Production of 'Phantom' will stay faithful while freshening up
Segerstrom Center for the Arts presents "The Phantom of the Opera" Aug. 5 through 16. (Matthew Murphy / November 28, 2014) |
The mysterious masked man holding a vendetta, the crashing chandelier and the music of the night is back on stage, returning to dazzle theatergoers for more than 25 years since its premiere.
Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The Phantom of the Opera," the longest-running production on Broadway that first opened in London's West End in 1986, has been reinvented by producer Cameron Mackintosh, featuring new staging and scenic design.
The tension-filled drama will be reborn, playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, from Wednesday to Aug. 16, marking it Segerstrom's last show of the 2014-15 season.
"It's like drinking the same vintage wine but out of a new crystal glass," said John Rigby, music supervisor for the 25th anniversary of the "The Phantom of the Opera" in the U.S. "The original production is fantastic and we are not trying to redo it," he added, noting that all he asks of the audience is to hear the show with fresh ears.
Rigby, who called from London, is currently musical supervisor of Mackintosh's new production of "Miss Saigon." He remembered the first time he heard the recordings to "Phantom."
"I was at university when the soundtrack came out on thick double LPs and it was so dramatic and powerful," Rigby, 46, said. "It was one of the scores that got me into musical theater."
"Phantom," which is based on the novel, "Le Fantome de L'Opera," by Gaston Leroux, tells the story of a masked figure who lurks underneath the Paris Opera House, frightening all those who operate it. He becomes obsessed with Christine, a soprano, and devotes his time by fostering her talents even if it means using devious methods.
"We wanted to be faithful to Andrew's original score so that the audience is swept along with the drama of the piece," Rigby said. "My job was retain the originality of Andrew's score and give it a dramatic edge."
The story and score, with songs like "Think of Me," "Masquerade" and "I Remember," will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making the new "Phantom" one of the largest productions now on tour in North America. A particular favorite of Rigby's to conduct is "The Point of No Return," he said, calling it a "sultry tango."
Audiences don't think of "Phantom of the Opera" nearing age 30, Rigby said, but theater today is very different with the upgrades in sound and special effects. It was important for Mackintosh, he said, to update the visual and audio aspect and enhance the iconic sounds.
"I had to find ways to make the music fit the dramatic narrative," Rigby said. "The score has such glorious melodies and we wanted the quality of sound at its best."
At times, it was a challenge not to implement more naturalistic elements into the production, Rigby said, but he and the creative team remembered that the "Phantom" is not an opera, it's a piece of theater with some of the greatest music.
The show, which celebrated its 10,000 Broadway performance in 2012, is the most financially successful entertainment event to date, grossing more than $890 million on Broadway with an attendance over 15 million. The show has won more than 70 theater awards, including seven Tony Awards.
Rigby said it is a pleasure for him to collaborate on such a celebrated production, recreating sounds that trigger audiences to remember the first time they heard the music.
"I've got a personal investment in making sure that the U.S. tour has the same impact on me as it did when I was 18 years old," Rigby said. "I hope in the next 25 years, a director can offer a new perspective."
If You Go
What: "The Phantom of the Opera"
When: Aug. 5 through Aug. 16; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday; 1 and 7:30 p.m. Thursday; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sunday
Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa
Cost: Tickets start at $39
Information: (714) 556-2787 or visit scfta.org
