This streamed Phantom is “past the point of no return”, in the best of possible ways. The Streaming Experience: 25th Anniversary Production of Phantom of the OperaIt truly is astounding, this production. Shamed by his physical appearance and feared by all, the love he holds for his beautiful protégée Christine Daaé is so strong that even her heart cannot resist.The musical opened at Her Majesty’s Theatre on 9 October 1986 with Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in the leading roles, and there have been dozens of productions worldwide since then. Now in its 30th record-breaking year, The Phantom of the Opera continues to captivate audiences at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End, after more than 11,000 performances.Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mesmerizing score along with jaw-dropping scenery and breathtaking special effects, magically combine to bring this tragic love story to life each night. Phantom 25th Anniversary Full.
I arrived early in the morning and waited most patiently in the cancellation line. I, of course, did not have a lot of money for theatre at the time, nor did I know very much about the show, but I knew somehow that it was a ‘must-see’ before I left London for my summer jaunt around Europe. Entertainment is one of the things we need the most, and featuring a cast and orchestra of over 200, this streaming sumptuous gift from Andrew Lloyd Webber on his ‘ The Shows Must Go On” YouTube channel is the perfect antidote.It was the fall of 1986 when I first made my way to London, and at some point during my six months there working at the Limelight Nightclub, I went to see a performance of Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End. And for that, we can be truly thankful, especially on this weekend of continued self-isolation, staying safe against a virus creating havoc around the world. Inspired by the original staging by Hal Prince and Gillian Lynne, this lavish, fully-staged production was first meant to be a concert celebration, much like the one done for Les Miserables, but Mackintosh had other ideas. It is grand and opulent, matching the sumptuous Victorian splendor of London’s legendary Royal Albert Hall where it was held on October 2nd, 2011.
I got in, though, and funny enough, I was seated in the front row of the Royal Circle, the exact place I normally love to sit, so basically, my frontmezzjunkie status was solidified that day. I felt bad for the couple behind me who had waited just as long as I had, but maybe they would have another opportunity. They ended up giving out exactly three tickets that night, and I, thankfully, was the third. Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman.I waited and waited.
Phantom of the Opera – 25th Anniversary production at Royal Albert Hall.I never really wanted to return, I must admit. Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo. His face, his mask, was just the right kind of drama for that young 22-year-old theatre junkie, and I devoured it. It was delicious, and by no means was it an “ infection that poisons ” my love for theatre or Andrew Lloyd Webber. It’s a ridiculous and over-the-top melodrama, I admit, but with Michael Crawford starring in the title role and the impressive Sarah Brightman as Christine and Steve Barton as Raoul, I ate it up like everyone else in that excited audience.
The fantastic CGI projections illuminate the setting for the performers creating a spectacle that is absolutely astounding, filling the arena-size space with ease and with power. With musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, set design by Matt Kinley, costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, and sound design by Mick Potter, the production feels like the perfect grand fit, pulling off a sumptuous spectacle at every turn for our senses to take in. So it seems fitting to want to celebrate the 25th anniversary of this show with a staging that is as huge of an extravaganza as the show itself, and the Royal Albert Hall seems to be the perfect matched venue for this opulently directed staging by Laurence Connor. Based on the French novel of the same name by Gaston Leroux, and with the creative team of Andrew Lloyd Webber (book and music), Charles Hart (lyrics) and Richard Stilgoe (book), Phantom of the Opera flourished at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End, and by 2011, the dramatic tale has been seen by over 130 million people in 145 cities across 27 countries.
There are some special pieces of memorabilia that are to be sold, and the public is there, attending the auction, including the wheel-chair bound Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, perfectly embodied by the handsome Hadley Fraser (Palace Theatre/Queen’s Theatre’s Les Misérables ), who is determined to buy certain items, such as a paper-mâché music box that reminds him of a time long past. Paris, 1905 with an auction taking place center stage at the Opéra Populaire. It all begins as I remember. It couldn’t have been easy, fitting this solidly structured show into this expansive space, but the Phantom of the Opera is epic in size, so the formula flourishes in the Royal Albert. The team finds the perfect balance of story-telling and spectacle that this show deserves, without negating the original.
Phantom of the Opera – 25th Anniversary production at Royal Albert Hall.I can remember almost every word spoken and sung. Wendy Ferguson, Barry James, and Sierra Boggess. Shivers of excitement is about all I can add. The music swells, and we are pulled dramatically in, just like I was so many years ago, transported back to 1881 where a rehearsal is taking place.
She doesn’t miss an emotive note, and delivers a performance worthy of our adoration. But the show’s blood lies in the beautifully voiced chorus girl, Christine Daaé, played most excellently by the glorious Sierra Boggess (Broadway’s School of Rock ). The opera house’s new owners, Barry James’s Monsieur Richard Firmin, and Gareth Snook’s Monsieur Gilles André are playful and perfect, taking in and dismissing the cast’s mumblings about the dreaded ‘ Phantom ’ with a grin. She frames the character solidly well even on that huge wide stage. Wendy Ferguson’s Carlotta, the Opéra’s resident soprano prima donna demands our attention, and her talent deserves it. I had dismissed the musical many times as being “ dusty ” (an old BF’s favorite term) and “ old fashioned “, and maybe it is, but in its core, when performed with such energy and grace, there is a beating heart that can’t be denied.
Photo Credit: Alistar Muir/Getty Images & NBC/Universal.The chemistry between the three leads is completely electric, and the voices ring magnificently true and perfect. Phantom of the Opera – 25th Anniversary production at Royal Albert Hall. Sierra Boggess and Hadley Fraser. His perfectly tuned performance is about as perfect as any Raoul could be, and I feel for him as easily as I was falling in love with this streamed version gifted to us this weekend in isolation. The night that Christine takes to the stage and makes a triumphant début as the star soprano we applaud as excitedly as the opera house’s audience would, joining in with Fraser’s wonderfully gallant Raoul, who can’t help himself but fall once again madly in love with his childhood friend, Christine. His “ Music of the Night ” is “ crazy good “, as my fellow streaming buddy stated with delight that night we watched in unison, even though separated by many miles.
Someone Else’s House Entertains, But Maybe Not Slyly Enough to Make Me Jump Out of my Seat October 28, 2021 Thank you again, Andrew Lloyd Webber, for taking me back, and entertaining me in the present.Search for titles on my site Search for: Recent Posts Phantom , along with Les Mis , changed musical theatre forever, and my youthful connection to that time in London when I saw both these epic shows remains intrinsically part of my theatrical DNA. It’s melodramatic, that is for sure and may feel a bit stoggy and emotionally incomprehensible , but it’s a history lesson in musical theatre that one can’t deny. This Phantom of the Opera is determinedly staged with cameras in mind and delivers the visual spectacle with a clear vision, finding the timelessness of the tale while maintaining the essence of the piece.
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