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PHANTOM OF THE OPERA OCTOBER 10.TH 2003


PHANTOM: Peter Jorde
CHRISTINE: Viktoria Krantz
RAOUL: Tomas Ambt Kofod
CARLOTTA: Eva Malmgren
FIRMIN ?
ANDR�: ?
MADAME GIRY: ?
MEG GIRY: Anna Gr�nros
PIANGI: Marc Clear


The theatre is awesome, cause basically every seat is a good seat. I though I would have one of the best of them all (a box near the orchestra), but because the stage is so deep and narrow, I missed quite a few things. But I got to study the costumes and the acting, and THAT was worth it...



ACT I

The auctioneer was great. He talked in a slow, creepy way which suited the role. Usually I don't pay too much attention to the autioneers, but he was perfect. I noticed a funny thing about the bidders to the left (very near me). One of them was Piangi in old version, with grey beard and all. But his hair was still intense red.... Funny. Anyway, the chandelier was sooo big, and when it sparkled and raised, I felt amusingly scared of those sitting underneath it... *gasp*

The Carlotta (Eva Malmgren) was new to the role. She played Mirror Bride and Christine understudy last season, but she was the perfect Carlotta. I've grown a bit tired of those extreme parodies of a Carlotta (you know, pretty overweight, too much vibrato and too melodramatic). This Carlotta earned her postition as the Op�ra's first lady, and that makes the threath from Christine much more convincing. Anyway, she had such a clear voice - she just played with the high notes. REALLY impressive. The Piangi (Marc Clear) was brand new in the cast, and he had a fresh approach to the role. His Piangi was difficult to dislike. He missed the high note (...our army haaaas come home), but I honestly thought he did that on purpose, because it fitted his acting very well... But he said after the show that he felt the Piangi range was too high for him, so it must have been a little miss.

Viktoria Krantz as Christine was delightful! She has such an innocent deer-caught-in-carlight look, somehow resemblant to Sarah Brightman. But it was her voice that totally blew me away. I have never been too fond of "Think of Me", but she sung it soooo gorgeous I started liking it.... It was just perfect for her voice. She did send Raoul a little glance when he sung "...but I remember her...", and you saw her character though "He looks familiar. Can it be...?". And then she delivered a gorgeous legato version of the crescendo (like the Mexican Christines).

Anna Gr�nros has played Meg since they opened in 2000, and she is perfect for the role. I hate when the Meg's are poor singers, but this little cutie does have a lovely voice. And she looks so Meg! They delivered a nice "Angel of Music". But the most exciting part was with Raoul - Tomas Ambt Kofod was also repeating his role, and he manages to give LIFE to the count, to make him alive and charming. He is slightly more demanding, which is only propler - he is after all supposed to be a rich noble man financing the Op�ra Populaire. He seemed thrilled to meet Christine again, and gave her a gooood hug, but then you saw she looked around, scared. Excellent acting from both of them. The mirror scene was as it usually is - nothing new to tell.

But the lair scene.... *gasp* the Danish text is also clever, as they have kept the original vowels. Sometimes I can't tell whether they sing in Danish or English!

In this scene I saw a new interpretation. Christine was sitting in the boat, looking at the candles, almost trying to touch them. And when the Phantom demanded her to sing in the end... Gosh! Most Christines sing as if they are bewitched by the Phantom. Krantz's Christine looked scared to death, and sung with such a despair it made my heart soar. It looked like she was totally confused about the notes coming from her throat, but she wanted to please him so much that she kept going up, up, up. For me this was a new version.

She was totally seduced in the MOTN, though. The Phantom moved like a panther, and surrounded her wth both voice and body, no matter what movement she made. And Peter Jorde's hand, which barely touched her, was sooo sensual.... How to describe it? He emphasized every note with his hands. Very expressive. But he didn't catch Christine when she fainted. How rude! The unmasking was also effectful. Christine looked so playful, like she didn't realize it was a reason that he wore the mask. And he totally freaked out. Nothing new to this scene, though.

The managers had such a chemistry, and were truly funny. Again, I liked that Raoul displayed slightly more self-confidence than others I've seen. I really loved him - and that has NOTHING to do with his smashing good looking appearance.... But the diva of the night - Carlotta - just owned the stage when she was present. I can't tell excactly what she did (except the ab fab voice) that made me love her. But I guess that's what makes a primadonna...

Il Muto is often boring on CD, but always funny on stage. I was especially amused by the very "annoying" role of Meg, and by the Don Attilio. He held the deep note a long time, and started leaning heavily on his cane like he was bored to death. And then he made a little courtesy, which made the audience cheer!

I will jump directly to the roof scene. Kofod's Raoul was really trying to figure out the strange behaviour of Christine, and he tried to calm her in every way. The AIAOY started out with him comforting her, and when she sings something like "don't ever let go of my hand" in the beginning - he didn't! They were cute. I noticed a thing I've never seen before.

The angel where the Phantom sits - those figures changes! Throughout the "I gave you my music part they get this strange glow (light) in their eyes and mouth, and looks sooo evil. A more amusing detail is that they wear earrings, necklace and rings, glittering every now and then The chandelier looked very frightening from the side (I've only seen in coming down in front of me), and Christine just stood there! It was much more scary seeing it from beside, as you saw how close it is to the stage before Christine is dragged aside by Raoul. *eeeek* I'm childish, but I love the smashing sound it makes when hitting the stage... *goosebumps* I stayed put through the intermission, just to see them checking the chandelier and lifting it up again.




ACT 2

The Masquerade is one of the things which maked me adore the Danish production. It is so well performed, and the deep stage is so fitted for the scenography. This time I sat so close I could hear the dancing steps. Again, I liked Christines scared acting. This is how I've always imagined Christine to react. Anyway, her terrified reaction when she say the monkey playing cymbals was good, and she kept keeping distance to the monkey all that scene. And suddenly all these cloak dressed figures appears - no wonder that girl is a nerve wretch. Raoul was very protecting towards her, but clearly annoyed by her constant looking-over-the-shouder behaviour. Unfortuneatley, my seating didn't allow me to see the Red Death appear in the staircase, but his little hand movements (again...) when he demanded Christine to come forward were priceless.

Time to metion Madame Giry. She was an understudy, but got to play the role quite a few times last season. She was very, very good, and I was happy she didn't have any of these blurry alto voice some Giry's have. The only time she did something she didn't want to do, was after the Masquerade scene. Raoul was so firm and demanding that she was forced to tell what she knew, physically blocking her way. But the minute he didn't block her way, she ran off stage. I couldn't remeber the quick scene change from this scene and to the Notes 2 - how do they fold away the stair so quick and soundless? Amazing.

I don't know why, but I've always liked Notes 2 better than Notes 1. Maybe it is because Christine is in it? It is at least less messy than Notes 1. Carlotta was hilarious when she threw the whole bunch of note sheets info Piangis face and approaced the managers. He was left, trying to untangle from the notes, while she was fury itself. Hah! This was a point where one could notice the development of the Christine character. She faced Carlotta in a very brave way, and when she ran off stage, she was just as much angry as she was scared.

Nothing new to the Don Juan rehearsal, except the guy sitting next to Carlotta. He giggled so much every time Piangi sung, and Carlotta was constantly hitting him with her feathers or the sheet music. Do they normally do that? :D

Oh, my heart... The wishing song... Viktoria Krantz's voice was so perfected, and she emphasized every syllable in the first verse. That was pain explained by music! She also did some nice crescendo at essential notes. If I had a voice even remotely resemblant to hers, I would be very happy - she was excellent! And when she slowly walked off stage (almost, at least), she payed a last hommage to her father by lower her head, as in prayer. When she turned, the Phantom appeared just where she bowed her head - an excellent transaction. I felt it took her so long to face the Phantom (not until the last "Angel of music" line), but when she suddenly turned, she looked hypnotized. I hate that Raoul just bumps in to the scene (I like the London trio better), but he was totally shocked by the sight, and interrupted in a firm way. It was also effectful that Christine had almost left the stage when Raoul run back to "get" the Phantom. FIre shooting stick was awesome!

It might just be me, but I find the Don Juan music annoying. Too much sound. So I'll jump directly to PONR. The Phantom/Don Juan behaved pretty much like the MOTN (the panther...), but every time Christine were to touch him, he prevented it. And you saw Christine found that odd. But she gave him a HARD time during her singing - she really forced him to do a lot of stuff he didn't want to do. But when she felt his mask, she tried to escape him immediately, but was forced to stay on stage by both managers and the Phantom. Nothing new to the unmasking and the "Down once more".

Krantz's Christine was so brave in the last scene - she looked directly at the Phantom almost all the time, and didn't escape him until Raoul appeared. The Phantom, on the other hand, tried to escape Christine and her direct gaze. He even tried to make her turn away by pressing his wretched side of his face almost into hers (an eternity of THIS before your eyes...), but she kept looking calmly and cool at him. The last thing I want to mention, which I loved, was after "Pityful creature of darkness...", I was so confused because the Phantom refused to face Christine, even though she had sung her line though. But she ended up grabbing the Phantom by the shoulder, forcing him to turn around - and then she kissed him carefully. Then a little pause. Then a passionate kiss which seemed to endure forever. At the very same moment, one see Raoul is nearly collapsing in the punjab lasso, and when kissing couple are through, Phantom sees Raoul - and you know the rest of the story....


Superb details all through the show, and slightly different compared to what I'm used to see. It's not only the duo (Phantom/Christine), but also Raoul and Carlotta. Heck, even the supporting roles are awesome.

I'm in love - with a show... :D


An�a 2003




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