Minerva's Ramblings: The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall (2011)

 

My introduction to The Phantom of the Opera was through the 2004 Joel Schumacher film many years ago. I liked it a lot, both for the storyline as well as for the beautiful music. In fact, I liked some of the songs so much that, several years later I started looking them up on YouTube. In the process, I stumbled upon Sierra Boggess, Ramin Karimloo and the amazing 25^th anniversary performance staged at London’s Royal Albert Hall in 2011.

Since then I have become a total Phantom and Rierra fan, having watched countless performances online and read a shameless amount of Phan-fic. I have also had the pleasure of attending a local production of the musical, which I enjoyed very much. And finally, finally, I was fortunate enough to get to see the recording of the full 25^th anniversary show with the dream cast that was released recently on YouTube. One of the few good things during this pandemic is that “The Show Must Go On” has brought many of our favourite musicals to YouTube, making it possible for theatre lovers around the world to experience the next best thing to watching a live performance on Broadway or the West End.   

This was my first time watching a recording of a full performance that was specially filmed for DVD. Combining the drama of the stage with the subtlety of film, the experience was quite unlike anything I had seen before. It had all the “feels” of the stage (nothing can beat being there, but it is the next best thing!) – the spontaneity of each moment, the authenticity of each emotion and the complete immersion in the action as events unfold right before your eyes. At the same time, every little gesture and facial expression was beautifully captured, thanks to the closeup shots and different camera angles.

I am not an expert on theatre or music – far from it! But as an ardent fan, there are so many things I loved about this performance and I want to share a few of them with you.

Ramin Karimloo as the Phantom – insane, terrifying and completely human

What can I say that would do justice to his performance? It is incredible to me how a man as gorgeous as that can play such a physically deformed character so convincingly. Yet despite his outward repulsiveness, Ramin’s Phantom is not some sniveling, pathetic creature. Mask on, he exudes a dark and powerful beauty that transcends physical appearance. As he sings, “Come to me, Angel of Music” we, along with Christine, are lured into his enchanting world of smoke and mirrors. His allure as the Phantom is evident, but I love how this is achieved not by making him a “hot Phantom” with a scar (which they could have done very easily, I mean it must take real effort to make Ramin ugly!) Rather his Phantom, unmasked, is truly terrible to look at…and it is his air of confidence, power and mystery along with his angelic voice that makes him attractive. 

Given that much of the character’s face is covered by a mask and the rest disfigured by prosthetics, the use of voice to convey emotion can be the make or break of a successful Phantom performance. Perhaps there are other Phantoms who sing “better” – i.e. with greater technical precision – yet I cannot fathom anyone else being able to pour such raw feeling into their voice as Ramin. In “Music of the Night” we feel his pain and passion – he is gently pleading, seductively persuasive, hopelessly desperate and yes, dangerously obsessed. He swings from mood to mood in a way that is both terrifying and utterly believable. Ramin’s Phantom is an insane psychopath who never loses his humanity. We love him, pity him and fear him, often at the same time.

Sierra Boggess as Christine – not another damsel in distress

Sierra’s powerful acting transforms Christine into a fully developed, empathetic character. Her emotions are intense and genuine, and we feel every one of them. We are nervous when she gives her first solo in “Think of Me”; we are drawn to the Phantom when he serenades her with “Music of the Night”; and our hearts break when she leaves him in the end. Sierra is a stunner, but it isn’t her beauty alone that makes her so captivating. Her expressive face draws us in at every step, leaving us mesmerized. And it is wonderful that, thanks to the closeups, we are able to see each nuance that we would otherwise miss in a stage performance.

And that voice. Seriously, she sounds like an angel. And she doesn’t just sing – she acts with her voice. Eyes closed even, you feel her excitement in “Think of Me” and her happiness in “All I Ask of You”. Her “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again” is considered THE definitive version, and I can understand why – it moved me to tears. I know the highlight of Christine’s voice is supposed to be that infamous E6 at the end of the title song (and Sierra nails it), but it is when she sings – “The tears I might have shed for your dark fate/ Grow cold, and turn to tears of hate” – that I got goosebumps.

Hadley Fraser as Raoul – sincere, loyal and brave, if a little prone to tantrums

As a Rierra fan, I have been guilty of focusing on Erik and Christine, and not giving a damn about “that guy who plays Raoul”. While I believe this was a mistake on my part, one good thing did come of it – I was more than pleasantly surprised by Hadley! Which is awesome, because…let’s face it – sure, the Phantom can sing from inside a mirror deserves your sympathy, but he is also manipulative, obsessive, violent and a murderer. While it is up to the actor playing Erik to bring these out without turning him into a cartoonish monster, it also helps tremendously when the actor playing Raoul doesn’t play him like an ass or wimp. Hadley’s Raoul is brave, sincere and kind, and what’s most important, truly loves Christine and does not just want to own her as a trophy wife. He does, however, have a possessive streak and a tendency to lose his cool at every opportunity, which, while being annoying traits also helps keep things real, and prevents Raoul from being an unbearably perfect Prince Charming.

 Hadley is also a powerful and charismatic singer, though in a very different way from Ramin’s Phantom. Where Erik’s voice can be hypnotic and unearthly, Raoul often sounds matter of fact, very much grounded in reality. I loved how this contrast is maintained throughout the musical, without being overplayed.

The chemistry – intense and electrifying

While each of the leads give excellent individual performances, it is the synergy they create when they come together on stage that is truly incredible. There are entire fan sites dedicated to Rierra and this isn’t surprising at all! The chemistry they share is pure magic…and nowhere is this more evident than in “Music of the Night”. Their facial expressions and body language are so in sync with one another that, though we know these are stage directions, it is hard to imagine that there isn’t an invisible chord binding their souls together. What is even more amazing is that all this happens without her uttering a single word.

Sierra and Hadley also share great chemistry, the sweetness of the romance between their characters acting as a foil to the dark and passionate bond between Christine and Erik. I know many fans believe that Christine’s true love is Erik and she should have ended up with him. As much as I love the Phantom (and Ramin, of course!) watching the musical made me realize what a disaster this would have been. Christine has lived much of her life under some shadow or the other – whether it be the death of her beloved father, or the mind fuckery she is subjected to by the Phantom, claiming to have been an angel sent by him. She has never really had the chance to heal from her sorrow, or to learn from her pain. Literally the last thing Christine needs in her life is more darkness and melodrama.  While it is doubtful that theirs is a perfect relationship (they are from different worlds, after all, and will have a heap of adjusting to do), Raoul does offer Christine the stability of a secure, healthy, normal relationship, that gives her the space to grow into her own person – and isn’t that great?

The three of them together feed off each other’s energy in scenes like “Wandering Child” and the “Final Lair”. “Wandering Child” is a powerful, underrated song that perfectly captures the dynamic among Christine, Erik and Raoul – and Sierra, Ramin and Hadley perform it so well. As for “Final Lair”, that has got to be the favourite scene of many, myself included. It is the highlight of the musical where the acting, singing, music and lyrics all come together to deliver a punch to the gut that just cannot be described in words. Be warned – tissues are needed!

And lastly, the music – haunting, surreal, unforgettable

While we can all agree that everything about Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera is pure genius, there is something about its music that elevates it to the next level. Starting from the overture which is guaranteed to give you chills from the get-go, the entire score is a perfect 10. It’s interesting how when I was first introduced to the film as a teenager, the song I liked most was “All I Ask of You”; now, while I love them all, the ones I can’t get enough of include “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again”, “Music of the Night” and “Angel of Music”.

And of course, the title song. With its hypnotic music, haunting melody and lyrics and sung by two of the most beautiful voices on earth, “Phantom of the Opera” is an eargasmic experience that cannot be rivalled (I was waiting for Ramin’s “strong-ER” but it never came!). Even my husband, who listens to stuff by bands with names like Cradle of Filth and Five Finger Death Punch and would not be caught dead watching a Broadway musical, found himself fascinated by this song.

 

This post is already so freaking long that in conclusion I would like to say – nothing, except that hopefully, someday, the world will be normal once more and we (some of us, at least) we will be able to see a Phantom production live on stage. And until then, thank you, thank you for the music, always, and the joy it brings us all.