The chandelier of the Paris Opera house once again rose up for its Manila audiences during the sold-out Phantom of the Opera gala night on Thursday at The Theater at Solaire.
The longest running show in Broadway history has returned to Manila with the same brilliance that made Filipinos fall in love with it since its last curtain fall in 2012.
It follows the story of a deformed composer who shelters underneath the Paris Opera house and haunts its managers and company. Privately tutoring Christine Daae, a beautiful soprano star-to-be, he falls in love with her. So when a handsome young suitor from her past enters the picture, the Phantom grew furious and tried with all his might to make Christine stay by his side.
Seasoned actors Jonathan Roxmouth (Phantom), Meghan Picerno (Christine), and Matt Leisy (Raoul) headline the Manila production.
The Phantom’s face is half-covered so the acting can be extra-challenging. Roxmouth’s version of the famous Opera ghost uses his dulcet voice and his nimble hands to woo and hypnotize Christine and the audience is not exempted from its effects.
Roxmouth, who also played the title role of ‘the Phantom’ back in 2012 describes the Phantom’s comeback to Manila as a “homecoming.”
The leading lady of the show, Megha Picerno, was also not new to the production of ‘Phantom’ as she played the older version of Christine Daae in the Phantom’s sequel ‘Love Never Dies” 2 years ago.
The dark and heavy atmosphere of the opera house was graced by a comedic touch fused to the script. When Lefevre, the opera’s manager, left the company when he heard threats from the opera ghost, he bid them good luck and says they shall find him in Boracay, making the audiences laugh at the fourth wall-breaking scene.
Beverly Chiat, who plays the lead soprano of the opera, Carlotta Giudicelli, also incorporated humor to her Carlotta making her a crowd-favorite of the night.
Even with the limited space The Theater’s stage provides, it did not hinder the extravagant set of the show. So when the Phantom and Christine emerged on a boat and glides through the mist, it is simply breathtaking. For 30 years, the show plays multiple productions all around the world and the props and costume design are still as lavish and extravagant as it gets, all thanks to the genius of Maria Bjorson.
“The Music of the Night” and “All I Ask of You” remain as crowd-favorites of the show that cemented its status as legend in Broadway history and etches the melodies in the minds of the audience as they go home singing the tunes and rewinding the magic of the opera.
