Why hello avid musical fans!!! I am so excited to be critiquing my favorite musical, Phantom of the Opera.
Christine Daae is the main character in the musical and she has been taught to sing by a disfigured man. She believes that he is the angel of music that her father promised to bring to her when he died. The phantom, the disfigured man, falls in love with Christine but she falls in love with her childhood sweetheart, Raoul. The phantom, in a fit of rage, kidnaps Christine in attempt to force her to marry him. In the end, the phantom lets her go with Raoul, and the phantom disappears.
- My Thoughts:
Music: The music in this musical is absolutely breath-taking. Each piece was written by the master of music himself, Andrew Lloyd Webber. Every single song is sweet and flowing. Christine's role calls for the soprano to have a high range of singing abilities. Her voice is quiet and soft with little to no vibrato. It is similar to an what an angel would be expected to sing, hence the well- known song "Angel of Music". Her voice is pristine and beautiful, and the classic style of singing brings chills to audiences of all ages. The phantom's role calls for an actor to take on the role of a deranged man singing. His voice inflections and personality must be psychopathic. His voice must also be pristine because he teaches Christine how to sing with elegance and grace. The phantom's deep voice is most beautifully displayed when he sings "Music of the Night". What is most impressive is the phantom's control of his own voice. In the song, he holds out the word "night" for several measures, and he finally fades out with the orchestra playing sweetly in the background. The entire musical score as a whole is written so beautifully and eloquently.
Adri, I love this idea for a blog! I am doing the history of the Tony Awards, so it will be interesting to see your take on such a similar topic. I think this post was a great way to start out your blogging experience. I have always found Phantom of the Opera so entrancing and interesting. I would have to agree with your thoughts on the music in the show. Christine Daae has such a delicate, but phenomenal voice. I think it is important to make sure that proper actors are cast for Christine and the Phantom, for they truly make the show a success. I would love to see your notes on costuming, set design, technical direction, orchestra, and plot line. There are so many other aspects in making a Broadway production a success. Awesome work so far! :)
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with your insights. Christine's voice is amazingly pure, which I think really reflects the total innocence of the character. I was really impressed with your comments on the Phantom's style of singing; I had never thought of it that way, and it just made me appreciate Andrew Lloyd Webber's skill even more than before (side note: what did you think of Gerard Butler's performance? I'm curious to hear your opinion). Brilliant idea for a blog; can't wait to read more!
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