Musical “The Phantom of the Opera”

Composer: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe
Translated by Leelo Tungal
Director Georg Malvius (Sweden)
Musical Director Tarmo Leinatamm (1954-2014)
Conductor Martin Sildos
Stage Designer Iir Hermeliin
Costume Designer Ellen Cairns (Scotland)
Light Designer: Palle Palmé (Sweden)
Choreographer Adrienne Abjörn (Sweden)
Video Designer Taavi Varm

In Roles:
Erik / Phantom – Stephen Hansen (Norway) or Koit Toome
Christine – Maria Listra or Hanna-Liina Võsa
Other leading roles are performed by Koit Toome, Pirjo Jonas, Kristina Vähi, Aivar Kaseste, Reigo Tamm and Lauri Liiv.
The Vanemuine Symphony Orchestra, a rock band, the Vanemuine Opera Choir and Ballet Troupe also take part in the production.

The writing of the novel was partly inspired by actual events that took place at the Paris Opera in the 19th century. Today the original novel has been overshadowed by subsequent stage and film versions, of which the most well-known are the silent film classic of 1925 by Lon Chaney and Rupert Julian and, naturally, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical of 1986 with its enchanting and unforgettable sound.

This production of the ambitious musical – at times frightening and seemingly out of its depth – was brought to the audience by the troupe of the Vanemuine under the guidance of Georg Malvius. The result deserves a high mark. /…/ The two plots of the theatre within a theatre activate the audience. There are moments when one cannot figure out whether we are watching the rehearsal of a new opera at the Paris Opera or Webber’s musical in the Vanemuine. Both actually work. The viewer gets an inkling of what goes on backstage, of the conditionality of theatre. Even the ghost in The Phantom of the Opera has two roles to perform: he captivates the actors and actresses, and the actors and actresses in turn captivate the audience in the hall.

Alo Põldmäe, Tartu Postimees newspaper