Review: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at Keller Auditorium

Nearly 40 years after its Broadway premiere, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA continues to cast its spell. I saw proof of that everywhere at the packed Keller Auditorium, including a young girl clutching a teddy bear wearing a tiny Phantom mask. The now and future PHANTOM fandom is in excellent hands.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's beloved musical unfolds in the grandeur of the Paris Opera House in the late 19th century, where a mysterious, masked musical genius haunts the building from its shadowy depths. He becomes obsessed with a young chorus girl named Christine Daaé, coaching her voice in secret and pulling strings to make her a star. When Christine’s childhood sweetheart, Raoul, arrives on the scene, jealousy does what jealousy always does. It's operatic, sweeping, and gloriously over-the-top.

This national tour production gets at exactly why PHANTOM keeps filling houses. Those of us who wore out the original cast recording in the 90s are already primed, and this cast more than meets the moment. Isaiah Bailey and Jordan Lee Gilbert crackle as the Phantom and Christine (this is the sexiest PHANTOM I’ve seen). Bailey plays the role with disarming humanity. You fear him and feel for him in equal measure, sometimes in the same moment. Gilbert, with a solid opera background and making her national tour debut, is wonderful. Her Christine is bright-eyed but far from naive.

The supporting cast more than holds its own. Midori Marsh, also making her national tour debut, was made for the role of diva soprano Carlotta. She has the voice to back up the character's outsized ego, plus the comedic chops to make her utterly delightful. William Thomas Evans and Carrington Vilmont are genuinely funny as the bumbling new opera house managers Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André, respectively.

The production's design is a feast. Matt Kinley's elaborate sets give the show a lush, cinematic grandeur, and the theatrical magic, including that chandelier, which drew genuine gasps from the audience (yours truly included), remains as thrilling as ever. All of it is anchored by great work by the sound production team. Anyone who has attended a large-scale show at the Keller knows that clarity isn't always guaranteed. This time, every word and note landed perfectly.

I left the Keller feeling like I had witnessed a masterpiece that has been refined and perfected over four decades, still earning every standing ovation. If you've never seen PHANTOM, this tour is a reason to finally go. And if you have, well, you're already going.

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