Just like the character that gives the musical its name, it seems “The Phantom of the Opera” will continue to haunt our theaters.
When Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical take on Gaston Leroux’s creepy 1909 gothic novel closed in 2023 after a 35-year run on Broadway (the longest in history), it seemed the end of an era, with the Great White Way’s longest lines now forming under the marquees of “The Lion King,” “Wicked” and “Hamilton.”
But meanwhile, the show’s original producer, Cameron Mackintosh, had already launched a smaller, more streamlined “Phantom” in London’s West End that employed the designs, direction and choreography of the 1986 original. It was a sort of “Coke Classic” move that served to remind audiences why they loved this war horse when it was only a colt.
That staging is spending two-and-a-half weeks at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre, and I can assure you that it doesn’t feel small at all. Employing an impressive arsenal of pyrotechnics, captivating costuming and evocatively detailed sets, it’s as involving as any “Phantom” you may have experienced, yet also an ideal intro for the newbie.
Lloyd Webber’s score is passionately delivered by a cast of 38 and a 14-piece orchestra, and the leads boast particularly strong voices as they tenderly caress the ballads and lend admirable classical technique to the more operatic fare.
Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine in “The Phantom of the Opera.” (Matthew Murphy / MurphyMade)
This production is currently making its way across North America, but the Orpheum version sports an extra element that no other tour stop may be able to top: The venue’s original 1927 chandelier, which serves as almost another character in the cast. It fills its role impressively, adding dramatic drops and pops to a skill set that’s usually limited to projecting gorgeous grandeur above other productions.
Showstopper though it may be, it doesn’t eclipse the excellent performance of Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine, the plucked-from-the-chorus soprano who finds stardom under the mysterious mentorship of the menacing Phantom, who’s lent against-all-odds believability by the sweet-voiced baritone, Isaiah Bailey. And the impresarios and opera stars who drive the backstage story are all excellent, ably bringing comic relief to this dark tale.
That story follows Christine’s ascent up the operatic ladder under the tutelage of the Phantom, who brings her to his lair on an underground lake beneath the opera house and presses her to choose between him and the wealthy childhood friend who’s re-entered her life (a solid Daniel Lopez). Meanwhile, the Phantom’s advocacy of Christine’s career turns violent when his plans meet resistance within the opera company.
Gilbert invariably mesmerizes with a combination of power and gentleness on “Think of Me,” “Angel of Music” and “Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again,” while Bailey makes “The Music of the Night” a beautifully seductive ballad in a show with a few of them. Of contrasting spirit is the layered comic octet, “Prima Donna,” its complexity made delightfully engaging.
This “Phantom” emphasizes that, at its core, this is Christine’s story. She might be the object of obsession, stalking and abduction, but Gilbert never lets you forget that she holds a lot of agency in this adaptation. And particularly this production, which brings fresh energy and an air of excitement that’s miles away from the perfunctory feel from which well-worn works can suffer.
‘The Phantom of the Opera’
When: Through Dec. 7
Where: Orpheum Theatre, 910 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.
Tickets: $385-$59, available at hennepinarts.org
Capsule: A production that makes the old feel new again.
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