Don your masquerade ball finery – the longest-running musical on Broadway has returned to grace Singapore’s stages after six long years. First debuting at West End in 1986, The Phantom of the Opera by musical maestro Andrew Lloyd Webber has been captivating audiences for decades, with a grand total of close to 14,000 curtain calls completed over its 35-year New York theatre tenure. Surely, this tale possesses a certain allure that keeps pulling both fresh and longstanding fans in – and I wasn’t about to miss out on my first Phantom experience with this new run at Marina Bay Sands’ Sands Theatre.
A love triangle, jealousy, manic obsession and elements of horror – Phantom has all the trimmings of a classic gothic romance. It goes without saying that unlike titles like Wicked and Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, The Phantom of the Opera isn’t one of those upbeat feelgood musicals with toe-tapping tunes you’d be itching to dance along to. This dark narrative will grip you in wide-eyed rapture and bated breath – right from the start where the foreboding title track invades the stage with electric guitar riffs, all the way till the bittersweet ending scene where calmness finally settles after the tumult.
Set in Paris Opera House circa the 19th Century, Phantom is essentially a musical production within a musical production – its story is centred around an opera troupe and its dancer-turned-soprano-lead Christine Daaé (Grace Roberts), who soon becomes the object of the Phantom’s (Ben Forster) desire and all-consuming infatuation. It's only fitting that many of its tunes take on operatic influences – a friendly introduction to an otherwise niche category of classical music, if you will.
With such a singing style, some portions of the lyrics might admittedly be hard for the untrained ear to make out, so expect minor moments where you’ll strain your ears only to find the words unintelligible – at least for some of the side characters who stick towards a more traditional opera vocal technique. Thankfully, all the leads’ voices ring clear and strong, with the overall story remaining unaffected and easy to follow even for first-timers who haven’t done their pre-show homework. And oh, what a treat we were served by the treacle-throated Roberts, who hit all the toughest high notes with masterful precision.
While the title song and other hits like ‘Think of Me’ and 'Music of the Night' are certainly set to wow, it’s Roberts’ hauntingly beautiful rendition of the ballad ‘All I Ask of You’ – a heartfelt duet with Matt Leisy who plays Raoul – that blew us away with its delicate and ethereal, yet powerful, delivery.
Both male leads Leisy and Forster bring forth a commendable performance, with Leisy’s warm vocals perfectly complementing Roberts’ in their shared pieces, and Forster commanding the stage as the tortured antagonist. The latter did mildly falter on holding some of his higher notes, but his overall portrayal of the Phantom as a mentally distraught, tormented outcast of society is one to watch.
All this to say: the boys are great in their own right, but the clear star of the show is Roberts – much like the character she plays. Though I haven’t had the privilege of witnessing any other Christines on stage, it’s clear as day that Roberts was made for the role.
Other supporting characters like Carlotta (Raquel Suarez), Madame Giry (Marni Raab), and especially Meg Giry (Claire Lander) also hold their own. One underrated tune we loved amidst the chaos of it all was ‘Notes / Prima Donna’ – an ironically cheerful-sounding ditty mainly sung between the opera house’s co-owners Andre (Curt Olds) and Firmin (James Borthwick). With a springy beat and fun rhyming lines, it starts off with a tinge of cheekiness before eventually segueing into something with more sinister undertones.
Story-wise? More discerning modern audiences may not necessarily sympathise with the Phantom as the infamous 'tragic figure' of the story. Perhaps I’m no empath, but I certainly didn’t feel much for the disfigured character and his inexcusable actions, as much as his circumstances were unfortunate. While I can’t speak for others, this for me was likely due to the lack of a heart-wrenching backstory delving into how he ended up in his plight. That said, it’s also worth remembering that this musical was written in a wildly different era of entertainment, where times were much simpler.
But forget overly complex storylines and character lore – The Phantom of the Opera is to be appreciated for being a pure theatrical masterpiece, and in that regard, it hits the spot. Powerhouse vocals aside, its graceful ballet numbers, glittering costumes and dazzling sets are guaranteed to impress as you're whisked from stage to cemetery and dark mysterious lair. We'll refrain from spoiling it for new watchers, but we'll say this: So cleverly designed are the sets that they'll completely rewrite your perspective of the depth that a theatre stage can hold. You'll know exactly what we mean once you watch the show.
If you haven’t already witnessed this spectacle, it’s high time you get swept up in the whirlwind. This is one musical that's fully worth splurging on better seats for – we strongly recommend going for something in the centre column towards the front for the full immersive experience.
The Phantom of the Opera is now running in Singapore till June 22, 2025. Tickets start from $88 and go up to $300. Get yours via Sistic.
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