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Monday, July 22, 2013

The Phantom of the Opera haunts Singapore's stages yet again

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The cast of "The Phantom Of The Opera" performs at the 67th Annual Tony Awards, on Sunday, June 9, 2013 in New York. -- PHOTO: AP
 
By Corrie Tan

The Phantom Of The Opera seems to enjoy stalking Singapore's stages.

The masked spectre has skulked in the shadows of the Kallang Theatre (1995) and the Esplanade Theatre (2007). Come July 16, it will take up residence in the Grand Theatre at Marina Bay Sands.

Created by Andrew Lloyd Webber and directed by Harold Prince, the deeply romantic musical with its gothic overtones has been a smash hit worldwide, telling the story of a disfigured musical genius who falls deeply and tragically in love with a talented young opera singer rising through the ranks.

American actor Brad Little, 49, will be returning to Singapore in the role of the tortured, lovelorn Phantom. Little has performed the role more than 2,200 times across the globe.

Speaking to Life! at a stopover in Singapore last month, he says: "I love playing this role and I still do. I still find different energies, different ideas, something will just suddenly spark you'll go, wow, I never thought of it that way. Different Christines will bring something new."

In this production, the ingenue Christine - the object of the Phantom's obsessive affection - will be played by Australian actress Claire Lyon, 26, a newer addition to the cast. Little says fondly of his co-star: "She is Christine."

He adds: "Claire's career started off as a ballet dancer, went into classical singing, and then the understudy and then - it's amazing, the parallel of her career and Christine's career."

This year, the Phantom celebrates its 25th year on Broadway, where it remains the longest-running musical to date. Along the way, the beloved musical has picked up 130 million audience members in 27 countries and earned more than US$5.6 billion.

For more, read Life! tomorrow.
corriet@sph.com.sg

http://stcommunities.straitstimes.com/show/2013/07/01/phantom-opera-haunts-singapores-stages-yet-again