Not a lot of singers out there that can do justice to a song as soul stirring as “All I Ask of You” from the timeless 1986 English musical The Phantom of the Opera like that of Sarah Brightman and Josh Groban.
But there’s more to the song than just those smooth vocals and romantic lyrics.
The Phantom of the Opera is based on the 1909 French novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux.
The story’s main focus revolves around a beautiful singer by the name of Christine Daae, originally played by Sarah Brightman.
Christine is pursued by a mysteriously disfigured musical maestro named Erik, the title character of the musical, who lives in the subterranean labyrinth right under the Paris Opera House.
But just before Christine transitions into a Stockholm syndrome victim and starts falling in love with the Phantom himself, everything takes a turn for the worse when she pulls off his mask, revealing a half-disfigured face that shocks her.
Towards the end, Erik decides to let off Christine to the man he believes loves her dearly, Raoul, whom she has known since they were both children.
It is here that the song “All I Ask of You” is performed near the climax of the musical. And what a scene it is. Go ahead and watch it if you haven’t already.
So what is it about the song that makes it stand out as one of the most beautiful and renowned pieces of music in history?
Apart from the enchanting musical score that accompanies it, it’s the lyrics that actually captivate the listener to hear the song from start to finish; words such as warmth, calm, shelter, safety, light, no more fear, freedom, the truth, being needed, sharing a lifetime together, and finally, most importantly, to be loved.
Try it on karaoke with a friend. It’s not an easy song to sing.
The chemistry between Raoul and Christine was so powerful during the scene that when the words “That’s All I Ask of You” were spoken, you really can’t help but want them to be together. While you play the song on repeat over and over.
The song was released back in 1986, and it has been widely regarded as one of the best cuts made for the Phantom of the Opera.
As a single, it was performed by Brightman and Cliff Richard and went on to receive widespread reception across several nations, even topping the charts in South Africa and Ireland, while peaking at number three in the United Kingdom.
Sarah Brightman and Josh Groban’s rendition is stunning.
The haunting melody captures the story.
You’ll have to watch it to understand. Josh and Sara’s voices complement each other’s beautifully and they are a magical pairing for this wonderful song.
Josh himself is a fan of Broadway and has covered the song many times with other artists.
Listen below as Josh Groban and Sara Brightman beautifully sing “All I Ask of You”.
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