What's the difference in the Yeston" Phantom" from the ALW Version

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What's the difference in the Yeston" Phantom" from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/29/05 at 5:59pm

I have always wanted to know the difference between the 2 shows could someone fill me in please?

I have also noticed that a few of the "Christine's" from the ALW version have also been in the Yeston version as well. Is the music range for that role the same?

Which "Phantom" is better?

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re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/29/05 at 6:05pm

I love them both. The K&Y one was the first Phantom I ever saw, but I love ALW's just as much. Of the two, critics tend to prefer the K&Y version because it has more "heart" whereas the famous one has more "spectacle".

Basically, they make the Phantom more human in the Kopit/Yeston one. He is called Erik, like in the book. His dad runs the opera house, and keeps an eye on him, but he thinks Erik never knew that they were related (he knew, he says so in the end). Christine is not a chorus girl, but comes to the opera when Count Phillipe (Raoul, basically only given the name his brother has in the book) hears her sing and wants her to have lessons. Guess who ends up teaching her. There is a Carlotta, but she and her husband buy the Opera and fire the Phantom's dad at the start. He manages to stick around (I have not seen it in 10 years so I forget how). No chandelier crash. There is a more tragic end for the Phantom.

Sorry this is a hurried summary, but these are the major differences.

Updated On: 4/29/05 at 06:05 PM

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/29/05 at 6:12pm

The yeston one doesnt annoy you.

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re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/29/05 at 6:18pm

Well, both sort of annoy me, but sadly, the Yeston one annoys me more. I saw it on stage a long long time ago, and it really really annoyed the crap out of me. Especially the material for his Carlotta character. And I usually love Yeston.

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/29/05 at 7:25pm

Does the Yeston version have good music.

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re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 1:31am

There are some lovely songs in the Yeston version. You are My Son will bring tears to even the hardest of hearts.

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 1:49am

I personally prefer the Webber version. The book to Yeston's is... well, here's an excerpt:

(I'm skipping opening stage cues)

Act I, Scene I

CHRISTINE.
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA...

ONE OF THE CROWD. Bonjour, mademoiselle!
CHRISTINE: Bonjour!
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA...

SECOND MEMBER OF CROWD: Who is she?
THIRD MEMBER OF THE CROWD: Never seen her before. (To another member of the crowd.) Have you?

CHRISTINE.
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA...

FOURTH MEMBER OF CROWD. What's she selling?

CHRISTINE.
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA LA LA LA LA LA LA
LA...

FIFTH MEMBER OF CROWD.
What have you got there for us, mademoiselle?
CHRISTINE. (Taking out sheets of paper.) A new song. For sale!! Just published! All about Paris!

(Everyone seems excited by this.)

VARIOUS PEOPLE. Ahhh! Paris!

(CHRISTINE hands out sheet music. SHE continues to sing.)

CHRISTINE.
MELODY MELODY MELODY MELODY
SUNG SO MELODIOUSLY
MELODY MELODY
MY KIND OF MELODY
GENTLE AND FLOWING AND FREE...

SOARING ABOVE EVERY ROOFTOP
WHISPERING UNDER EACH TREE
MELODY MELODY
MY MELODIE DE PARIS ("pa-ree")

However, I think the score is beautiful, but that's a given due to it being a Yeston score. It does, however, remind me of a Disney film - as shown above.

I just hate having our Phantom referred to by his name, Erik. It loses all sense of respect and fear. "oh hey bob, what's goin on? Not much, looking out for Erik, that creepy guy below the opera house!"

For my taste, the Webber version dramatizes the story better. But that's just my humble opinion.

Charlie
magicpiane@kc.rr.com

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 01:49 AM

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 1:53am

While the Yeston/Kopit version is not perfect, I find it has FAR more artistic merit and makes a more honest attempt at characterization than the ALW version.

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 1:57am

I'll agree with you, Mattio, that it does try to give honest characterizations. I just don't agree with most of their choices as they reflect on "known" characters. It does a good job of humanizing Erik, as opposed to his "boo!" character in Webber's.

I just prefer high melodrama for the tale.

I feel like my opinions aren't making much sense tonight!

Charlie
magicpiane@kc.rr.com

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 01:57 AM

#10

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 2:16am

The Yeston version does have some nice songs, but it's completely unfaithful to the original novel. The Webber version, in my opinion, at least made a decent attempt at keeping in tune with the characters and themes of the original novel. sure, a lot of characters were dropped and a lot of subplot was removed in order to give the show a clearer point, but everything that happens in the Webber musical happens in sequence with the novel and there are no invented characters which are abundant in the Yeston adaptation. for my money I enjoy Andrew Lloyd Webber's the most. stage. not film.

neither, however, takes the cake for being the worst stage musical adaptation of the novel. that honor goes to David Spencer's "Phantom of the Opera" which keeping in mind that it was intended for children is still one of those happy guilty pleasures that is so bad it's good... there was, however, ONE line in the song "New World Order" that I enjoyed when an invented character Monsieur Jack sings "Opera is business - it only looks like art." and I thought that was pretty funny because it almost described today's Broadway. this CD can be purchased on Amazon.com...

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B000006N8R/qid=1114841736/sr=1-52/ref=sr_1_52/102-2724763-6113738?v=glance&s=music

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 02:16 AM

#11

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 4:48am

I saw a community theatre production, and it was ok. The phantom character was much less of a mystery, which was a tad annoying, and the way the original characters were thrown around irritated me to no end. The score is gorgeous, but i thought it didn't really suit the story.

ALW Phantom all the way!!

#12

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 9:36am

Now I have that "Melody, Melody" song stuck in my head!

#13

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 11:04am

There can't be any musical version of "Phantom" worse than the one that's available on DVD by Lawrence Rosen and Paul Schierhorn, starring David Staller. Oh...my...God...

#14

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 6:49pm

Oh lord! I HATE that one (David Staller version). The voices were pretty good, but the whole thing was just horrid.

Updated On: 4/30/05 at 06:49 PM

#15

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 7:02pm

Correction EganFan2 - There IS a chandelier crash in the Kopit/Yeston version.

I like this version particually because Carlotta has a much bigger and more important part. In the ALW version, shes there and shes a bitch and in the way. In this one, she is more of a villan... she tries to get Christine out of the way... I love when the Phantom electrocutes her at the end!

#16

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 7:31pm

There was? I saw it at an outdoor theater, so I guess that's why there wasn't.

#17

re: What's the difference in the Yeston' Phantom' from the ALW Version

Posted: 4/30/05 at 7:46pm

Yeah, it was right after the Opera scene, when Christine's voice cracks... the chandelier crashes and the Phantom takes Christine away in the confusion.

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