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The Phantom of the Opera
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics b y Charles Hart
Book by Richard Stilgoe & Andrew Lloyd Webber
Directed by Harold Prince
Musical Staging & Choreography by Gillian Lynne
Produced by Broadway In Chicago
At the Cadillac Palace Theatre
151 W.Randolph
Chicago, IL
Call 312-902-1400, tickets $28 - $85
Tuesdays at 7:30 pm
Wednesdays at 2 & 7:30 pm
Thursdays at 7:30 pm
Fridays at 8 pm
Saturdays at 2 & 8 pm
Sundays at 2 pm running time is 2 hours, 45 minutes with intermission
Through January 5, 2008
The Phantom of the Opera is still grandiose entertainment!
Sometimes one must be at the right time in one’s life to fully appreciate a show’s magnificence. That was true for me when I first saw The Phantom of the Opera in Miami. I was, at that time (1990), producing musical revues full of vaudeville and tap dance so Phantom struck me as ‘too operatic’! Now, in 2007, The Phantom of the Opera overwhelmed me once again with its stagecraft, its melodic score and its wonderful singing. I enjoyed this production I wasn’t alone; the opening night audience gave it a roaring standing ovation that was amazing since it was playing Chicago for the sixth time! Worldwide, over 80 million people have see The Phantom of the Opera in the more than 65,000 performances; there are currently 11 productions running worldwide.
With worldwide box office sales of over $3.2 billion, Phantom is the most successful venture of the 20th Century, surpassing such blockbuster films as Titanic, E. T. and Star Wars. Now 16 years old on Broadway, winner of seven Tony Awards (including Best Musical), Phantom is the longest-running show ever on Broadway passing Cats record of 7, 485 performances on January 9, 2006
I believe Phantom survives because of a combination of a hauntingly beautiful score sung well by the entire cast encased in fantastic sets, costumes, lights, sounds, falling chandeliers and pyrotechnics presented in a breathtakingly illuminating showcase. Quality control by producer Cameron Mackintosh demands that each production live up to the highest standard thus assuring audiences that of worthy entertainment. Phantom has all the extravagant trappings necessary for the spectacle that makes The Phantom of the Opera the phenomena it has become.
At $85 for the main floor seats, Phantom is a bargain for what is presented. There are 36 cast members, 97 crew members, 17 musicians, 22 scene changes, 230 costumes, 22 scene changes, a 10-foot chandelier, 479 lighting instruments, a radio-controlled boat, 2700 feet of curtain draperies and computer controlled fog with Baroque proscenium frames that catapults us into the 1880’s Paris Opera House. Similar to Lion King, Phantom combines spectacle with a powerful operatic score and outstanding performers to produce a fantastic night of entertainment.
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Everybody probably knows this by now, but just for the record: Phantom is more opera than conventional musical, with very little spoken dialog. The book, by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber, combines the major story line of the disfigured Phantom’s doomed and destructive love for the soprano Christine with some satirical jabs at the foibles of opera and theatre in general. Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe are credited with the lyrics, which, like both the book and Leroux's novel, are serviceable without resembling High Art in any way.
And, of course, production designer Maria Bjornson provides eye-popping costumes, sets, and stage magic. It's quite literally the icing on the cake - tasty, but not necessary.
That's because Lloyd Webber’s music is ultimately what makes Phantom work so well and what brings audiences back in droves. This lyrical, dramatic, and intelligent score is, in many ways, one of Webber’s best. He manages to both make fun of and pay homage to 18th and 19th-century opera conventions while still producing popular songs such as "Music of the Night" and "All I Ask of You’ and “Wishing you Were Somehow Here Again.”
John Cudia, as the Phantom, emphasizes the mad and melodramatic side of the Phantom without stepping over the line into parody as he sang terrific, hitting all ranges demanded in the score. Sara Jean Ford, as Christine, was entrancing and sensual and sounded fantastic. Ford’s clear perfect soprano was a joy to hear. Greg Mills, as Raoul, exuded charm and sang adequately. The cast of 36 delivered “Masquerade” in such a grandiose manner highlighting the opulence of 19th Century Paris. I was struck by the wall-to-wall outstanding voices singing worthy of a Lyric Opera production.
The Phantom of the Opera is an entertaining and well-crafted diversion. It doesn't raise any important issues and there's no subtext - what you see is what you get - but it does have the same mix of humor and melodrama that characterized Leroux's original novel. I do believe that the show is in need of a trim as it runs nearly 3 hours. Also, there were some sound problems especially in the Manager’s office song, “Notes/Prima Donna” that rendered the lyrics hard to understand. But Phantom still holds up as fine entertainment. Put your mind on hold, suspend disbelief, and enjoy this big bon-bon of a show. You’ll leave the Palace humming the tunes, which is a sign that the show hit its mark.
Recommended
Tom Williams
Tom99@chicagocritic.com for comments
Talk Theatre in Chicago podcast
Date Reviewed: November 2, 2007
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