Review: LE FANTÔME DE L'OPÉRA at Théâtre Antoine

Just days after its October 22nd 2025 premiere at Paris's Théâtre Antoine, Benoît Solès's bold French adaptation of Gaston Leroux's Le Fantôme de l'Opéra has already sparked a whirlwind of reactions. This isn't the grand, chandelier-crashing spectacle of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Broadway behemoth—it's a lean, 80-minute pop-infused hybrid of theater and musical, directed by Julien Alluguette with lyrics by Pierre-Yves Lebert and a contemporary score by Marc Demais, clocking in at a brisk runtime that prioritizes emotional punch over epic sprawl. The show reimagines the masked phantom's tale of obsession, beauty, and backstage intrigue as a modern cautionary fable on psychological manipulation and unrequited love, with a seven-person ensemble that sings, dances, and acts across the Italianate intimacy of the Antoine's 800 seats—a gamble that pays off in thrills but stumbles in depth, charming newcomers while frustrating purists.  

The production's strongest suit is its cast, a tight-knit troupe whose vocal prowess and raw charisma carry the weight of Demais's infectious pop melodies. Maélie Zaffran shines as Christine Daaé, the ingénue soprano whose crystalline voice—pure and piercing—captures the character's wide-eyed vulnerability in standout numbers like her "audition" scene in Carlotta's dressing room, sending genuine chills through the audience. Opposite her, Bastien Jacquemart embodies Erik the Phantom with a brooding intensity that's equal parts heartbreaking and harrowing; his powerful baritone, paired with a gaze that drips with tormented longing, makes the monster achingly human, especially in the gut-wrenching finale where compassion eclipses revulsion. The supporting players add levity and texture: Ana Ka's Carlotta is a deliciously diva-esque foil, all fiery belting and comic flair, while Fabian Richard's M. Firmin brings wry bureaucratic charm to the opera's harried management. 

From her opening entrance on, Cathy Arondel's steals the show as Madame Giry, layering mystery with maternal ache, and Louis Buisset's Raoul and Victor Marichal's Gaby (aka, the Persian) inject youthful vigor and sly wit, ensuring the love triangle never tips into melodrama. It's an ensemble effort where every voice feels essential, blending seamless harmonies with Alluguette's labyrinthine staging—sets that mimic the Opéra Garnier's hidden passages.  

Yet for all its rhythmic energy, the show falters when it leans too hard into its condensed, audacious reinvention. At just over an hour, Solès's libretto races through Leroux's labyrinthine plot, sacrificing key stakes and symbolic heft for punchy, laugh-out-loud interludes that inject humor into the horror. Fans of the novel or Joel Schumacher's 2004 film adaptation bemoan the absence of icons like the crashing chandelier or the gondola glide across the underground lake, elements that ground the story's gothic grandeur; without them, the phantom's lair feels more like a quirky backstage romp than a descent into madness. The modern pop sheen clashes with the source material's operatic soul, rendering the proceedings half-assumed and lacking finesse in lyrics and symbolism. 

This latest adaptation joins a storied lineage that began with Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel, a gothic tale that captured the imagination of readers with its blend of mystery, romance, and horror. The story’s theatrical journey took a defining turn with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s 1986 musical, which premiered in London’s West End and became a global phenomenon, running continuously on Broadway since 1988 and spawning the 2004 film. Maury Yeston’s more classical take on the tale, Phantom, with a book by Arthur Kopit and a an excellent score leaning more towards operetta, premiered in 1991 at Houston’s Theatre Under the Stars but was quickly eclipsed by Lloyd Webber’s tidal wave before it could even reach Broadway. Despite this, Yeston’s version has thrived in over 1,000 productions worldwide, from professional stagings in countries like Japan, South Korea, and Germany to community theaters. 

Just like Lloyd Weber’s was rooted in the 80s, with some heavy use of synthesizers despite the timelessness of its quasi-operatic melodies, Demais’s score strive for modernity without succeeding in delivering potentially popular tunes.  But we must be grateful for never trying to duplicate of imitate Lloyd Weber’s work, which the French public was sadly denied the pleasure of experiencing at Mogador in 2016 when, confirming the legendary curse of the phantom, the show was brutally canceled after he decided to burn the scenery down a few nights before the show’s opening, no doubt upset by the poor advanced sales! Ironically, the talented Bastien Jacquemart, cast for Mogador as Raoul opposite the iconic Sierra Boggess, whose greatness Paris never got to witness, now gets to play the phantom himself at Théatre Antoine! 

Despite some imperfections in this version, notably in the overly academic choreography, better a new take than a poor copy. Solès’s pop sensibility and his minimalist staging still mark a daring departure, aiming to refresh the tale for a modern audience while risking alienation of those wedded to the grandeur of its predecessors. Its intimate focus on psychological depth and ensemble energy offers a new lens on the Phantom’s enduring myth, proving that even a century later, Leroux’s masked antihero continues to haunt the stage with undying allure.  Don’t miss experiencing this original French recreation, happily not falling into the French spectacular category until January 11th.

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