Phantom of the Opera
Review by Ernest Goes To The Theatre/Ernest Edwards
Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical Phantom of the Opera is back on tour, making a stop at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis. The musical is in town through Sunday December 7, 2025. Before I get into the story of the musical, let’s recap the production. The original production played on Broadway for 35 years before it closed, and is still playing in London. The original national tour in North America stopped running in the early 2010’s. In 2020, producer Cameron Mackintosh took the opportunity to update the scenery. As much as I love some of the long running musicals, the scenery isn’t always meant to last decades . This tour features the new scenery by Matt Kinley (inspired by the original design), Original choreography recreated and adapted by Christie Cartwright, directed by Seth Solar Heyn, along with the original costume designs. If you have seen the original Phantom of the Opera before, you will notice this production is the same, but different or different, but the same.
There was a different tour in the 2010’s that also used the original costumes, but had completely different scenery. It was suppose to be more tour-able. The first time I had seen that, I liked it. When it came back a second time, I was like, can we have the original production back? This tour is close to the original. In the 2010’s I did get to see the original production in New York City, and London, and also the Vegas Spectacular production of Phantom of the Opera at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. The Vegas production was spectacular in so many ways. I still think that is my favorite version of the chandelier that is featured in Phantom of the Opera.
I also have the 25th Anniversary recorded live from the Royal Albert Hall in London. That is the only stage version that was filmed. Then there is the 2004 film version, which has some elements that I really like, but also had so many moments that could have been better in the film.
When I had seen this tour on Monday night, we had a technical issue between scenes 9 & 10 in the first act. (Only about 10 minutes left before intermission) They announced there was a technical issue and need to stop the show and to please stay in your seats. I think I had seen what the issue was during the ballet number from Il Muto, the opera being performed on stage during the musical. There was a back drop that was not right looking, and they raised it back up. That’s my theory. Now I need to talk about my fellow patrons. So many people thought there was going to be two intermissions. And I was annoyed at the shear volume of people returning to their seats during the last scene and the song All I Ask You. It was very disruptive. I tried to not late that ruin my enjoyment of the musical. Now I have experienced this kind of technical issue before once on Broadway, once in London’s West End, but this was a first I had experienced it during a national tour. This was kind of fun for me, my third time having a professional show stop to fix a technical issue. This is very rare and definitely something I will remember.
Let’s talk about the cast. We have Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom, Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daae, Daniel Lopez as Raoul The Vicomte de Chagny, Midori Marsh as Carlotta, William Thomas Evans as Monsieur Firmin, Carrington Vilmont as Monsieur Andre, Lisa Vroman as Madame Giry, Christopher Bozeman as Libaldo Piangi, and Melo Ludwig as Meg Giry.
If you have not seen any of the old classic movies, or the stage musical before. The story follows singing protege Christine Daae who is in the chorus and a dancer at the Paris Popular Opera house. She’s the daughter of a famous violinist. There’s mysterious things happening at the Opera House. Folks are saying it’s The Phantom of the Opera who is behind these things. Prima Donna Carlotta decides she has had it, and leaves. Christine makes her debut that night. After the show she has a reunion with Raoul, before the Phantom whisks Christine away to where he lives below the opera house. The first act ends with the Phantom bringing down the chandelier in spectacular fashion. The second act opens with a masquerade to celebrate the new chandelier. The Phantom crashes the masquerade and demands that Andre and Firmin produce his new opera Don Juan Triumphant. It takes time for all involved to realized that producing this opera could be their best chance to get the upper hand on the Phantom.
It’s alluded to that the Phantom has been secretly providing Christine with vocal lessons. Is the Phantom in love with Christine? Or is he obsessed with her?
Madame Giry knows more than she lets on. All is revealed in the second act.
The vocal talents of the actors/actresses playing Christine, The Phantom, Raoul and Carolotta are so powerful. It’s hard to resist this score and not get swept up in the musical and the spectacle of the scenery and costumes.
I have always enjoyed the overture for this musical. The show begins with an auction in the ruins of the opera house in 1905. When the chandelier is illuminated, we are taken back to the late 1800’s. And the opera house comes alive again as the chandelier rises to its rightful place, and the dust cloths are removed and the we go back in time to a rehearsal of Hannibal the opera. So much to watch during the overture. Lots of great details you do not want to miss out. Now that I have seen it again on stage, I really want to see how the show looks backstage. There is so much scenery, and big pieces of scenery that I’m wondering what kind of game of Tetris is being played backstage.
I really do like the new scenery. This cast is out of the world. They are so talented and sing their hearts out night after night. This tour is in town longer than the standard one week tours. You have until Sunday December 7, 2025 to see it. Check out hennepinarts.org for tickets.
The chandelier returning to its normal location during the Entr’Act at the beginning of the second act.
