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: Lovely Recording
Hit: 4 Stars
I personally prefer Rebecca Caine over Sarah Brightman, but it doesn't matter. This was a beautiful recording. :DFree 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.
Free Music Review: 75% more words! And 20% less carbs!
Hit: 4 Stars
At the time that I'm writing this review there are 379 reviews for the original 1986 London cast recording of "The Phantom of the Opera". It can be safely surmised that many people have opinions about this particular hallmark of musical theater. It also seems requisite that any reviews written after 2004 must bring up the movie soundtrack and compare the two leads, with varying levels of love for one and hate for the other. I shall attempt to summarize some of the more frequently repeated comments here, attempting to adhere to bare facts while impressing as little opinion as possible into what is a very personal musical.
Fact: This is a girl's musical.
Okay, you can stop throwing things at me now.
Point in case is that this musical appeals to females more than males, even more than most musical theater. Yes, men, real men even, still love this musical however, they are minority. The tunes are melodic, the story is a dramatic love triangle, and the lyrics are poetic and sentimental, which are all elements generally preferred by non-males. This is in no way disparaging to musical itself, but does affect matters of personal taste.
Fact: Sarah Brightman has rare high range, utilizes vibrato often, hits high notes smoothly and easily, and whose ennunciation is poor.
Basically, Sarah sings the role as singer first rather than an actress. Her role rival, Emmy Rossum sings as an actress first. Emmy also has a smaller range and a warmer tone. Emmy was also the appropriate age for the part, being sixteen and seventeen during filming, while Sarah was twenty-six the year Phantom debuted. Something else to keep in mind is that Andrew Lloyd Webber really wrote this musical for Sarah, particularlly because of how impressed he was with her vocal range.
Fact: Michael Crawford is a strong tenor who also has an amazing range, does not emote excessively, and whose "Music Of the Night" is legendary.
Few people have ranges like Michael and Sarah. Gerard Butler is really more of a high baritone/low tenor voice, yet still he performed all the songs in the original key. Gerard is very emotive, and sings the songs in the manor befitting an actor.
Fact: Stage recordings are never as good as live performances, and studio recordings, (such as the movie soundtrack) are going to be a lot more polished.
Fact: Great supporting cast, particularly the in roles of Carlotta (Rosemary Ashe) and Raoul (Steve Barton).
Rosemary is obviously very well trained in opera, enough to turn a strong voice into a believably weak one, which is far less easy than it sounds.
Fact: The plot does not always quite make sense.
The novel by Gaston Leroux was originally a lighter satire, and while enjoyable, not any exceptional piece of literature. At the time the musical was written several versions of the story had been produced to good sucess, and Andrew and his team were trying to create a more original production. Some of the story was altered in places in order to condense or to make more palatable the original script. The movie ameliorates this slightly by providing a bit more back story to the phantom. As to Raoul just standing there as the Phantom ties him up, the fact that the premier site at the time in the city of art has employed a very mediocre soprano for several seasons, whythe police don't capture the phantom while he's busy singing "Past the Point of No Return", and similar questions, to this I can only say, it's theater. It does't have to make sense, it just has to entertain.
Fact: this musical has not only lasted, but thrived, for two decades now.
That says a lot for anything in pop culture, which by definition is something ephemeral. Apparently it has something to offer that is not defined by zeitgeist.
In closing I would like to offer that both this version and the movie version are valuable in different ways, however I think that this version should appeal more to fans of musicals and to people who have more musical training, while the movie soundtrack should appeal to younger fans, especially those whose musical taste runs toward pop.
Free Music Review: I love Broadway, I love Original Musicals, but this...
Hit: 1 Stars
This is what movie-bashers were recommending? What is this? It's painful to listen to! This is the "wonderful phantom" that many were speaking of? This is Michael Crawford? And people say Gerard Butler can't sing. Come on, Michael Crawford sounds like Daffy Duck for goodness sake. Not at all like the heart-broken, mad-man living beneath. Gerard Butler is the greatest phantom ever...very human, very believable...
Sarah Brightman has her beautiful moments, but really, it's almost impossible to tell what she was saying. Not to mention, she's far too old to play the part. Emmy Rossum has a pure, beautiful voice that captures the innocence of her character.
Raoul? Meh, what can I say? He was okay.
Overall, I'm disappointed. I'm not impressed. Give me the movie soundtrack anyday. I can imagine folks saying: ZOMG!! HAVE YOU NO EEEEEARRRRS?!?!?!? DA MOVIE SUXSS!!! GO 4 DA ORIGINAL INSTEADZZZ!! LOL
I'm not saying all are like that, but like I said, I can imagine it happening. Not everyone has the same taste. And as for the movie; guys, they're different singers with different voices, give them a chance. Listen to them with an open mind; don't_compare_them_to_what_you've_heard.
Like I said, I LOVE musicals, there are so many things that I love on Broadway, but this...no...just no.
Free Music Review: If there were such a thing as 10+ stars for a review, this would have it.
Hit: 5 Stars
Okay, so teenagers have now seen "the new Phantom," with Gerry Butler and all that. Yeah, that's a good soundtrack. Gerry's performance of the Phantom is marvelous, and Christine is a babe. But nothing - absolutely NOTHING - compares to this stupendous original recording, with the master, Michael Crawford.
Michael caught me from his first lyric ("Insolent boy! this slave of passion!"). I actually got chills, and thought, "Who on earth was that!?" I sat wide-eyed through the title track (marveling at Sarah Brightman's crystal-clear, unforced soprano), and by the end of "Music of the Night," I was a puddle on the floor, completely captivated.
Michael's entire performance is phenomenal, and you can tell he really buries himself in the role - emotions rage through him, ranging from hell-bent fury to deepest misery. You can actually hear the sobs in his voice when he sings, "I gave you my music..." And the very end ("You alone can make my song take flight")...well, just when you think Michael's exhausted and spent, he belts out those lyrics like he's fresh on the stage! And how he can hold those notes! His vocal range has to be heard to be believed.
This is my all-time-favorite musical soundtrack. I have worn out several tape copies over the years, and I haven't tired of it yet. The movie "Phantom" soundtrack, while good, is still too brassy and new. Stick with the classic.