‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Still Has the Power to Astound
When the film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera first hit theaters in 2004, I, like many, found myself enamored by the music. A first watch of the movie led to a spiral of me comparing notes between the singers in the film and the original play, what they changed, and how it fared, even though I’ve never seen a recording of a live version of it. Much to the chagrin of my poor parents, it didn’t take me long to learn every song—and attempt to hit all the notes from start to finish.
A little over a year after the film was released on DVD, I took a trip to France with my high school French club. The first place I was most excited to visit was the Eiffel Tower. The second was the Palais Garnier Opera House.
While the opera house visit turned into a small letdown because it was closed for a dress rehearsal, setting foot in the theater that the story was based on cast new light on it. I bought the original French book—although I never could quite read it with a thorough understanding—and I dreamed of the day I would be able to see the production live.
Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Growing up in Yosemite and transferring to Monterey for college, I didn’t have access to many theaters and never had an opportunity to do so. When I moved to San Diego in 2021 and started attending Broadway shows more frequently, I put The Phantom of the Opera high on my must-see list.
Thus, when it was announced that the show would no longer run performances as of 2023, I felt like my dreams had been crushed. I’ve now seen well over 20 shows live, and the thought of never getting to see one of my favorites felt like a dagger to my heart.
So, when they announced the new national tour production at the end of 2024, I counted the days until it came to San Diego and I could see it live once its dates were released.
I’m so happy that day has finally come.
What is ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ about?
The original French novel for The Phantom of the Opera, known as Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, was initially released as a serial story in newspapers between September 1909 and January 1910 before being published as a full volume in March 1910.
It follows the Palais Garnier Opera House in Paris during the 1880s, when an “Opera Ghost” starts making demands and committing murders based on his requests for who plays what roles in the operas he writes. He sets his sights on a young Christine Daaé, an orphan whom he’s taken under his wing and given voice lessons to. She takes the place of the opera house’s lead soprano, Carlotta, after she falls ill (though, in the live musical, this occurs because Carlotta refuses to keep performing in a place where haunted happenings keep taking place with no explanation).
(L to R) Melo Ludwig as Meg Giry, Christopher Bozeka as Ubaldo Piangi, William Thomas Evans as Monsieur Firmin, Midori Marsh as Carlotta Giduicelli, Daniel Lopez as Raoul, Carrington Vilmont as Monsieur André, and Lisa Vroman as Madame Giry in Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
The musical never names the Phantom, but in the book, his name is Erik. In both, he is a deformed man with a skull-like face who fears Christine will leave him. She’s taken voice lessons from him because she thinks he’s the Angel of Music sent to her by her deceased father. Erik’s heart breaks when Christine falls in love with a man named Raoul, whom she reconnects with after knowing him during childhood. This all leads to a dramatic confrontation at the end, when Christine must choose between a false love and letting the man she loves die (though, in the book, she will die if she says no instead).
Though I have never read an English adaptation of the book, from what I understand, the musical remains faithful. Further, Leroux wrote the story after being inspired by true events at the opera house, including an opera called Hellé that ended with a fire in the roof, ultimately leading to the chandelier crash that has become one of the most iconic images in the musical.
The “ghost”, allegedly, was made up for the story (even though the book also identified him as a real human, not a ghost). The tunnels and lake underneath the opera house, however, are very much real.
How were the performances?
Having been introduced to the movie before the stage musical, I have to admit something I understand most people consider blasphemy: I think Emmy Rossum is better than Sarah Brightman.
I know, I know, off with my head, but it’s just always been my preference. I did not, however, think Gerard Butler was better than Michael Crawford, nor do I think there are many other people who can touch that role.
And then I saw Isaiah Bailey.
Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Listen.
I need that man to go into the studio and record all the Phantom’s songs and parts, and I need a re-release. He can take the rest of this cast with him, while he’s at it, but his portrayal as the Phantom was one of the best I’ve seen on any stage. His command, his presence, his vocal control, his emotions—everything about it was flawless. I’m dumbfounded and left in shock.
Jordan Lee Gilbert, who took on the massive role of Christine Daaé, also completely crushed it. Considering this is her national tour debut, she had some pretty big shoes to fill, and she left no crumbs. She found ways to make the role her own while honoring all the versions of it that had come before, and she made it look effortless. She also fit well alongside Daniel Lopez, who played Raoul. He made the audience swoon when he walked out with his half-unbuttoned wet white shirt at the end and proved he was the right choice for the love interest.
Daniel Lopez as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny, and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Another national tour debut star who made me snap and say, “Okay, bitch,” a few times was Midori Marsh, who played Carlotta Giudicelli. First of all, I think the name “Midori Marsh” is already indicative of someone with “yas queen” energy, and I’m obsessed. I mean, come on:
Anyway, I don’t know if I can ever see anyone else play Carlotta. She slayed the stage. No notes.
The rest of the cast—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 the entire rest of the ensemble—gave an impeccable performance that will go down as one of the best casts to ever take on this production.
What is the show like live?
From the Overture on, I think I only blinked twice. I’ve seen more shows than I can count at this point, which would have been hard for a past version of me to believe. I haven’t paid as much attention to a show as I did to this one in a long time. There are so many amazing shows out there with great performances and memorable moments, but I’ll be damned if there isn’t something special about The Phantom of the Opera.
I don’t know what spirit, ghost, angel, demon, force, being, or what was in the room with Andrew Lloyd Webber when he wrote the book for this musical, but whatever it was sprinkled its dust on this project and left. I can’t believe I was able to witness this in person. I’m still picking my jaw up off the floor.
Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
In that regard, shoutout to the production. I often wonder how all of this actually gets put together, because I know there’s an army backstage that’s making the magic happen. I just wonder how they travel with the set pieces, what time they get there every day, how far in advance they arrive at the theater prior to anyone else in new cities, how they adapt to every stage, and how they nail it every time.
While I get the fortune of interviewing stars from Broadway shows, I’ve never had the opportunity to talk to someone from backstage to get all the intricacies, and a show like this especially deserves to highlight the people who put it together. The chandelier sparked and exploded in the first five minutes. There were so many pyrotechnics my retired firefighter father probably clenched in his grave, but the fire never spread. There were so many intricate set designs and changes. Everything was handled with such finesse, and from start to finish, it was clear that the entire team, from orchestra to actor to costume designer to the person pulling the ropes, wanted to be there and put on the best show because of their love for the source material.
I’m still pinching myself that I had an opportunity to witness this.
Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour. Photo by Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman
Sometimes, heading into a show with preconceived thoughts or notions can set you up for failure rather than success. You may get attached to a certain person’s performance or create an expectation for how something should be sung, and those expectations can lead to a letdown.
It was not so for this national tour of The Phantom of the Opera.
It was one of the most seamless, iconic, and well-done performances I’ve ever had the fortune to see. The three-hour runtime went by in a blink, and I wish I could be a fly on the wall in the theater to watch it again and again.
In the meantime, I’ll go back to counting down the days until I meet the Phantom again.
Where can I see it for myself?
If you’re in San Diego, you can catch performances through September 13, 2026. Get your tickets through Broadway San Diego.
Otherwise, check The Phantom of the Opera tour page for dates and locations near you.
Have you ever seen ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ live? What were your thoughts? Have you read the book? Let me know your thoughts below!
Other Broadway Reviews
When the film adaptation of The Phantom of the Opera first hit theaters in 2004, I, like many, found myself enamored by the music.
When I moved to San Diego in 2021 and started attending Broadway shows more frequently, I put The Phantom of the Opera high on my must-see list. When they announced the new national tour production at the end of 2024, I counted the days until it came to San Diego and I could see it live.
I’m so happy that day has finally come.