Wow! Kopit's Phantom....

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 11:41am

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OyWndeI220A&feature=related

[tazber]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 11:49am

I don't if you meant "wow" as a good or a bad comment, but I have always loved Yeston's Phantom so much more than ALWs.

What a gorgeous score.

[WindyCityActor]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 12:06pm

WOW! As in incredible singing and acting. Love the spontaneous smile towards the end.

[Jon]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 12:36pm

For those who don't know, that's Takarazuka - an all-female troupe that performs American musicals.

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 12:40pm

I was gonna say -- the phantom is very pretty.

I think the musical would work better in a foreign language for me, because the music is lovely but some of the lyrics are atrocious.

[stagescreen]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:29pm

If you haven't heard it, I'm a big fan of "The Maury Yeston Songbook" on PS Classics Records -- Laura Benanti & Robert Cuccioli duet on "Home" from PHANTOM and Philip Chaffin sings "My True Love" -- unusual for a male, but a perfect song for him.

I like the cast recording of this show okay, but those two numbers from the Yeston CD are outstanding...not to mention Ebersole's version of "My Grandmother's Love Letters" makes me cry like a baby every time!

[Calvin]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 3:37pm

The line readings on the cast recording kill me.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 4:14pm

I remember seeing the world premiere of Phantom in Houston with most of the cast on the recording. I really enjoyed it. While it has its campy moments, I found it a more interesting show than Lloyd Webber's. I was very disapopinted however, that the second act opening never made it on the recording. It was a wonderful production number outlining the history or the Phantom himself from his early childhood. It was actually the most sumptuous music in the entire score, reminiscent of The Bells of St. Sebastian from Nine. I actually saw the show twice. The second time, Richard White had laryngitis and performed only the dialogue while Stephen Lehew sang the role from the pit as Richard lip-synced. It sounds like it would be awful to watch, but they really pulled it off. There was a second song cut from the recording called something like Ghost in the Opera House which involved the Phantom and his "posse" pulling pranks on Carlotta trying to scare her out of the opera house. The number really added nothing and I've always wondered if it was cut from the show altogether.

Updated On: 4/24/08 at 04:14 PM

[stagescreen]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 4:45pm

Nope, that number about pulling pranks on Carlotta wasn't cut when I was in the show. Truly beautiful score (as all of Yeston's music seems to be) but some of the plot action is a little trite (that one being one of them). We had lots of fun singing "The opera's been invaded by a phantom...by a ghost...by a ghost...by a ghost..." -- all the Baroque-y counterpoint was a hoot to sing.

[Mister Matt]

Posted: 4/24/08 at 5:31pm

Calvin - I get what you're saying about the lyrics. Who Could Ever Have Dreamed Up You has horribly trite lyrics. The melody's ok, but it's one of the weakest numbers in the show along with Without Your Music. They really need to be replaced.

But from the first time I saw the show, I was in love with the song Home. It still gives me chills.