piers Ford

Main Language:	English
Region:	Region 2
Year:	1998
Release Date:	October 16, 2000
Runtime:	126 minutes
Certification:	Exempt.
Catalogue Number:	902 009 2
Keywords:	Music, Albert, Andrew, Lloyd, Webber, Hall, Royal, Easy, Performance, Plays, Celebration, Various, Artists, Performing, Mor, Listening, Arts, Popular, Webber's
Genre:	Music/Performing Arts