Charles Hart - The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast)
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Free Music Notes for The Phantom of the Opera (Original 1986 London Cast)
Free Music Review: Be still, my heart! This is the best music I've ever heard
Hit: 5 Stars
I was born the same year 'The Phantom of the Opera' made its debut in London. I was raised with this music. I was always captivated by the soaring score, beautiful, complex lyrics, and the timeless back-story. What I love about Andrew Lloyd Webber's stage version more than even the original novel is how much mystery there is. Even after the show is over and the curtain falls, there are so many questions we still have surrounding the mystery of the Phantom. This truly is the best recording of the stage musical. There's never been a better Phantom than Michael Crawford. His voice captures everything the Phantom is feeling. His voice can be menacing, shouting threats to the cast members from offstage, and soothing and beautiful, esp. with 'The Music of the Night'. Sarah Brightman has such a huge range, allowing her part to be much more operatic. Her voice is a perfect fit for the role of Christine. Her acting was always sub-par; she always seems so waif-ish. But there's no evidence of that here. Steve Bartman plays a romantic Raoul. This music is so intoxicating and tells a shamelessly romantic story. There are so many images from the show that stay with us forever. I recently saw the show again when it toured in Chicago and that feeling never goes away. When the chandelier illuminates in the beginning and we see a transformed Paris Opera House, I was in tears. The feeling in the music is still there. I can't wait for the release of the film version from Andrew Lloyd Webber and director Joel Shumacher this December!!!Free Music Review: Different from the movie, excellent in its own right
Hit: 5 Stars
My girlfriend dragged me to see the stage version of the Phantom in San Francisco a decade ago. We saw it again in Sacramento years later. I'm glad she did!
The two-disc version of the original cast is superb. Much has been said comparing the movie soundtrack and this version. Michael Crawford certainly has a different voice than Gerald Butler, and he can hit and hold all of the notes without strain or effort. His voice is simply more musical than Butler's. Yet, Butler seems to emote more. Crawford's Phantom is a bit more remote and 'clinical' to me. It seems more polished, to be sure, and I'm not sure that's a good thing.
Sarah Brightman's Christine is certainly different from Rossum's. Brightman does an excellent job, though Rossum I think has more 'innocence' to her voice; perhaps she just sounds younger.
Steve Barton is good here, and I think does a better job than Patrick Wilson's Raoul in the movie.
So how to choose? No problem...I say buy both!
One note: if you like the Phantom as much as I do, buy the full version instead of the highlights. The abridged version just leaves you wanting more.
Highly recommended.
BTW, as far as the many who dismiss the Phantom as for those who can't handle a 'real' opera, I say, number one, I enjoy opera quite a bit, and this is a stage musical, not an opera, and two, I do thing the critics are just jealous because the Phantom is accessible and fabulously successful.
Free Music Review: A Winner of Rich Romance and Stunning Dramatics
Hit: 5 Stars
This is a riveting romantic drama, a modern musical, and yet, with the glories of operas. One thing that Andrew Lloyd Webber does so well is to blend the musicality of artistry with that of popularity, and in "Phantom Of The Opera" the triumphant combination of both has surpassed the effect of either of them as a single. Of all the lavish theatrics: the spectacular opera house, the labyrinth of darkness, and the broken chandelier, love is the core of the story that lies behind. Christine is beautiful. Sarah Brightman sings with such beauty and her voice stands out so naturally that you'd love Christine and hook to her instantly. No matter it is the enchanting "Think Of Me" or the touching "Wish You Were Somehow Here Again", everything in Christine, the sweetness, the innocence, and the purity, is seen through Sarah's singing. Raoul is charming. The warm and romantic duet "All I Ask Of You" couldn't be more beautiful in revealing the purest and the truest love between him and Christine. The Phantom, of course, is most brilliant. The title song "Phantom Of The Opera" portrays a wretched soul who turned love into obsession and blasphemed love with hatred and controlling. It is also from this dark character that we hear the soaring vocal line of "Music Of The Night", of which the poetic lyrics and mesmerizing melodies have reached the hilt of romantic sensuousness. Michael Crawford sings a strong phantom. While his vocal acting is the sole element he depends on to deliver the character, he does it very successfully.Free Music Review: LOVE IT!
Hit: 5 Stars
I mean, yeah, it's like,(...) but it's still one of my favorite CDs of the ones I own.
The music is...haunting. You can't find it anywhere else, not in "Phantom" or in Rosen and Schierhorn's "The Phantom of the Opera". This is Andrew Llyod Webber's music. Michael Crawford is, in my opinion as of now, the best phantom yet. Sarah Brightman's good, too, especially at that part at the end of the song "The Phantom of the Opera" where she has to do the "Aaaaaah, ah-ah, ah-ah, ah, ah, Aaaaah!" thing.
The supporting cast is good, too. And come to think of it, I think this musical is more Opera than regular broadway musical. The 2-disc CD comes with the libretto, so you can catch up on some of the plot and read along while you listen.
The plot is about a mysterious, ghost-like man who lives beneath the Paris Opera house. He causes strange and creepy things to happen, as revenge for the way people treated him. He also had an eerie obsession for music, and when he hears the chorus girl Christine sing, he "kidnaps" her, for him and his music. Christine has a rival named Carlotta, and the phantom has tried several times to defeat her. Christine also likes a man named Raoul, who she knew when she was younger. The Phantom is jealous of him, in a way. Anyway, we get to know all the characters through the music.
Anyway, I've cried at least twice when I've read along to the whole CD. The ending is so sad, and you have un-answered questions. Still, it's worth the buy (although slightly expensive).
Free Music Review: A True Musical Phenomenon!
Hit: 5 Stars
After 20 years since it opened, THE PHANTOM has become the longest running, most popular stage show, and highest grossing Entertainment venture of all time, bringing in more earnings than any other stage show, any movie, (including the series of Star wars, Titanic, and Lord of the Rings)!! This Double disc volume of the original London cast is a Spectacular Rendition of this timeless Masterpiece. Not only are the performances by the entire Cast including 'THE' Phantom himself, Michael Crawford, who's melodic, extraordinary range and powerful vocals, make for fantastic Vocal tracks that capture the essence of 'Phantom,' but the Score and the way the orchestra plays it is powerful and very Full. Compared to both the Canadian Cast recording and Movie Record, The London Cast's Orchestra is by far the Most Full sounding overall.
Although the Movie is well done and fairly similar to the stage show, The Musical version (Stage) is still the most magical, because the movie humanizes the Phantom too much...with the stage version, the phantom seems human in one scene and then makes you question if he really is after he makes certain things happen so magically, 1 ex: his dissappearing act at the end, no human can do that, thus it leaves you with the sense of mystery of this "phantom"....That said, This Recording is the longest (as far as track listings) and most powerful of most of the recordings done for this show, Listen to it, and you'll hear why "Phantom" has become a true musical phenomenon.