The Phantom of the Opera

When I was little, perhaps eight or nine years old, my dad made for my mom a compilation of her favorite old songs. I grew up with that mixtape playing in the car over and over, on repeat. One of the songs was the title song from The Phantom of the Opera. I remember the chill running down my spine when the familiar "Duuuuuun dun dun dun dun duuuuuun" blasted out of the stereo system (if you've seen the show, you'll know exactly what I'm referring to; if you don't, then listen the song and you'll find out). I would sing along every time, and at the end of the song, I would try to hit that insane E6 Sarah Brightman hits. Frankly, I don't know if I sang that note or screamed it, but either way, I think it matched most some of the time.

Last winter, I was fortunate enough to see the show on Broadway. It was an impulse trip, but it was beyond worth it. Starring James Barbour and Rachel Zatcoff, the show completely blew me away. The entire cast was brilliant; some links I found on YouTube are below. The music was as chilling as it was beautiful, telling the tragic love triangle between the Phantom, Christine Daae, and Raoul, the Vicomte de Chagny. It's so epic that when you sing along, you're not just singing; you're performing. I'll go through some of my personal favorites, but honestly, the entire soundtrack is gold.

The Mirror, Theme Song, Music of the Night 

The Point of No Return

Finale

Notable Songs*:

1. Think of Me - This is the first of many showcases of Sarah Brightman's voice. Andrew Lloyd Webber really went all out in that regard; then again, she was his wife at the time, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. That last arpeggio going up is fabulous, and Brightman hits it with such confidence. Also, Raoul (Steve Barton) sounds vaguely like an excited puppy when he first sees Christine on stage, so that's a +1.
2. The Phantom of the Opera (Theme Song) - Where to even begin? Right from the first note, the title song seems to grab your attention with an ode to the epic overture. The song is hypnotic, but the ending is truly the highlight. As Christine slowly goes higher and higher and the Phantom cries, "Sing, my angel of music!", the listener is as entranced as Christine herself, all culminating in a final mind-blowing note and leaves the listener catching his/her own breath.
3. Music of the Night - I'm impossibly torn between James Barbour's version and Michael Crawford's version. I prefer Barbour's deeper range, but I also prefer Crawford's emotion. In either case, this song is like a seductive lullaby, brimming with tenderness and desire. One small note, though: what's with the random organ chords at the end? It's jarring!
4. All I Ask of You (+ Reprise) - I'm putting these two because I can't talk about one but not the other. The original song is sweet and romantic, a testament to the love between Christine and Raoul. For a moment, everything feels like a fairytale. But when it shifts over to the reprise, the sweetness is replaced by bitterness that quickly becomes anger. The evil laugh at the end adds to the chilling finale of the first act, and as the chandelier comes crashing down, so do the listener's hopes of a happy ending.
5. The Point of No Return - I'm skipping ahead here by a lot. This song is all fire, pure, raw desire and passion. While it starts off a slow burn, the end is utter chaos (that scream, though!), and it is a brilliant segway into the show's finale.
6. Down Once More / Track Down This Murderer (Finale) - Ah, the finale. Twelve minutes of pure musical bliss. Once the Phantom, Christine, and Raoul are all together, the overlapping harmonies and melodies are brilliant. They clash, yet they fit together so well, clearly representing the fight that is going down in the lair. And the swell leading up to the kiss? Perfect! But I couldn't leave without acknowledging the ending, now could I? (Spoiler alert!) "Christine, I love you..." Still kills me every time.

*These reviews are of the original London cast, Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman.

In addition to the music, this story is just about everything that I could've asked for. It's a tale of love and romance, but it is also one of darkness and obsession, the fine line between genius and madness that the Phantom seems to teeter upon. Plus, it doesn't have a happy ending (or it does, depending on how you want to read it), so the ending is far more emotional than a usual "happily ever after." (Spoiler alert!) I don't cry when I watch movies/shows, listen to music, or read books. But when the Phantom was sitting on the ground, rocking back and forth and clutching the veil with tears down his face, that hit hard.

^me at the end of the show

Of course, I couldn't quite bring myself to end the post without mentioning the movie. Here's the thing about the movie: while it wasn't bad, it wasn't good either. The problem is, no one can compare to Sarah Brightman. She's the original Christine, and to me, no one nails that iconic high note like she does. Similarly, I didn't find Gerard Butler to be the right actor to be the Phantom. After all, I should be seeing

^this, but all I see is 

^this. 

Regardless, I enjoyed other parts of it, just not the main few characters. I loved Madame Giry's backstory; Miranda Richardson did a brilliant job bringing vulnerability to an otherwise steely and cold character. Minnie Driver was an excellent Carlotta, bringing all of the over-the-top haughtiness that makes the character both hateable and loveable. Also, I thoroughly appreciated how the beginning of the film was in black and white, and when the overture came in, the image faded into color. 

I figured I'd start off my blog with one of my favorite musicals ever, so there you have it: thoughts and ramblings about The Phantom of the Opera. So until next time, good night, my angels of music!