PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

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PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/11/08 at 8:24am

Caught the Wednesday Sep 10 matinee with Sir Andrew lloyd Webber and Hal Prince in the audience.

The much-hyped new sound system is terrific. When the orchestra first lets loose at the end of the auction opening, you could feel the audience reaction - it's a knockout. The sound is clean, and you can hear details in the orchestrations that previously went unnoticed. Voices come through with clarity and never sound "canned". Quite impressive.

Anyone else seen this with the new sound system?

And yes, the production is in great shape - sets, costumes, performances - all obviously maintained with great care.

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re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/11/08 at 8:30am

Good to hear the new sound system is living up to the hype, but even BETTER to hear the show itself is in good shape

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Updated On: 9/11/08 at 08:30 AM

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/11/08 at 8:33am

Whatever you do, don't tell that to bryan.

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re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/11/08 at 9:16am

The London production now sounds fresher than it has in 10 to 12 years.

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/11/08 at 9:25am

I just may have to revisit this (for what? the 12th time?) on my next NY visit. Unlike others here, I love the show.

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re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/11/08 at 10:40am

I was just about to start a thread on this. I saw Phantom last night for the 1st time with the new sound system and WOWww wow wow woww wow. wow. wow.

The orchestra sounds phenomenal--it was a real rock concert vibe going on during the chandelier ascent and during the title song. And the voices! Lots of previously garbled lines now came through loud and clear.

I remember thinking when I saw the show in August "the sound is great--how can they improve it?" But the best way to describe it is maybe the difference between an old TV set and a brand new plasma tv.

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:02pm

So nobody's bothered by the electric guitar? I've been curious to see how those who know the show well would react to the change.

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:25pm

So nobody's bothered by the electric guitar? I've been curious to see how those who know the show well would react to the change.

Oh no. Do you mean to say...do you mean to say they've started using the title song orchestration they used in the movie? The one that was used in the original 1985 music video? The one that, if I recall correctly, has been used in London the past few years? (I've been out of the Phantom "loop" for so long...)

Eek. It's great to hear that the sound system is so clean, and I will definitely see the show again within the year--my first visit since fall 2004. But I do so dislike that arrangement of the title song...

Unless that isn't what you're talking about at all, and I'm still out of the loop.

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Updated On: 9/14/08 at 12:25 PM

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/14/08 at 12:37pm

The London orchestration was updated quite some time ago, however it doesn't sound exactly like the film (the DVD includes footage with the September 2005 cast, featuring the orchestration, and it's great)....it really enhances the scene, as the orchestration has always labeled itself in the 80s (although I've always found it exciting...there are so many great little things going on instrumentally during the scene). I look at it as a faithful update rather than complete change.

I'm seeing the show in NY later this year, and I am very much looking forward to hearing this fresh sound.

How to properly use its/it's: Its is the possessive. It's is the contraction for it is...

#10

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/14/08 at 1:51pm

Ummm yeah I guess I was kinda in denial about the electric guitar. I mean, one of the reasons that I loooooove the Phantom so much is because it is just so excessively 80's. And I guess the electric guitar brings up the 80's quotient even more. But It was so unexpected. I'm seeing it again on Wednesday, hopefully then I can really rock out to it instead of sitting there in disbelief.

#11

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/14/08 at 5:02pm

I'm not familiar with the changes made in London, but it's definitely not as rock-sounding as the concept album. I just watched the scene from the movie again, and it is very close to that. In the movie there is some guitar at the very beginning, on Broadway it first creeps in just before they get out of the boat. The best way I can describe it is it's very close to the original, with the guitar part from the second half of the movie version overlaid on it. There are some other little new things, but overall it just sounds like a pumped-up version of the original for most of the song, before the guitar comes in.

#12

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/14/08 at 9:45pm

I'm happy to hear that a new sound system was installed! I saw the show three times on Broadway and twice in Vegas, and I couldn't help but feel that it was more difficult to hear with an older system on Broadway than the year old Vegas 'Spectacular'.

#13

re: PHANTOM: Sir Andrew, Hal, and new sound system

Posted: 9/14/08 at 10:41pm

They need to update the tour now. It sounded disgusting in San Diego.

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