The Long Island Advance
‘Phantom’ triumphs with emotion and beauty
When Tony Award-winners Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit were developing “Phantom” for Broadway, they were neck-in-neck with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version, “Phantom of the Opera.” It was almost, but not quite. Backers, leaning towards Yeston and Kopit’s musical, wound up supporting Lloyd Webber’s walloping hit for Broadway, and the rest is history.
But we still have Yeston and Kopit’s musical, an emotionally searing jewel, with such astounding humanity and emotion, you can’t not be moved by Erik, the Phantom (Matthew Malecki Martinez)—his musical brilliance obscured in the lagoon under the Paris Opera House ( thus, its “ghost”) because of his disfigured face—and the anguished, heartfelt singing of his plight, falling in love with his soprano student, the beautiful Christine (Cassie Austin). It is Erik’s story.
This glittering powerhouse musical, centered in Paris’s Palais Garnier in the early 1900s, opened at the Gateway in Bellport last week, a gorgeous spectacle with leads Martinez’s and Austin’s projecting voices so spellbinding and heartrending, they transport you to that time and place. “Home,” the duet sung by the couple at the Gateway Gala, is their mutual declaration—that music is spiritually transforming and healing—and it bonds them.
Martinez’s Erik, who loves the poetry of William Blake (“That man knows my heart, he’s seen God”), creates a peaceful domain in his space. (He does have a dark side.) But he is witty, even has a bit of a sense of humor, and changes his elaborate masks in an attempt to be part of the opera milieu. When Martinez sings “Christine,” of his love and not being able to have her, his forceful, gut-wrenching baritone lament had audience patrons crying.
But there is beauty, levity, and wit in many of the extravagant and beautifully lit production scenes; the “Melodie De Paris” is an immediate eye-popping opener with Christine and Company.
“Dressing for the Night” onstage at the opera and patron salons, with the opera company and first-nighters, is an exuberant celebration of the excitement and elegance of anticipatory performance.
Oh, those luscious garnet and pink gowns fashioned with sequins and beading! Oh, those masks, top hats and tails, and hats with feathers. (Ah, the Phantom watches from above.) And oh, those voices.
The colorful, beautifully designed costumes and sets; the over-the-top comedic gestures of Carlotta (Gail Bennet), the hilariously ridiculous diva, and her fawning husband, Alain Cholet (Aaron De Jesus) as the new opera house owners; and the compassionate efforts of the graceful and kind former manager Gerard Carriere (Charles West), Erik’s guardian and mentor, are just some of the lead characters of this plot.
“The Story of Erik” that Carriere relates regarding the Phantom’s birth and of his mother Belladova’s love, is stirring in song and dance.
Now for more wow aspects. The Phantom rises up from the stage before the audience (they gasped) right after the first number. Mist swirls in the underground scenes, a beautiful barge transports Christine in the underground lake; there are moveable entrances, a sumptuous bistro and yes, that chandelier.
Yeston’s music and lyrics are Broadway beautiful. And given the operatic scenes, they could be challenging. But the music direction, under Anthony Brindisi, tackles the score with eight in the orchestra: keys, violin, trumpet, reeds, horn, bass and percussion making it soar.
This is a lovely, complicated story of another time with many parts, but director and choreographer Larry Rabin wrapped his arms around its essence, ensuring that the entire Broadway, national and regional tour cast of 25, including the youth ensemble, make it special.
Gateway’s “Phantom” is dusted with magic, for sure.
Dan's Papers
'Phantom' at the Gateway Is Hauntingly Captivating
Composer Maury Yeston has referred to his musical Phantom as “the greatest hit never to be produced on Broadway.” With book by Arthur Kopit and music/lyrics by Yeston, this heartfelt adaptation of Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel Phantom of the Opera is currently getting captivating treatment at The Gateway Playhouse in Bellport.
Sometimes reality is far stranger than fiction and it certainly is in the circumstances leading to how Yestin/Kopit’s Phantom crashed into Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera and played out like a tragic operetta. Coming off the success of their Tony Award winning musical Nine in 1982, Yeston and Kopit were approached by actor/director Geoffrey Holder who had obtained the rights to musicalize Leroux’s Gothic novel in America. Meanwhile by 1986 in London, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera had become a hit and when Lloyd Weber announced plans to take his musical to Broadway, Yestin and Kopit’s Broadway investors backed out.
The Yeston/Kopit version was shelved until Kopit decided to resurrect it into a miniseries entitled Phantom of the Opera and with Yeston’s blessing, sold it to NBC where it premiered in 1990 starring Burt Lancaster and Teri Polo. That gave renewed momentum to the musical version titled Phantom and in 1991 it was produced at Theatre Under the Stars in Houston. Since then, it has received more than 1,000 productions worldwide. Phantom has been hailed for its enthralling score by Yeston and a mesmerizing tale spun by Arthur Kopit that gives a deep exploration of this grotesque and tortured phantom whose only salvation is beautiful music.
Erik (the Phantom) was born to Belladova, a ballerina at the Paris Opera House who saw only the inner beauty of her deformed child. She raised him in the catacombs and lagoon under the opera house to protect him from a cruel world that would surely label him a monster. Erik grew up sustained by beautiful music wafting down to him. When Erik was still little Belladova died and Gérard Carrière, the company manager of the opera house, stepped in to protect the child. Carrière suddenly lost his job making it difficult to continue watching over Erik. Discord ensues when the opera house is sold to Alain Cholet who makes his egocentric wife Carlotta the lead singer of the company, but her terrible voice ravages Erik’s senses. Street singer Christine arrives at the opera house sent there by Count Phillipe de Chandon who overheard her stunning voice and felt she would be a perfect addition to the company. Erik instantly falls in love with Christine and sees her as his salvation to rid of the screeching Carlotta. He offers Christine voice training but refuses her requests to see what lies just beneath the mask. Conflicts arise over Carlotta’s jealousy of Christine and through the rival for Christine’s affection, Count Philippe de Chandon. All of this results in impending chaos.
Director/Choreographer Larry Raben has crafted a grand spectacle with this version of Phantom. The top notch ensemble shines as it brings to life this Gothic musical. Matthew Malecki Martinez as Eric, the Phantom portrays a mysterious, passionate and tortured soul. Cassie Austin as Christine is gorgeous with a soaringly lush soprano that enchants the Phantom into exclaiming, “My knees grow weak! All my life to be waiting for an angel to one day speak, a miracle of silk, spun to gold, and when I hear it how I know I’m home.” Martinez and Austin’s powerhouse voices intertwine beautifully on songs like “Home,” “Lessons,” and “You Are Music” creating more than chemistry, it’s pure art emanating from these two.
Alexander Rios as Count Philippe de Chandon is suavity personified and it is easy to see how the Phantom would find it enormously difficult to vie for Christine’s affections against such a worthy opponent. Charles West as the Phantom’s protector gives a sensitive, caring performance as Gérard Carrière. Chase Petrucci as Young Erik adds a mysterious aura to his scenes.
Aaron de Jesus as Alain Cholet and Gail Bennett as Carlotta have the comedic bits in this show and they are hysterical. When Bennett howls out “This Place Is Mine,” she has all the animation of a Carol Burnett prancing down the staircase in her signature role as Scarlett O’Hara only while Carol’s singing was meant for a gag, Carlotta thinks she is actually good which makes her bits even funnier.
The band under the direction of Anthony Brindisi gives the Yeston score the richness it deserves and keeps the energy flowing throughout.
Jośe M. Rivera’s period piece costumes add a kaleidoscope of colors to the Gothic set while maintaining ease of movement for dance numbers. Christine’s white gowns are breathtaking visions and the Phantom’s swashbuckling capes and numerous masks add to his mystery. Dustin Lawson’s wigs and hair design compliments the period with piled high coiffures for members of the female ensemble and Christine’s long flowing black locks.
Christopher Landy’s Lighting Design adds an eerie touch to this Gothic set replete with spiral staircases, a catwalk and black backdrop while complimenting the more upbeat scenes with brightness. Sound Design by Ben Takitch enhances the vocals and adds clarity to the spoken words.
Gateway’s Phantom resonates long after the final curtain leaving us with a haunting memory etched with enchanting songs.
