Music reviews

One of the most classical musicals in history, this is a tragic story about love and incomprehension, but also a thrilling gothic tale set in Paris, 1876. After the death of her father, a musician, Christine has been raised in the Opera theatre by Madame Giry, and has become one of the ballet dancers starring in the operas performed in the theatre. What nobody knows is that she has a confidante, a mysterious Angel of Music whom she can only hear and who taught her the art of singing. When the theatre’s prima donna refuses to perform the premiere of a new opera, Madame Giry convinces Christine to take her role: the show is a success, and Christine herself is noticed and appreciated by Vicomte Raoul de Chagny, with whom she had spent her childhood when her father was still alive. The very night, after the show, Christine hears again the voice of the Angel of Music.

Following the voice through a secret passage behind a mirror she arrives in the theatre basement, where she finds out to whom the voice belongs: in the basement lives a genius writer, artist and musician, the Phantom of the Opera, who wears a white mask on his face and never takes it off. Christine spends the hours until dawn in companionship with the Phantom in the basement, not knowing he secretly loves her.

Meanwhile, the theatre prima donna, Carlotta Giudicelli, envious of Christine's success, convinces the theatre management to give her back the leading role for the next show. Seeing this, the Phantom writes a letter to the management ordering them to keep the part assigned to Christine.

The next night though, despite the Phantom's instructions, the prima donna plays the leading role and Christine is only given a small part. After the show, Raoul visits Christine and declares his love, happily discovering that she loves him, too. However, the Phantom has secretly witnessed their declaration of love and, feeling hurt and betrayed, promises revenge.

It is New Year's Eve: a masquerade party is held at the Opera, during which Raoul and Christine secretly become engaged. The Phantom joins the party with a death mask, menacing the new theatre directorship for not having followed his instructions, and trying also to frighten Raoul. Christine flees to the cemetery and visits her father's tomb, finding there the Angel of Music, the Phantom, who has meanwhile reached the tomb. Raoul follows hot on their heels, and engages in a duel with the Phantom, but is not able to defeat him. The Phantom flees, taking Christine with him. In despair, Raoul goes to Madame Giry, who reveals him the true identity of the Phantom, knowing his sad history, and confesses it has been she who had hidden him in the theatre basement for all that time; she also shows Raoul the secret passage which leads to the subterranean levels of the theatre.

Meanwhile the Phantom, with Christine witnessing it, takes revenge upon the theatre management by causing a fire which starts to devour the building, then he takes refuge in the basement, where he tries in vain to gain Christine's love. Beyond control, he takes off his mask, raging that the true reason why Christine does not love him is the deformed face he hides under the mask. Christine denies it, telling him that the reason why she does not love him is the distortion of his soul. Raoul, following Madame Giry's instructions, rushes down in the basement, but is caught in one of the traps the Phantom had set on the path. The Phantom threatens to kill him if Christine won't agree to stay, but Raoul is willing to lose his life to ensure Christine is not forced to stay with the Phantom.

There are two different endings to the musical: one is tragic, the other one elegiac, and both are a good finale to the story.

Andrew Lloyd Webber adapted to stage the well-known novel written in 1910 by French writer Gaston Leroux, keeping all the main story elements and creating an impressive work of art, the spirit of which has been exalted by the 2004 movie transposition by Joel Schumacher. Once again Webber gives proof of his skill in mastering a wide range of instrumental colour, obtaining atmospheres which range from Deep Purple rock to classic operetta, all delineated in a style which is quite indebted to the great European Romantic tradition. The very rich arrangement is almost baroque for its complexity, and keeps high the level of those few songs – such as All I Ask of You - which in some points almost seem to border upon kitschy mannerism. Even in these instances, the music is not untuneful.

One of the most skilful choices made by Webber is designating the protagonist, the Phantom, a vocal range which can be sung by either baritonal tenor or true baritone with good top notes, which in the operatic tradition is more usually reserved for the non-heroic roles. This particularity allows the Phantom many memorable passages in which he can exploit all the chromatic range of his voice, performing both passionate arias, mellow solos and dramatic duets or ensembles with the other main characters in which he can be perceived as generator of the harmony and melodic counter-themes.

All in all, The Phantom of The Opera is a masterpiece which cannot but be enjoyed for its musical richness, for the thrilling plot full of suspense, and for its tragic and elegiac romanticism.