And so when I heard that The Phantom of the Opera was in town, I immediately searched for ticket prices. I knew these things were pricey but I didn't expect that the cheapest ticket would still be around a thousand pesos (and the seats were quite a distance from the stage!). I thought about it for about a week or two before I finally decided to buy the second cheapest one worth 2250 pesos. Since my family and friends weren't really fans of such shows, I decided to ask my office mate Abi to accompany me. Her liking to the show just fueled my excitement that I eagerly bought the tickets a month before. The good news is, I chanced upon a promo called the Friday Payday Blow-out that slashed 1000 pesos off the original 2250 pesos ticket price. YAYYYY!! :D :D :D
Last Friday night, we braved the crowded MRT Taft and KFC Harbor Square to make it in time for the 8 PM show at CCP. After riding the elevator all the way up to the 4th floor and buying a pair of binoculars (which was a caveat of how high up we were), we finally entered the main theatre. One word that I uttered the minute I stepped inside the cavernous hall? WOW. The stage was dimly lit with the infamous chandelier covered and clearly the center of the attraction.
The view from our seats (its quite steep and we were up high O_o)
The show started on time (no Filipino time here!) and from then on, I was hypnotized by every little detail of the play: Christine's soprano voice resonating throughout the theatre, Raoul's love for her childhood sweetheart, the Phantom's obsession with his young protegee and of course the musical numbers. My favorites were The Phantom of the Opera and Think of Me. The Phantom's lair was dank and dark, a perfect reflection of the disfigured musical genius. Jonathan Rouxmouth did the role justice and Claire's voice gave me goosebumps. It truly was magical and the crew deserves a standing ovation indeed since it was like we really were at the Paris Opera House that even the Phantom's reign of terror extends to the audience (I can't quite believe it that they got the Phantom at the top of the stage and hanging at the back of the chandelier).
The downside of the whole thing is that from our view, we weren't able to see the descent of the characters into the Phantom's secret lair (I heard it was amazing since it gave the stage an illusion of depth). And seeing the characters facial expressions might have contributed more to the pull that I've felt to the play since the beginning. For those who are planning to watch, I recommend purchasing the 5,800 pesos tickets. They'll be worth it. Trust me :)
When the Phantom let Christine go and disappeared, I felt tears welling up at the corners of my eyes. It was a truly touching love story that bordered on obsession. I truly felt the Phantom's pain and when he was playing with the robotic monkey figurine in the end, I knew that I wanted Christine to end up with the Phantom.
After exiting the theatre, I was beyond awed. After taking some photos at the lobby, I hailed a taxi and went home. I kept thinking about the musical - the story, the songs and the cast members who were clearly pros at what they do. It just made me realize that for a first live musical, I chose well. It was indeed God's gift to musical theater. And I can't wait to see it again if ever I wound up in New York and London along with Wicked and Mamma Mia.
I'll never forget my time with the Phantom. He made a fan out of me :)
