Last night I attended a performance of the Phantom of the Opera at the Teatro at Montecasino. I leapt at the chance to go, because I have always been a fan of big musicals – Chess is one of my favourites in the history of ever, and I remember my folks taking me to see the live performances of the likes of Barnum!, Hello Dolly, My Fair Lady and Mame when I was a child. We had the vinyl album of the soundtrack of Phantom as soon as it was released, and I listened to it over and over again – the drama that is such a part of the music keeps you going back for more.
I saw the London version of Phantom in 1999 and the Pretoria version in 2005, but you can never see too many live performances of this show, as far as I’m concerned!
The performance at the Teatro, with its local cast, did South Africa proud. The voices were soaring and magnificent, the dancing was exquisite (I’d forgotten how much ballet there is in the production), and the theatre itself handled the complicated set so well. The Phantom really does appear out of nowhere, and he disappears before your eyes too... and that one ton chandelier is as much a character in the cast as any of the performers.
For more facts and figures about the production, read an article that appeared in The Times, but the short version of that is that the show is tightly controlled from abroad – the costumes are identical wherever it is performed, the sets are identical (all 110 tons per set), and there is a support team of 120 people behind the 38 performers. This means that the local show is a veritable feast for the eyes – there’s nothing ‘Africanised’ or downsized about it at all – visually, it is true to what Andrew Lloyd Webber set it out to be originally. No detail has been spared in the interests of shortcuts or logistics.
I think one of the reasons Lloyd Webber wrote the musical was to try and keep opera alive – and those who really don’t like this style of singing may not enjoy the show so much – particularly Madame Carlotta, who really is a caricature of all things operatic. Don’t let this put you off though – the show is such a display of finely honed performing art that it’s worth going to see even if you’re not an opera fan.
The show runs at the Teatro until 22 April 2012, although my host last night said that there was talk of adding an extra 60 000 seats to the run (that translates into roughly another month I think– but that’s yet to be confirmed). Don’t wait to book though – go and see it. It’s a great introduction to the world of musical theatre if you haven’t seen a production like this before, and it’s an excellent portrayal of one of the genre’s greatest hits if you are a fan. Tickets range in price from R125 to R425.
Just so you know – I was hosted by Southern Sun for the evening. Even if I hadn't been - I would have been happy to pay to go. 
1 comment:
This blog so captures the essence of what the Phantom (seen 4 times, twice in London, in Pretoria and now at Montecasion) means to me. I never tire of the sheer magic of this show. Thanks, Southern Sun, for the opportunity to go with Kerry, and for your generous hospitality.
Andrew Lloyd Webber has done for modern music what Verdi did in days gone by, and I am sure he will stay just as evergreen. Brilliant blog, Kerry (and I'd say that even if I were not your mother!)
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