The Phantom
of the Opera is a breathtaking
visual and musical love story. It is one of my
all-time favorite musicals. I saw the show in the 90’s and recall that is was “pure
perfection” with a larger than life set that mirrored the spectacular musical
score. The North American Tour with new set designs, choreography and special effects
brings back the drama of the “Music of the Night ."
Reflection
Many of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s compositions from this show have been revisited by symphonies and
numerous accomplished voices (Think of Me, The Phantom of the Opera, All I Ask of You ). When this music is combined with the dramatic story, it’s an
explosive musical evening like no other.
The show
opens in the Paris Opera House as items
are being sold and the tale of the Phantom is remembered. It begins with an opera dress rehearsal
that burst with song and dancers in vibrant
reds, yellows and greens. Christine, the Phantom’s protégé, is part of the
chorus. As in many operas, the love triangle is between the disfigured Phantom
(Quentin Oliver Lee), his love interest Christine (Eva Travres), and her handsome suitor Raoul (Jordan Craig ).
Quentin Oliver Lee, as the Phantom, gave a
commanding and powerful performance with
mesmerizing vocals. Eva Travres made Christine as
beautiful as her soprano voice and Trista Moldovan as her
friend, Charlotta, captivated her scenes with her sound.
This version
had a darker feel and the Phantom did not pull on my symphony heart
strings as much as I remembered in the 90’s, but the music superseded my
expectations. Phantom is always about the power and love of music. This US tour with its powerhourse cast filled the evening
once again with the beautiful music of
the night.
(Phantom
of the Opera runs from February 20th-March 3, 2019 at the
Benedum Theater. For tickets and for more on the PNC Broadway series go to Trustarts.org.)
*All songs linked to original Broadway soundtrack
Spiritual Reflection
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance
or on the height of his stature, because, I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the
heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)
Other Sources
Phantom US Tour
Trust https://trustarts.org/