After a cancellation the previous evening due to the raging storm and winds, the opening night of The Phantom of the Opera was looking dire. But magically at the stroke of 6pm, when the team of Opera Australia’s Handa Opera rolled out the red carpet, the rain dissipated and a warm setting sun floated over Sydney Harbour. The Phantom still has magic left up his sleeve after all.
Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour represents that age-old maxim, “The show must go on”. And go on The Phantom of the Opera shall! Rain, wind, or sun, the show is at the mercy of nature, but overcoming the natural challenges from Mother Nature makes it all the more thrilling to witness. Every outdoor spectacle presented by Handa Opera is consistently infused with decadence, and this restaging of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic is no different. This is a highbrow spectacle at its most luxurious.
What type of show is The Phantom of the Opera?
The musical version of the mysteriously masked Phantom living beneath the Paris Opera House has captivated audiences around the world for 40 years. His obsession with the young Christine Daaé and subsequent devious nurturing of her talents has played to more than 160 million people in 58 territories and 205 cities in 21 languages.
As a character, Christine is at the mercy of the men she’s surrounded by. Be it the Phantom’s obsessive love, her saviour in the shape of Raoul, Vicomte De Chagny, or the whims of the new owners of the Paris Opera House, Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André. There’s a definite hurdle in imbuing her with the strength of a contemporary woman. In a grandiose setting of this magnitude, that hurdle becomes a chasm.
But we’re not here for depth, we’re here for spectacle, right? If that’s what you’re looking for, then Handa Opera is ready to make every cent count. The vast cascading steps that curve around the floating stage up to a richly carved theatre facade brings the gothic elements of The Phantom’s world to Sydney Harbour. Fireworks, an exorbitant array of colours, and soaring vocals ensure that it lives up to the spectacle on the cover.
Who are the cast and crew of The Phantom of the Opera?
Led by musical supervisor, Guy Simpson, the immediately recognisable score echoes throughout Sydney’s Fleet Steps. The all-encompassing sound is haunting as the chandelier rises from the first chords, to the slow violins fading at the show’s last. It’s not just the outside air that gives you chills.
Director Simon Phillips brings us a more or less recognisable Phantom for those who saw the production when it was last on the harbour. It’s very much coloured within the lines, hitting every note when it's needed but without taking any grand leaps or fresh perspectives on the story. The Phantom’s gondola floats through the air by crane into a river of smoke and fire, while behind the decadent ‘Masquerade’, firework explosions light up the night sky in pitch-perfect timing with the score. In contrast to this, the use of video projection fails to capture the essence of any stage magic, which sours the grandiose aesthetic of the piece.
Gabriela Tylesova’s costumes are a highlight, their designs feeling expansive and intricately detailed at the same time as they’re lit by Nick Schlieper’s sweeping lighting design. In the outdoor setting, Schlieper manages to take us underneath the cavernous theatre and draw us into intimate moments at the (literal) press of a button.
It’s always a feat of strength and stamina when watching the performers in an Handa Opera show, and Simone Sault’s choreography again gives credit to this. The slanted design of Tylesova’s stage requires the cast to ballet uphill, twirling and spinning en pointe in a manner that makes my quads hurt just imagining the hours spent training.
As The Phantom, newcomer Jake Lyle takes a while to sit comfortably behind the power required for the mysterious and omnipresent theatre ghost. There’s a lot of breathwork and dialogue singing through the usually eerily beautiful ‘Music of the Night’. But by the time the interval comes, and The Phantom oversees Christine and Raoul’s embrace, there’s a much more defined character that Lyle finds a home in.
Amy Manford once more deploys an elegance of beauty in Christine (having played the role four times), as her vocals give you a warm embrace in the night air. Between herself and Lyle, there’s a dire lack of chemistry however. In comparison, her scenes with Jarrod Draper’s Raoul – who himself cuts the charm of the dashing Vicomte De Chagny – particularly in ‘All I Ask of You’ is magnificently tender. When the two are paired together, there’s electricity there that defies the need for pageantry.
Why is The Phantom of the Opera a 3-star production?
There is no doubt that this Phantom of the Opera is the definition of extravagance. The effort it takes to successfully stage a production of this magnitude is undeniably a feat of theatrical expertise. But underneath the exhibition of it all, there’s a lack of soul. It ticks all the boxes for a production of Phantom: exquisite music, intricate costumes, epic storytelling. But it also feels like we’ve been here before. There’s a failure to try anything new, and instead we’re given the Anniversary Special treatment. In a setting of this calibre, with a dedicated audience of thousands who will turn out to see it, I was left yearning for more daring leaps to be taken. Surely we can have both spectacle and a renewed vision at the same time?
Who will like The Phantom of the Opera on Sydney Harbour?
For those seeking pageantry, skill and expertise in grandiose theatricality, this 40th Anniversary production of Phantom is sure to please. The beautiful combination of minds and hands that come together to stage a production of this magnitude is worthy of its applause. Let’s hope that when we see The Phantom again, it’s with a renewed sense of purpose and depth to the story.
Get your tickets here.
Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, food & drink inspo and activity ideas, straight to your inbox.
