Phantom of the Opera - I want!

Ever since I found out that The Phantom of the Opera musical is going to be in Singapore, I’ve been plotting and planning to go. The plotting and planning started way back in December 2006 when I first found out Phantom was coming to this region.

Phantom opened on March 23 and here I am still plotting.

Its not like I’ve never seen it before. I have. In Edinburgh of all places, in one of the best seats in the house - right under the chandelier!

But its one of those experiences that don’t go away. You just need more and more.

I saw the movie version too. One word - Blah.

In the movie, whilst the music was true to the stage musical, I did not feel the magic that you feel when you watch the stage version. In a movie, any effect is possible, if not through CGI, through various movie tricks. But on the stage, where everything is open to the public eye, its that much harder getting the audience to imagine a boat ride, Christine running up and down stairs, a chandelier crashing down onto the stage…..

The magic was lost in the movie. But on stage, on stage… the magic of the musical comes alive. You stare, amazed, at the props and gadgets that simulate rowing through an underground river, you jump when a large chandelier swings down from the ceiling to crash on stag, you wonder how Christine appears to be rushing up and down the stairs right in front of your eyes. Because on stage, everything you believe is in your imagination. Your eyes trick you into believing things that aren’t there. Movies display everything, leaving nothing to imagination. And so, the magic of the musical is lost in the movie.

And that is why I wanted to see the musical again. Nevermind that its the touring company. All I wanted was to be lost in the magic that a musical can bring.  

And the music of course. People say Andrew Lloyd Webber… excuse me SIR Andrew Lloyd Webber is cheesey. Yes he is, but the music! Any music that can haunt you the way the music from Phantom can deserves all the praise and brickbats it gets. Songs that leave you humming them even after you leave the theatre should get the accolades they deserve.

Phantom runs till May 13. Dare I pray for some funding to come my way, so I can escape into the magic of the musicals once more?

Softly, deftly,
music shall surround you . . .
Feel it, hear it,
closing in around you . . .
Open up your mind,
let your fantasies unwind,
in this darkness which
you know you cannot fight -
the darkness of
the music of the night . . .

- Music of the Night - Phantom of the Opera

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