subject: The Phantom Of The Opera Tickets - The Phantom Of The Opera Is Still Here [print this page] It is practically blasphemy for any theater buff to not have seen the longest-running show in the history of Broadway: Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera! The Phantom of the Opera has been adapted into several films, most recently the 2004 reincarnation starring Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum in the roles of the Phantom and Christine, but the best way to enjoy this thrilling and romantic musical is to see it on the big stage. The Phantom of the Opera is currently on tour, so head online for The Phantom of the Opera tickets to see the show when it comes near your town!
The Phantom of the Opera is based on a 1910 gothic horror novel by French journalist and author Gaston Leroux, titled Le Fantome de l'Opera. A native of Paris, the City of Lights, Leroux abandoned a career as a lawyer in order to work as a court reporter, journalist and drama critic. Taking inspiration from writers like Arthur Conan Doyle and Edgar Allan Poe, Leroux penned several books throughout his career, all united by a common thread of horror, mystery and action. Although sales of Le Fantome de l'Opera were moderate at best in France, the story was serialized in American, English and French newspapers and eventually transformed into one of the most beloved musicals of all time.
The best-known film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera appeared as a silent movie in 1925, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical masterpiece arrived on the London stage in 1986. Composed by Webber with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, the musical features the signature song "Music of the Night" as well as favorites like "Think of Me," "All I Ask of You" and "Masquerade," appearing on Broadway for the first time in 1988. The winner of too many Tony Awards to name, The Phantom of the Opera continues to thrill audiences across the globe and has eclipsed another one of Webber's iconic musicals, Cats, as the longest-running Broadway show.
Set in the Paris Opera House in 1880, The Phantom of the Opera tells the story of a chorus girl, Christine Daae, who becomes entangled with the Phantom, Erik and the young Vicompte de Chagney, Raoul. Despite her immense talent, Christine has been unable to sing passionately since her father's death. The elusive "Angel of Music" begins to tutor the struggling singer after she first hears him while in her dressing room, believing he has been delivered to her by her father from the grave. After his tutoring, Christine is given the title role and impresses everyone with her vocal ability and spirited performance.
When Christine's childhood friend Raoul enters the play and falls in love with Christine, the love triangle between Christine, Raoul and the Phantom, her "Angel," comes to a head. Christine's "Angel of Music" reveals himself to her, eventually taking off the mask he wears to cover his disfigured face. Torn between her often-frightening attraction to the genius of the Phantom and the safety that she feels when with Raoul, Christine is eventually forced to choose between her two lovers in the musical, the outcome of which is best enjoyed live.
Although Andrew Lloyd Webber was diagnosed with prostate cancer in October, a statement released by the celebrated composer's camp revealed that it was caught in the early stages and he is expected to make a full recovery. Phantom - The Las Vegas Spectacular, a new production of the timeless musical staged at the Venetian Resort and Hotel in Las Vegas, is currently in residency and plans for the highly anticipated sequel, Love Never Dies, are under way, as well. Broadway online reports that Love Never Dies will debut across the pond in London in 2010, but the original isn't going anywhere!
