The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall

We all know that the "Phantom of the Opera" is by far one of the best known and best loved musicals of the past years. It is quite amazing to learn that this year is already the 25th year of this acclaimed piece of musical theater based on the novel by Gaston Leroux. The beautiful music was by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with most of the lyrics by Charles Hart, and produced by Cameron Macintosh. It debuted in the West End in London in 1986. Phantom is recognized as the highest-grossing entertainment event of all time and the most financially successful theatrical show in history.

Last week, it was suddenly announced that the special 25th Anniversary performance held at the Royal Albert Hall last October 2-3, 2011 was actually going to be shown in local theaters! I knew that my wife and I had to see it again. This morning, I was surprised to learn that this will be a 3 hour and 41 minute movie. This caused problems in our schedule but we still decided to push through and watch. An opportunity to watch a theater event such as this on the big screen was indeed rare.

As we entered, we found out the reason for the very long running time. Before the show proper, there was first a short documentary about Phantom by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Here we got to hear how the idea of doing Phantom came about, and meet the original London production crew. This lasted about 15 minutes. After which there were ads announcing the sale of DVDs of this event come March next year. I guess we still have to wait that long to get an original copy of this special. Then there was about another 5 minute pause (as if waiting for the audience to fill up) before the show itself actually began. I see that this film was going to approximate a real theater presentation. Unfortunately, this also included a real 20 minute Intermission after Act 1. The theater (we watched in SM Megamall) actually paused the movie for the whole 20 minutes! So be warned.

The Phantom was played by Ramin Karimloo, while his ingénue Christine Daae was played by Sierra Boggess. I knew these were the same actors who played these same characters in the short-lived sequel of Phantom called "Love Never Dies." Ms. Boggess was beautiful as Christine channeling both innocence and sensuousness. Her soprano was flawless even in the most challenging and punishing notes in "Think of Me," "Phantom of the Opera," and "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again." As the Phantom, Mr. Karimloo has got that X-factor that makes the role dangerous yet riveting and sympathetic. His voice can navigate the highs and lows that makes Mr. Lloyd Webber a musical sadist. It can be strong, yet tender and also menacing. His "Music of the Night" and "Point of No Return" were fantastic!

The supporting performances were also very strong. Hadley Fraser cuts a dashing figure as Raoul. His featured duet with Christine, "All I Ask of You," was very well sung. Kiera Duffy makes a hilarious Madame Carlotta even as she also hit those unbelievable high notes, in songs like "Primadonna." Liz Robertson makes a very imposing Madame Giry with her severe black gown always in sharp contrast with the very bright colors of the costumes around her. Everything was so expertly staged: the dancing, the costumes, the set pieces, the make-up, the video backgrounds, were all so rich, elaborate and detailed. The camera work and direction was also very effective in conveying the drama, danger and romance of the story.

After the last scene where Meg Giry holds up the Phantom's mask after he vanishes, there was a very long curtain call. The whole stage was filled with actors and dancers. It was a very emotional moment. However, after the three main characters made their bows, it was not yet over. Sir Andrew himself took center stage and thanked the audience and his crew, present and past. Then he introduced the man who played the first Phantom, Michael Crawford! Finally he brought out his "Angel of Music", Ms. Sarah Brightman (who was looking very hefty indeed nowadays).

The surprise did not end there, Ms. Brightman obliged to sing! Of course, she sang "Phantom of the Opera." I would not say it was her best because her breathing was audible, but she could still hit those killer notes at the end. Another surprise was when it was the Phantom's turn to sing, four actors who played the Phantom before came out on stage to sing with Ms. Brightman. Of the four, I recognized two: Colm Wilkinson (Jean Valjean from Les Miz) and the fantastic Anthony Warlow! The other guy was John Owen Jones (the current Phantom in London). The youngest guy of the four Phantoms, Peter Joback (upcoming Phantom in the 2012 run in London), had a rather thin and nasal pop voice, in sharp contrast with the booming tenors of the other three. Too bad, Michael Crawford did not sing a note. After this, the four ex-Phantoms all took turns to sing "Music of the Night." This was another beautiful rendition of the song. At the end, the present Phantom, Ramin Kaminloo also joined the group. Another curtain call followed, and the event comes to an end.

This is definitely a must-watch for fans of Phantom, as well as fans of Musical Theater in general. When time comes for the DVD to come out, that should also be a must-own in his DVD collection.

Assuming one likes this musical (and few don't), I believe this is the finest film presentation of all, far surpassing the big budget movie of a few years ago (which I thought was pretty good). As others have said, the staging is magnificent with backlighting and projection enhancing the performances. The singing and acting are superb. Costuming goes beyond the pale. Also, we get the closeups one cannot have in a live performance. We get to see the emotional expression of the actors. There is little time wasted on minutiae as the play goes forward. Some of the highlights are the duet "All I Ask of You" and the magnificent "Masquerade." The three principles are all at the top of their game in this 25th anniversary performance at the Royal Albert Hall. It is a visual and auditory delight and I am excited that the play I have seen numerous times is there for the viewing.

I nearly bypassed picking up the Phantom of the Opera (POTO) 25th Anniversary DVD because I was unfamiliar with Ramin Karimloo (Phantom) and Sierra Boggess (Christine). So I took a chance and brought the DVD home. What a surprising delight! POTO 25 was filmed before a live audience at the Royal Albert Hall in London. The cameras bring the viewer up close and personal to the happenings on stage.

Ramin and Sierra had starred in Andrew Lloyd Webber's POTO sequel, Love Never Dies (LND), just before the POTO 25 event. Their chemistry bonding had already been established during LND, so they sizzled on stage during POTO 25. Their voices compliment each other so magnificently, and their faces (especially Sierra's) portray the vast array of emotions during their songs. They are incredible! They make you believe that you are witnessing something very, very, once-in-a-lifetime special, because you are!

So, I have been transformed from an unfamiliar viewer in the beginning, to a full-fledged obsessive drum beater for Ramin and Sierra in their remarkable POTO 25 performances. Sierra is a true to life Angel of Music; her voice, radiant beauty, emotional energy, and sensational acting talent will mesmerize you. She is such a wonderful inspiration to all those aspiring to be stage actors and singers. Ramin is a powerful Phantom who brilliantly brings to life a lonely, disfigured composer who falls in love with Christine.

POTO 25 is beautiful acting, singing, costuming, stage setting all rolled up into a full orchestra, mind-blowing experience you should not miss! Crank up the volume and thoroughly enjoy this masterpiece.

Ramin and Sierra are pure magic together. They have made people (including me) cry during this wonderful production. Sierra's voice and emotional impact can, and probably will, cause shivers to run up and down your spine at times. Yes, she really is this amazing.

I watch my favorite parts of POTO 25 several times a week. It never fails to lift my spirits and to appreciate the spectacular talent on display whenever I wish. Bravo, Ramin and Sierra!!!!!

I got this DVD as a gift a couple of years ago. I mistakenly thought I had already seen it and didn't have a strong desire to watch it again. I was content with watching the 2004 film whenever I felt the need to watch POTO. It had it's problems, but I was content. Well one night I got bored and decided for kicks and giggles I would watch it. I quickly realized I had never seen this performance before. I got excited and curious to see how this version would play out. And I was not disappointed.

Just a heads up to anyone curious - this is not a film version of POTO. This is a recording of a play performance. It's not shot like a film so if you hate seeing plays in film format, then skip this and go to the 2004 film. However, if you are curious to see what the heart of Phantom of the Opera is, I strongly encourage you to watch this production. It is stellar. The music is top notch - the live orchestra brings so much passion and warmth to the sound. The costumes are glorious and the excellent use of technology is well placed. The support cast is fantastic and made me all the more invested - fearing for them and laughing with them (though I am disappointed by the lack of an audience response at the humorous bits but that's nitpicking). But the real stars are Raoul, Christine, and the Phantom.

First Raoul - Hadley Fraser has a different take on the childhood sweetheart of Christine. Fraser brings an energy and eagerness to the character. I always found Raoul in every performance to be fairly bland - he promises to protect Christine and shelter her. But aside from the dialogue, there is not much else to draw me to him. I loved Fraser because he brings a new energy and charisma to the character. He is a great contrast to the dark and passionate Phantom. Sierra Boggess portrays the innocent and charming Christine Daaé and Boggess is my favorite Christine by far. Her voice has such a sweet and warm sound to it. She captures perfectly both the innocence and sexuality of the young chorus girl as her world is turned upside down. But what makes her stand out is her chemistry with both Fraser and Karimloo (the Phantom).

And finally, the Phantom himself, played by Ramin Karimloo. I am convinced that if Morgan Freeman is the voice of God, then Ramin Karimloo is the singing voice of God. Good Lord is his voice gorgeous. The way he goes from a growling baritone to a delicate tenor blows my mind. He is both very threatening and very vulnerable. He is both aggressor and victim. He captures the fragility of the Phantom's mind and the strength of the Phantom's will. His rage, his passion, his trepidation... it's breathtaking. His chemistry with Sierra Boggess is unbelievable. I could watch the two interact all day it's that good. By far, my favorite couple performance.

This movie is wonderful. I can't express enough how much I enjoyed it. It actually made me cry. The only movies I have ever cried in where Schindler's List, The Pianist, and Les Miserables. The emotions are so raw and beautifully executed that it was impossible for me not to be moved. If you are a phan, then this film is a definite watch. Enjoy the magic and prepare to be amazed.

A fantastic show very much diminished by the amateurish and highly distracting video direction. This video production suffers from the impulse of "we paid to have all these cameras and operators on site so we better damn well use them, even if it means ruining the home viewing experience".

Director Nick Morris' shot selection was weak, the frenetic tempo of his camera-to-camera takes overshadows the stage direction. He manages to miss key actor entrances because he has a close-up on another actor. Other times he goes immediately to a close-up for what should be a subtle entrance. This is most obvious with the Phantom's entrance after Wishing You Were Here Again. Morris commits other unforgivable shot selections like fast cutting close-ups of the destruction of the chandelier rather than giving us the more awe-inspiring audience perspective.

And don't get me started on his coverage of "Masquerade". One of my favorite scenes on the show is completely ruined by Morris' quick cutting between medium and close-ups of actors, rarely showing us the stage-wide view of the choreography, which is so essential to the power of the scene.

The action on Angel of Music is almost impossible to follow, and so on. As I said, abysmal. I've seen better directing of local cable channel dramatic productions.

This is a stage play that is meant to be seen from farther away than the 6" from the Phantom's face this director felt we needed. Most certainly someone should have realized that close-ups of actors that included the LED scenic backdrop was just a bad idea. It looks terrible.

I've seen this show live 3 times but never from the most expensive seats. This video production could have given us the best seats in the house but instead chose to cut quickly between various odd angles that the audience would and should never see.

10 stars for the stage production and 3 for the video production.