Review of “Phantom of the Opera”

            The Broadway play, “Phantom of the Opera”, is widely known as the longest running musical in Broadway history. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, this musical is meant to evoke deep, melancholy emotions and allow the audience to always admire inner beauty rather than only the exterior. The storyline of this musical is undoubtedly an amazing one. However, the plot is not what makes this show stand out. The musicality and lyrics of the songs in “Phantom of the Opera” is what truly creates an atmosphere that is unparalleled and an experience that is incomparable.

Everyone knows the story of “Phantom of the Opera”. It is a tragic romance between a “phantom” and a beautiful woman named Christine who aspires to be the lead singer in an opera. The phantom, a masked man, loves Christine, but cannot be with her because of his ghastly face. They are thrown together due to the fact that both possess a majestic singing voice. Seeing as this story is such a classic, repeatedly told many times, there should be no reason why one would watch this show more than once, yet people do. Many people do and it is not an exaggeration to say that the experience is twice as suspenseful and entertaining. This is because the events on stage are not the only component. When one first finds his seat in the theater and is waiting for the curtains to rise, stares at the chandelier hanging above him. It’s no coincidence that it looks like an antique, barely connected to the ceiling, as if it were about to drop at any minute. The people in the audience who have seen the show before smile to themselves as they too, glance at the chandelier, remembering the last time they were here and what is to come. When the musical finally begins, and the first song starts to play, the audience is warped into a whole other dimension that can only be reached through the art of music.

This legendary Broadway play has the intention of creating a vibe of sadness that comes with giving up true loves. Even if a member of the audience has never felt that feeling, watching “Phantom of the Opera” lets him bear the heartache as if it was really happening. The aspect that triggers and even heightens this sensation is the lyrics of each song and the way it is sung by the talented actors. The song “Phantom of the Opera” is very dramatic and builds up the eagerness of the audience. When the two lead actors sing the duet, “Think of Me”, the whole theater can empathize with each character. The words are powerful but the voices are even more so. The melodies and harmonies echo throughout the large theater and one cannot help but sit in awe of the breathtaking singing.

It is very likely that the first time watching this musical, someone would pay attention to the progression, understand the sequence, but only somewhat feel the pain of the phantom. The second time watching this musical is when he or she would be more aware of the musicality and that is when the show changes for the better. Everything is more illuminated and clear. The feelings are more easily transmitted throughout the audience and emotions are conveyed more thoroughly. If it were changed from a musical to simply a play, there is no doubt the quality would decline drastically.

To those who are not a fan of this genre of Broadway plays, do not feel alienated because you are not the only one. Not everyone is interested in Broadway shows and the majority of people are definitely not interested in opera music. Regardless, “Phantom of the Opera” is a classic that is an all-time favorite. There is a reason why this is the longest running musical in history. Every event has a different experience and every Broadway show evokes a different feeling, which is why one cannot know “Phantom of the Opera” unless he sits through it and truly listens.

Overall, this musical is a must see. The experience watching it a second time lets the audience notice things that they were not aware of the first time around. Most importantly, experiencing “Phantom of the Opera” is not about analyzing the plot. It is about listening and absorbing the soundtrack of the whole musical.