The timeless story of the Phantom, the
jealous lover who goes mad and wreaks havoc when his Christine falls for her
childhood friend, Raoul; the music that haunts forever; and the set, costumes,
and effects nobody will ever forget— these are the reasons why I fell in love
with the 2004 movie adaptation of the Phantom of the Opera. I thought it was
delusional to say that the play was as beautiful, or even more beautiful. “How
can they pull off the scenes requiring grandiose sets without having cuts?” I
thought to myself. I wondered how it captured theater-goers all over the world
for 26 years.
Luck of all lucks, I got free
Orchestra tickets to the Phantom of the Opera’s Manila leg at the Cultural Center of
the Philippines courtesy of Maryowni, my ex-lunch buddy-turned-fairy.
[wink] Tell me, is there a better way to end a very tiring and tragic August? I
bet none!
The Cast
The Phantom of the Opera had a
lot of surprises for me. First on the list was when my most ignored (main)
cast of the Phantom’s world tour, Claire Lyon, who plays Christine Daae, got me
mesmerized when she sang “Think of Me.” I looked forward to each of her songs
and by the time she sang “The Phantom of the Opera,” where she effortlessly hit
that very high last note, I had nothing but admiration for her. To borrow a
line from the Phantom’s note to Andre, “Christine was in a word, sublime.”
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| "The Phantom of the Opera" song where Christine sings with a very steady high note in the end. Photo from Jonathan Roxmouth's Facebook page |
Speaking of admiration, these two
guys, Jonathan Roxmouth and Anthony Downing, got mine even before I heard them
sing. They are just too handsome to go unnoticed, especially Anthony with his
bad boy look.
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| Meet the very charming Anthony Downing. Maryowni graciously tagged me her photos of Anthony during the press conference. <3 |
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| "Music of the Night" Photo from Claire's Facebook page |
Roxmouth, who plays Erik (the
Phantom), possesses a strong voice fit for both Phantom’s threatening and
adorable sides. His emotions were palpable. I became his captive as he sang
“Music of the Night” but I wanted to wake up from his spell to give him a hug
when he sang “All I Ask of You (Reprise).” I felt him, just like how I feel sad
for friends whose love, despite all efforts, remain unrequited.
Downing, meanwhile, did a good
job playing Raoul. When he and Christine sang “All I Ask of You” there was
nothing else on stage but love. If I were to play Christine and Anthony as
Raoul, I may not be able to sing beautifully, or at least utter something. [HAHA]
Going back, even the supporting cast,
which sadly excludes me, was remarkable. My favorites
include Andrea Creighton (Carlotta), whose powerful voice and comedy made the
audience laugh and applaud. Add to that his equally comic partner Thabiso
Masemene, who plays Piangi! The best! I hope it was Dondi Ong, the Pinoy cast,
who played Piangi that night but I think it was the principal who did the part.
Favorite scenes
For a musical as renowned as the
Phantom of the Opera, I did not expect anything else but the best opera
singers. I was prepared to get enthralled by their voices, but you’ll never
know how little your expectations are until you watch it live. The stage, the
effects, their costumes— all these added grandeur. Not to mention that the stage changed smoothly in a blink of an eye and in flawless timing. Let me share with you five
of my favorite scenes.
From the moment the chandelier came to life during the auction until the Hannibal, I knew I was in for a
treat. I could not believe how extravagant the set was, the huge elephant
included, and how vibrant the costumes of the cast were, especially that
according to an entertainment website I have read, it used original costumes
from 26 years ago. Despite the extravagance, though, I think this scene would not be as lively without the humor of Carlotta and Piangi.
My most favorite scene is perhaps
the favorite of everyone else who got to see the play— the subterranean candle-lit
world of Phantom. While we were on the cab on the way to CCP, I heard from
the primetime newscast, TV Patrol, that this scene was among the best. And it
was! When Phantom and Christine went down the “stairs,” the
execution was very clever. But it was fascinating, magical even, when the candles
started “floating” from underneath the “misty water” while they navigated
gracefully on a boat! HOW DID THEY DO THAT? Amazing is an understatement! It
was beautiful looking at the stage, listening to the “Phantom of the
Opera” and “Music of the Night.”
If I have a favorite scene of Phantom and Christine, I also have one with Christine and Raoul and that’s on the rooftop. Aside from the fact that “All I Ask of You” is nothing else but romantic, the rooftop set was to me very realistic. Plus, just when I thought I have already seen every spot of the stage utilized, the Phantom appeared from behind the hanging angels when he sang the reprise.
But if you are not satisfied with
the solos and duets and want a showcase of people with powerful voices donned
in elegant ball gowns “partying” like royalties, the perfect scene for you
would be the Masquerade. More than a week after I watched the Phantom of the Opera, I still hear the
cast singing “Masquerade” complete with vibratos and rests. Embarrassing as it
may seem, I also find myself unconsciously belting out “Masquerraaaaaaaade!
[rest] Paper faces in parade!” [HAHA] I also like how the Phantom “gate crashed”
in the party dressed as Red Death. I was giggling with his wit when he sang “Why
So Silent?” more than being scared.
This video was posted on Claire Lyon's Facebook page courtesy of TheStageDoorCanteen
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| Photo from Claire Lyon's Facebook page courtesy of Jory Rivera. |
My fifth favorite scene was when Phantom and Christine sang “Point of No Return.” I had a hazy memory of
this scene up to the end probably because I then thought it was boring. But
when I realized it was already Phantom and not Piangi whom Christine was
singing with, I started to really worry. By the time they found Piangi strangled
to death, I was so scared I grabbed the arm of my chair. The effects got me!
[HAHA]
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| The infamous chandelier. Too bad this did not make it to my favorite scenes because I hoped that the chandelier crashed faster. [haha] Brutal! |
I heard (or read) from somebody that
if you are a newbie to musicals, watching the Phantom of the Opera will be a
good initiation. True. This will surely lure you to the wonderful world of
plays. The only danger is that the Phantom’s production is tough to follow. But if you are a big fan of musicals and have the money, what else are you doing? I
suggest you guys buy your tickets now. It may hurt your pockets a little bit,
but everything is worth it.
***
While giving the cast a standing
ovation during curtain call, I was sent back to circa 2004. I was watching the
Phantom of the Opera on TV in my high school classmate’s living room, wishing I
could watch it being performed live on stage someday. Dreams do come true, and sometimes, for free.
Until now, the experience makes me smile, not only because an entry in my phantom to-do
list got checked, but because I saw in the Phantom of the Opera things I grew
up with— singing, dancing ballet, and playing violin in the orchestra. I may not have ended up doing anything close to these three, but these will forever have a
special place in my heart. (:
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| Phil Younghusband! I was hesitant to have a photo with him but what the heck, after all their guesting in ABS-CBN, I never had a chance to have a picture with him! |
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