The British media once said: "If you only watch one musical in your life, then it should be<歌剧魅影>." ”
"Phantom of the Opera" can be said to be an unparalleled work, telling a poignant love and redemption that takes place at the Paris Opera. Since its premiere at Her Majesty's Theatre on 9 October 1986, Phantom of the Opera has been one of London's most popular and enduring musicals in the West End, saying that "the West End cannot be called the West End without the Phantom".
* London's West End: A world-class theatre centre on Broadway in New York.
The Phantom of the Opera premiere and heroine Christina Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman
Located in the Queen's Theatre in London's West End
One night not long ago, I revisited the 25th Anniversary Edition of The Phantom of the Opera, recorded at London's Royal Albert Hall in 2011. The grand lineup, gorgeous sets and majestic music are exciting, and you can feel the shock across the screen, as if you were there.
I really like the heroine of the 25th anniversary version, Christina, played by American musical theater actress Sierra Boggess. Sierra's performance is very stunning, she is sometimes innocent, sometimes with tears in her eyes, laughing and raising her hands.
Sierra Boggess
Then enjoy a performance by Sierra in Act II, Scene 5. At this point, the nervous violin shifts the scene to christina's father's grave. His father had promised to send a musical angel to guard Christina's side. In this dark and cold place, Christina sang "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again", crying about her deep nostalgia for her father, as well as her inner worries and panics, hoping to get help from his soul. This song is full of breath and intestines, and it is deeply moving, and behind the classic singing section hides the deep affection of the father and daughter in the play.
After the performance, those classic melodies still reverberate and circle in the mind for a long time... The curtain call for the 25th anniversary is also very gorgeous, with endless surprises and envy of the audience.
"Phantom of the Opera 25th Anniversary"
Many of the songs in Phantom of the Opera are now musical classics, and whether you've seen it or not, you've heard some of the melodies:
Think of Me Think of me
Angel of Music Music Angel
The Phantom of The Opera 歌剧魅影
The Music of the Night 夜之乐章
All I Ask of You Love is my only request
Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again
I hope you will reappear now
The Point of No Return has no starting point for the return journey
However, due to the epidemic, since March 2020, this musical that has created countless miracles has been cancelled or postponed one after another until the theater is forced to close. The production team also released an open letter announcing that Phantom of the Opera would be "suspended indefinitely".
Andrew Lloyd Webber, composer of Phantom of the Opera, recorded a video in the empty Queen's Theatre in September 2020 about the current state of the theatre. He said in the video: "The theater is about the live experience, and every time it brings the actors and the audience a different experience. It's not like a movie theater where a projectionist plays a movie... The actors in the theater have to rehearse and make sure it's safe. It's not something that can be done overnight. ”
At the end of the video, Weber says hopefully and slightly desperately, "The Phantom will definitely return to the theater again... Who knows? ”
The sound of choking and the tears in the corners of his eyes were heart-wrenching
October 9, 2020 "The Phantom of the Opera 34th Anniversary" Weber plays a classic song alone in the theater
Perhaps the "Music Angel" also needs to rest, and the short end is for a better return.
“Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again...”
Thankfully, on July 27 last year, Phantom of the Opera returned with a new look! The "35th Anniversary Performance" also arrived in London's West End in October, and although it does not have the gorgeous curtain call of the 25th anniversary, it is still very exciting for Phantom fans.
Phantom of the Opera returns to the theatre
"The Phantom of the Opera 35th Anniversary"
postscript
The first time I listened to Phantom of the Opera was when I was in college, when I stumbled upon a london version of it in a video store. Although I was not familiar with the musical at that time, I was deeply attracted by the melody inside, hiding in the bed every night, putting on headphones, and listening over and over again until I fell asleep...
The End