Phantom of the Opera, Washington, DC 2007

I bought my ticket for Sunday night’s performance of Phantom the night I went to see it in June. The ticket counter man said I had a really good seat. He must have know that it was in the front row. I was thinking wow row E that means I be really close. I didn't realize how close I would be. Front row almost dead center.

Being that close I missed a couple of things that went on during the show. I could not see the auctioneer at all in the opening scene. The chandelier was in front of me. Also there were several points where characters were literally on the stage floor and I could not see them. The reason for this is the orchestra pit extends out into the first four rows of seats. It comes out slightly higher than that level of the stage. That’s done, I assume, so that the conductor has a place to conduct and also not to block the music. It was cool to hear parts of the orchestration that would normally have been lost from not being that close.

Also the couple of times the Phantom is above the stage in the last part of the first act, I had to look straight up to see him which actually added to the experience of the show. However, those were the only draw backs if you could eve call them that. Like I said if I’d stood up I could have touched the chandelier when it was rising to the ceiling. And when the Phantom launched the chandelier at the end of act one, I had to look back to see it come down. Again it was really close to me. It was very cool. Many times I felt like the cast was singing directly to me. It was just truly amazing.

Phantom of the Opera in London 1987

This is what I wrote about seeing Phantom for the very first time in London March 4, 1987.

Saw Phantom of the Opera. The seats were way up in nose bleed territory. The show was excellent. The set was fantastic. When the Phantom takes Christine to his island, they actually row down the stage. Then once they arrive or I should say as they are arriving candelabras come up from the floor. There were a few slow spots but then they would go into a song that sent shivers up my spine.

Another amazing aspect of the set was the chandelier. It starts out on the floor of the stage. The show start with an auction set in the future after all the events in the show have taken place. One of the items is the chandelier. As the auctioneer starts to describe the piece and the strange events of the phantom of the phantom of the opera, the music starts and the chandelier rises up from the stage and moves to the top of ceiling of the theater. Then at the end of the first act the phantom causes the chandelier to fall to the stage floor.

The phantom appears in one scene above the curtain on a platform. This gives the impression of him creeping around the opera house.

The final scene is the most memorable. The phantom has taken Christine back to his island. There are being chased by people from the theater and Christine's lover Raoul. Eventually Raoul catches up to them, but he is captured by the phantom. The phantom is going to hang Raoul and turns to Christine and says choose me or Raoul will die. Christine eventually kissed the phantom. The phantom releases Raoul and tells them to go before any one else arrives. After watching them leave, the phantom goes over to his chair sits down and throws his cape over his body. At the same time the people from the theater have reached the island. One of them goes over to the chair and removes the cape. The phantom is gone. All that remains is the mask which is picked up and show to the audience. The curtain comes down. After that there was a moment of complete silence from the audience almost as if everyone let out a breath and then thunderous applause. The man who played Raoul was the understudy and he had a great voice.

In this the Phantom's Opera

I saw it Phantom of the Opera again tonight. Even though the ticket said row E; I was in the front row because the orchestra pit bumped out. If I'd stood up while the chandelier was going to the top of the theater I could have touched it. It was an amazing performance.

More about it tomorrow as well as my thoughts on seeing it for the very first time when I went to London in March of 1987.

But for now it's over now the music of the night!!

Phantom of the Opera

Last night at the Kennedy I saw Phantom of the Opera. I tried to do a quick calculation of the number of times I’ve seen he show. I think it is 11. I will be seeing it one more time before it leaves Washington.

The first time I saw it was in London. I debating with myself about whether I should see the show or not. I finally decided I had to see it. I bought an expensive seat from some ticket broker and sat way way up high. Michael Crawford was about 5 inches tall from my vantage point (ok probably more than that). I just thought it was great (thus the reason I’ve seen it so many times). I later learned the Crawford had left the show due to a hiatal hernia. However, the guy that replaced him fell through a trap door and got hurt. I think he broke a knee cap or something. All I can say to that is ouch. So I was lucky to be able to see him.

When it came to New York, I saw him there. He was much taller. Of all the phantoms I’ve seen, Crawford’s been the best which is after all to be expected since he originated the role. But the reason is he had the most expressive hands of all the actors to play the role. If you’ve seen the show you’ll understand what I mean for those who haven’t there’s a long scene in the second act where he has a hood over his head and the only way he can emote is through his hands.

Last night’s phantom was very good too. In fact I thought the entire cast did a good job. There were a couple of technical glitches in the opening scene when the opera house in all its glory is revealed. Some of the fabric covering the sets got stuck and it took a few good hard tugs to get it free.

I still got a chill up my spine when the auctioneer says:

Lot 666, then: a chandelier in pieces. Some of you may recall the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera: a mystery never fully explained. We are told ladies and gentlemen, that this is the very chandelier which figures in the famous disaster. Our workshops have restored it and fitted up parts of it with wiring for the new electric light, so that we may get a hint of what it may look like when re-assembled. Perhaps we may frighten away the ghost of so many years ago with a little illumination, gentlemen?

And the music swells and the chandelier starts it ascent to the ceiling

The last half of the second act has me on the edge of my seat. I know what’s going to happen, but I still get drawn into the action.

I had a wonderful evening. Here's a link to a story about John Cudia being transformed into the Phantom.