There are plenty of musicals out there. "Hamilton,"the iconic musical written by Lin-Manuel Miranda, just recently won...excuse me, was just recently nominated for 16 Tony awards. That is a lot of gold trophies. But, those are just nominations, and who really knows if "Hamilton"will win all of them (although it is very likely)? If it does win all of them, it will beat Mel Gibson's "The Producers,"with 12 Tony awards. But, even though both of these plays were nominated a bunch, neither of them stand against my favorite play of all time: "The Phantom of the Opera."
"The Phantom of the Opera" was first a novel written by Gaston Leroux in 1909. But, sometime before 1986, Andrew Lloyd Webber, famous composer of musicals "Cats" and "Jesus Christ Superstar," along with many others, found the opportunity and helped create one of the most beautiful musicals of the 21st century. Of course, the music isn't the only factor that makes this musical so fantastic. That is why I have created a list of reasons why "Phantom"is better than the rest of them.
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Yes, it is even better than "Les Misérables."
1. The Story
For those who aren't familiar with with the story, here is a brief:
The Phantom of the Opera is a man who roams the halls the fictional popular opera house, the Opéra Populaire. A ballet girl by the name of Christine Daae (pronounced DYE-yay) has taken the place of the primary opera singer, Carlotta, in the beginning of the first act. Christine has been getting singing lessons from a mysterious person she refers to as her "Angel of Music." Someone from her past, Raoul, sees her performance and engages her in her dressing room, right before we find out who the real Angel of Music is. The story is about love, betrayal, and romance, and the Phantom and Raoul fight for Christine's heart, all while the new producers of the theater try to keep it afloat. As much as I have said, I really cannot do the musical justice. You have to see it for yourself.
2. The Lyrics
In my humble opinion, the musical is so well-written in dialogue, and in song. Every lyric that is sung has a double meaning that goes deeply into the musical.
In the song, "All I Ask of You," Raoul tells Christine, "Let daylight dry your tears." In a sense, you can see that he is telling her to avoid thinking dark thoughts, and that she should surround herself with light, which will make her happy.
But, further examining the play, you actually see how the battle between Raoul and Phantom plays through Christine. The Phantom has a solo song, "Music of the Night," which, in a way, says that he is darkness, and that she should choose to love him. So, if the Phantom is darkness, then Raoul is the daylight that will dry her tears. And that's just for one bit of song. If you look at the whole musical like that, you will see how brilliant Charles Hart is in writing the lyrics to "Phantom."
May I also point out that that song is perfect for wedding vows? Just sing it, and you are good.
3. The Costumes
The late Maria Elena Björnson is a custom designer and two-time Tony Award winner...and she definitely did not let up with this musical. This picture is from the number "Masquerade" from the 25th Anniversary Edition of "Phantom of the Opera." It definitely shows just how beautiful the show looks. If you every get a chance to see it yourself (or if you by the 25th Anniversary DVD) you will see just how well-designed the costumes are. From Christine's dress in the beginning of the first act to the Phantom's costume in the very back, you can tell Maria took her time designing these beauties.
4. The Set Design
The set for this show is always astounding. One of the biggest downfalls from the 25th Anniversary version is that it is mostly done with technology. On one hand, technology allows you to do things that you otherwise wouldn't be able to do. On the other hand, it can be a major distraction and causes you to be less emerged in the play. Usually, there is so much creativity involved that you get so entranced by the beauty of it. This why I suggest you watch it on Broadway, where you can feel what the actors feel and enjoy the beautiful scenery in person.
So, there you have it. You should now be highly convinced to go and watch "Phantom" for yourself. You might be someone who cannot afford a Broadway ticket, but have no fear. If you just click here, you can order a copy of the 25th Anniversary version from Amazon. Go, and listen to the music of the night!
