Phantom wows Sydney

The Phantom of the Opera is still keeping audiences riveted 113 years after it was first published.

Photography by Opera Australia

15 September 2022

The refreshed stage production The Phantom of the Opera is bringing the epic story to life once again in Sydney.

The story focuses on the Swedish, Christine Daae whose father was a famous musician but dies. Christine is raised in the Paris Opera House and begins to hear a voice who teaches her how to sing.

She thinks this is the angel of music as Christine’s father promises her the angel will guide her. All is going well until Raoul, a childhood friend comes to visit his parents.

They are patrons of the opera. Raoul falls in love with Christine, who he sees singing on stage, but the angel of music – who is actually a deformed murderer named Erik – becomes jealous. Gaston Leroux’s serial offers up characters such as the prima donna, Carlotta, through to a mysterious Persian from Erik’s past.

This Gothic horror literature is transformed on the stage by Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production.

Opera Australia presents The Phantom of the Opera. Pic: Daniel Boud.

Audiences will love the pageantry and technical effects. Pic: Michael Le Poer Trench.

The version is refreshed but it's the same, classic tale.

Amy Manford plays Christine in the stage production in Sydney. Pic: Daniel Boud.

The costumes alone are thrilling and enticing. Pic: Michael Le Poer Trench.

Josh Piterman who played the Phantom in the West End returns to Australia. Pic: Daniel Boud.

The incredible spectacle will delight audiences who are new to the story and those who have seen previous incarnations. Pic: Daniel Boud.

This production departs from the original staging with Paul Brown’s set dispensing with the staircase but creating technical marvels with pyrotechnics from the chandelier, intimate spaces of the Paris Opera House and an incredible spectacle when descending into the catacombs.

You could watch this for the costumes alone – they are filled with colour and add verve to the performances of all the singers.

The stand-out is Amy Manford who plays Christine. The Australian-American soprano is born for this role. Josh Piterman who played the Phantom in the West End returns to Australia with his rock-solid performance and Blake Bowden’s vocals entrance the audience with a magnetism that shows real chemistry for the leading lady.

The supporting cast is experienced with some wonderful performances from Paul Tabone as Piangi and Guiseppina Grech as Carlotta. The orchestra is superb under the supervision of the brilliant Guy Simpson.

If you’ve seen Rob Guest and Anthony Warlow in Phantom, you’ll love this refreshed version just as much.

opera.org.au
firstclassmagazine.co

Previous article

Beyond compare

Next article

Japan nouveau