Phantom of the Opera, Istana Budaya 18th June – 7th July 2019

I have watched musicals and theatre and I loved them.. However I had never had a chance to watch the Phantom of the Opera despite hearing ravings about it…

….until now…. The world’s most popular musical, The Phantom of the Opera has premiered in Kuala Lumpur at the Istana Budaya and will be here right until the 7th of July 2019….

So… If you have not gotten the chance to watch it or if you would like to relive those dramatic and mesmerising moments, go get your tickets now!!! Tickets are now on sale through TicketCharge…

I was there with some of my bestest and closest friends of course, what else can be more fun then sharing great moments with the ones you love or care for…

The Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbuster has won over 70 major theatre awards, including seven Tony’s on Broadway and four Olivier Awards in the West End. The Phantom of the Opera became the longest running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006 when it celebrated its 7,486th performance, surpassing the previous record holder “Cats.” On January 1, 2018 it celebrated its 13,000th performance and later that month on January 24, the Broadway production celebrated an amazing 30 years on Broadway.

With 130 cast, crew and orchestra members, jaw-dropping scenery, breathtaking special effects and more than 230 costumes by the late international designer Maria Bjornson, The Phantom of the Opera contains some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous and stirring music, including The Phantom of the Opera, Think of Me and Music of the Night.

Did you know the original cast recording, with over 40 million copies sold worldwide, is the best-selling cast recording of all time.

Based on the classic novel Le Fantome de L’Opera by Gaston Leroux, The Phantom of the Opera is a story of a disfigured musical genius known only as the Phantom (Jonathan Roxmouth) who haunts the depths of the Paris Opera House. Mesmerised by the talent and beauty of a young soprano, Christine (Megan Picerno) , the Phantom lures her as his protege and falls fiercely in love with her. Unaware of Christine’s love for Raoul (Matt Leisy) , the Phantom’s obsession sets the scene for a dramatic turn of events where jealousy, madness and passions collide….

The performance began on the stage of the Opera de Paris, 1905, old stage props are being auctioned….

An elderly Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, is the major buyer but he seems pretty emotional by his purchases…

The last item is a broken chandelier is produced. The auctioneer tells of the chandelier’s connection with the mysterious tale of the Phantom of the Opera about 50 years ago…..

The music begins and the chandelier glows, and rises as it reverts back to its original grandeur and position… And the famous opera soprano Carlotta Giudicelli is rehearsing the opera Hannibal..

As she sings her aria, the backdrop crashes down… Some people insist that this is the work of the Phantom and a terrified Carlotta refuses to perform that evening…

Meg, who performs in the Opera’s ballet, suggests that her fellow dancer Christine Daae should take over. As Christine sings, she catches the eye of the Opera’s distinguished patron – Raoul (as a young man) who recognises Christine as someone he knew from childhood…

In her dressing room afterwards, Christine confides to Meg she learn to sing from the ‘angel of music’ whom her dying father’s promised to send to watch over her..

Raoul asks Christine put for a date.. The Phantom finds out and is angry at Raoul’s familiarity with his protégée, and commands Christine to look in the mirror. She sees him, then takes his hand and disappears with him through the mirror…

The Phantom brings Christine deep into the caverns and waterways beneath the opera house and across a subterranean lake, lit by candelabra. Christine wakes up the next day to the sound of the Phantom composing at the organ… Seeing the masks, she snatches it off and reveals his horribly disfigured face… Although enraged, and reluctant to return her to the theatre, he sends her back with plenty of messages to the theatre…

Raoul is forbidden to see Christine and another decree orders that Christine be given the leading role…

When his messages and decrees are ignored, strange things happened and a stagehand is found murdered…