Review Roundup: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Launches New North American Tour

Performances are now underway for the North American Tour of The Phantom of the Opera. The new touring production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical officially opened at the Hippodrome Theatre in Baltimore, MD earlier this month, and will continue to major markets throughout its first touring year including Minneapolis, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles and more. Read the reviews as they come in here!

Isaiah Bailey leads the company in the title role of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ with Jordan Lee Gilbert as ‘Christine Daaé,’ and Daniel Lopez as ‘Raoul,’ Midori Marsh as ‘Carlotta Giudicelli,’ William Thomas Evans as ‘Monsieur Firmin,’ Carrington Vilmont as ‘Monsieur André,’ Lisa Vroman as ‘Madame Giry’ Christopher Bozeka as ‘Ubaldo Piangi,’ Melo Ludwig as ‘Meg Giry,’ and Alexa Xioufaridou Moster as ‘Christine Daaé, at certain performances.

The tour is directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn, based on the celebrated original direction by Harold Prince with musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, recreated and adapted by Chrissie Cartwright. 
 

Constance Beulah, DC Theater Arts: What makes this production so satisfying is its balance of scale and intimacy. Yes, it’s grand — everything about Phantom is designed to impress — but it also finds time for quiet, tender moments. The Phantom’s gentle touch as he guides Christine’s voice, the stillness when she removes his mask, the hushed anguish of the final scene — these are moments that remind you why this story has endured for nearly four decades.

Herb Merrick, MD Theatre Guide : Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom has an an impressively strong appearance on stage. Both his singing and acting skills progress through the course of the story as the Phantom becomes more and more fixed on his protégé. His performance of “The Music of the Night” immediately establishes the strength of his vocal range. Jordan Lee Gilbert (Christine Daae), making her national tour debut, makes full use of her operatic training and background to fill out her role with a strong, controlled soprano voice, hitting high notes with ease and expressing many emotions as she struggles with her growing devotion to both her mentor and lover.

Jared Fessler, BroadwayWorld: Not “reinvented,” not “modernized”—just performed with the kind of conviction that makes you remember why this show became a juggernaut in the first place.

Rohan Preston, Minnesota Star Tribune: The two leads have chemistry for days. When their voices braid together on the title song, you can practically see the sparks ricocheting off the proscenium stage. Their performances pull us deep into two very different quests for freedom — Christine yearning to grow into the prodigy her father believed in, and the Phantom aching for the world to see beyond the mask that hides both his face and his fragility.

Jerrod Sumner, Minnesota Monthly: The production feels significantly more operatic in talent and staging. It truly feels as though you are inside the Paris Opera House from the moment the show begins. The North American Tour is directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn, based on the original direction by Harold Prince, with choreography by Gillian Lynne, recreated by Chrissie Cartwright.

Rob Hubbard, Twin Cities Pioneer Press: Lloyd Webber’s score is passionately delivered by a cast of 38 and a 14-piece orchestra, and the leads boast particularly strong voices as they tenderly caress the ballads and lend admirable classical technique to the more operatic fare.

Average Rating: 83.3%