The Phantom of the Opera" has all the elements that should be a part of a perfect and a well made musical
. It is because of this reason that it is one of the most commercially successful plays of all times and it still manages to keep its audience entertained even after all this time.
Everything about the aforementioned play from its ringing voices and the mind blowing sets to its intricate and beautiful costumes and its iconic music is worth mentioning. They all blend together very well and the combination helps in the creation of a once in a lifetime experience that spans three hours which can be spent curled up on your sofa set watching this on television. It is all about the creation of memories good and bad and allowing people to have the opportunity of witnessing this much touching and sensational love story.
The music has been given by Andrew Lloyd Weber. The story revolves around a heart-breaking love triangle between Trista Moldovan who plays the role of Christine, Tim Martin Gleason who plays the role of the mysterious Opera Ghost - or also known as the Phantom - and last but not the least Sean MacLaughlin who plays the role of the young dashing patron.
All of this and more is the reason that The Phantom of Opera has is going strong even after almost twenty years. Two decades and it still has not lost its charm. It is a grand and an awe-inspiring story that includes some splendid performances from its entire cast.
Like all shows this one has some flaws as well, the largest one being the version of "Phantom" that is playing at the Wharton Center in East Lansing. It does not have any balance in several of the musical numbers and although some of the solos and also the duets are rather exceptional and they do move you but there are just too many ensemble pieces which make it very difficult for the audience to understand. Like say for instance as far as the performance of Hannibal is concerned, you have to have one glance and know there is going to be a need for the subtitles, it had been at least worth the effort in spite of being difficult to comprehend.
In the scene where there is the managers' office, although the acting is quite amusing, but when it comes to singing, the manager voice becomes so weak and monotonous that you just want him to stop singing. Although it gets better in the latter half of the song when several other voices join him. Then there are MacLaughlin and Nancy Hess in the role of Madame Giry who appears to be singing as if their voices are buried.
As far as Gleason's Phantom is concerned he just seemed too human.