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 | Title : The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast)
Author : Lloyd Webber, Andrew
Release Date : 20010206
Binding : Audio CD
Regular Price : $37.98
Amazon.com Price : $33.99
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Editorial Reviews :
What's left to be said about Andrew Lloyd Webber's adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera a decade after its premiere? That it's maddeningly ubiquitous? A stitch-up of various themes shoplifted from the Italian operatic repertoire? A critic-proof crowd pleaser that's probably being staged somewhere in the world as you read this? A megahit that will likely outlive Titanic in the pop-culture pantheon, Phantom has largely redefined--for better or worse--the manner in which modern musicals are conceived, staged, and marketed. Its influence has reached far beyond the traditional confines of London and Broadway. A favorite example: an abridged version that was the centerpiece of Los Angeles's longest-running transvestite revue, replete with 14-inch chandeliers and a man-playing-a-woman-playing-a-man in the title role.
Buyer Reviews :
This now-classic cast recording of The Phantom of the Opera is sure to reach a new generation of listeners through this new remastering. Phantom is already one of many Andrew Lloyd Webber classics, but a classic that seems to stand head and shoulders above all others. The poignancy of the love story and the spectacle that the visuals provide have all contributed to its visual appeal. However, it is the music and the wonderful performances of the original cast (as preserved on this recording) that provide a real hallmark of the show that also has earned this recording an institution unto itself.
Michael Crawford gives a hypnotic performance of the ill-fated eponymous title-character. Comparing him to other performers, notably Colm Wilkinson, I tend to feel that he has given the character more feeling and depth. I bear no grudge against other performers of the work, but I do feel that Crawford brings something of an unparalleled passion to his portrayal of the role. Sarah Brightman's Christine reflects an innocence and youthfulness in the part. Her beautiful voice is able to reflect the character's personality very well, and it is all the more apparent when this role was written for her. The rest of the cast is supportive, and help to contribute to the success of this recording well. The Raoul of the late Steve Barton has a smoothness and concern, and the Carlotta of Rosemary Ashe shows a certain haughtiness about it well. The two singers of the Girys, Janet Devenish as Meg and Mary Millar as her mother Madamme Giry, reflect two extremes of the characters well. And, to top off the principal cast, John Savident and David Frith portray the two flustered managers well. The minor cast has no weak link among it, and the orchestra under Michael Reed plays with a feeling for the music and with a certain sumptuousness. And, with this new remastering, the sound of the recording has been considerably freshened, also revealing many facets of the recording that were blurred in the original master.
To sum everything up, I would just say that this recording of PHANTOM is just as perfect as it can get, and it still has a place among the few Broadway CDs that every beginner needs. And I'm sure that it can continue to inspire the appeal of generation after eneration of Broadway musical lovers.
(by Yi-Peng)
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