pre-recorded music

So, there was a discussion about Lloyd Webber, and somewhere there was a mention of the fact that parts of Phantom are pre-recorded, including the title song.

Whenever you've seen POTO, have the sound people done a horrible job making the pre-recorded music blend in seamlessly with the preceding live music? This happened when I last saw the national tour in 2002. Let me explain:

Right before Raoul breaks into Christine's dressing room, there is a pulsating vamp/ostinato (dun dun dun dun dun) that underscores the Phantom's lyric "I am your angel of music...come to me angel of music..." Well, I discovered that the pre-recorded track MUST begin somewhere within this vamp because the transition was NOT handled very well. It sounded like this: dun dun dun dun ddididid dun dun dun.

That might look stupid, but I hope someone understands what I just typed...

-SuperSchubert

Updated On: 7/12/04 at 11:49 PM

the dun dun dun technique doesn't carry too well in print but I get what you're saying. I've seen the show 11 times and the sound folks have always been able to bring in the prerecorded stuff pretty seamlessly. the only problem i can remember wasn't anyone's fault. it was the SF production and Lisa Vroman got sick offstage during the overture, so they delayed the show, made an announcement, and her understudy Bonnie Rapp went on. She did a great job but her voice was quite different from Vroman's. During the title song, it was really obvious what parts were recorded because they were in LISA'S VOICE! i noticed anyway, don't know about the rest of the audience.

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My guess is that they don't usually send Bonnie on because Lisa had an alternate, Karen Culliver. Or maybe Bonnie was a new understudy and they just hadn't recorded her yet.

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Yeah, in Phantom, they usually record the lead, alternate, and understudy(ies).

Ah... good to know. I didn't think it was due to the water at all. "Singin In The Rain" features a mic-d cast singing onstge during adownpour... they have waterproof heads for mics.

First of all, why do they pre-record the title song in POTO and are there any other pre-recorded parts? I thought the point of going to the theater was to get the full effect of the story with live acting and singing.

Any other pre-recorded songs in POTO?

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Updated On: 7/13/04 at 12:17 PM

i learned great things from going backstage. many MANY spoilers. yay! fun!

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Yeah, I wondered how they entered the trap door and exited so fast. So the doubles appear before the trapdoor and the real ones exit on top? BTW, who are the doubles?

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yeah that's what happens. well, during angel of music, there is double for christine and the phantom when they are going through the mirror. the real stars are running to get to the top platforms.

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Whenever you see a conductor don headphones, there's cause for suspicion!

the orchestra does not play during those pieces, but the conductor still waves his arms, so that it looks like they are playing. i hate telling everyone this because i bring the bad news. sorry!

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Updated On: 7/13/04 at 04:39 PM

yeah me too. i saw it after i knew all these things plus more and i was still excited about every little part.

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"Whenever you see a conductor don headphones, there's cause for suspicion!"

what if the conductor needs to hear news from somewhere else in the theater. What is someone broke their leg backstage...the conductor would need to know and the best way would to be through his headphones.

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