The Phantom of the Opera Remains A Classic With Stunning Performance at Orpheum

Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

We all know the story of The Phantom of the Opera--- or do we? I'll be honest, when walking into Tuesday night's performance at the gorgeous Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis, I was racking my brain trying to figure out if I actually knew the storyline of this classic. I've seen the movie, I know that, but I couldn't tell you when the last time I saw it was. Did I even know any of the songs? Do we like the Phantom, or is he a bad guy? I realized, as these questions circled my brain, that I knew much less about this iconic musical than I thought. I couldn't figure out how I felt about that. Although it gave the night a sense of excitement, and I really didn't know what was coming, I was a bit disappointed in myself, as I grew up a theatre kid and should have known more. As the house lights went down, my mind finally started to calm, and I was whisked away to a faraway world-- the world of the opera.

I won't bore you with the entire backstory of this classic, but long story short, this musical is based on a 1910 novel by Gaston Leroux. It is the story of an absolutely gorgeous soprano singer who becomes obsessed with "the ghost of the Phantom." Okay, he's not really a ghost. He's actually a mysterious yet disfigured musical genius who lives past the river that is hidden underneath the opera house that this singer (Christine Daaé) is performing at. If you ask me, this is a tale about selling your soul to the devil. Christine sold her soul to the Phantom and, in the end, fell too deeply for him, leaving the story with a tragic yet beautiful ending. Okay, I'm not giving it all away here. You either know the plot of this performance, or you've seen it. If you can't say yes to either of those, I highly suggest you check out the live performance because it was nothing short of stunning.

First, let's talk about the insane amount of talent that was showcased throughout this performance. Of course, Isaiah Bailey (who played the Phantom of the Opera) and Jordan Lee Gilbert (who played Christine Daaé) had amazing voices, but it was Midori Marsh (who played Carlotta Giudicelli) who won my heart. Carlotta Giudicelli is the singer whom Christine ultimately replaces as the house soprano at the opera in a way, but really, there was no replacing Midori's voice. The notes she could hit not only sent chills down my spine, but they also made me question why I even try to sing in the car. I really wish I had more to say here, but it was just something you had to hear to really understand. Some of the high notes that this uber-talented soprano could hit didn't even feel like notes-- they were foreign sounds. To say that Midori stole this show for me would not be an understatement, but I also don't want you to think that anything about this performance was subpar because it wasn't.

The cast of this performance felt much larger than it actually was, and there really weren't any "background" parts. Sure, you had some performers that only appeared during group numbers, but the depth and the layers of the vocals throughout the performance made it clear that nobody in this cast was snoozing when it came to singing. It also became clear during a few numbers throughout the set (particularly during "Masquerade / Why So Silent?") that everyone in this cast was an incredible dancer. Although some of the movements throughout this performance felt subtle and even small, there was something so artistically beautiful about every muscle that moved, every hair that blew in the wind. I know that sounds dramatic, but all of the performers throughout this performance were so beautifully in control of everything, and it made for a truly flawless performance.

Now let's dig into my favorite part-- the music. Obviously, the songs of this musical are iconic. Even if you can't name the tracks or even hum along to them, they hit you like the instant classics they are. Hearing a live orchestra, situated under the stage, bring these songs to life was incredible. Much like how I was blown away by the talent on the stage, I was just as impressed with the talent of the musicians. There wasn't a single note out of place and, if there was, they did a damn good job of hiding it. The swells of sound matched what was happening on the stage perfectly, and I loved how, although the music never overpowered any of the actors or actresses, it remained an aspect of this show that commanded your attention with ease when you weren't too busy watching the insane set design change from scene to scene.

The set design behind this show was intricate and impressive on its own, but it's the way that the lighting hit at certain moments and the way that the set design played tricks on your eyes that really got me here. My favorite part of this whole performance was definitely those few moments when the Phantom was steering his ship through the underwater labyrinth beneath the opera house. The solid floor gave way to a sea of candles that seemed to pop out of nowhere. Add in the smog that drifted across the stage, and you are left with what really looked like a ship drifting across open water. Okay, my words aren't doing this moment justice, I know that, but just know that this moment was one that will surely stick with me.

There were many moments throughout this performance that will stick with me. From those scenes on the boat to the gorgeous chandelier that hung from the ceiling and, just before intermission, came crashing down to the floor (okay, it didn't really crash but it was definitely a bit of a jumpscare moment as it came speeding towards the audience stopping just a few feet above everyone's heads), to just the razzle-dazzle of the outfits throughout the musical. Then there were the less obvious moments that will be with me for some time, like when some of the employees of the opera start reading these mysterious notes that were left by the Phantom, but the employees' voices were overpowered by the Phantom's and then that voice would literally circle throughout the theatre by coming in and out of certain speakers around the room. Okay, you had to be there. Sorry.

The classics are called classics for a reason, and being able to see a classic like The Phantom of the Opera on a snowy Tuesday night was like living in a dream.