1 September 2012.
phantom once again, after four years. i just had to see it having been hit by jet lag the first time i watched it in broadway. it was a criminal sin, i know, but hey, i woke up before the 1st act ended 🙂 thanks to my guapa and rich sis sponsor 😀
anyways, this time though, i made sure i will not doze off. not even for a second. and i did not have to worry about that after all. 🙂
this was my 2nd junket with good friends donna and korina. instead of opting for an overnight stay in manila, we decided to spend that budget on choice seats. and choice seats they were! 1st row, center of the orchestra seats. and by this, we had the (musical) orchestra right in front of us, and with raoul, christine and the phantom just an arm’s length or two away.
under-dressed we may have been, coming to the play in jeans and rubber shoes as compared to our seatmates who all got decked out in their suits and ties and cocktail dresses, the show was just a great leveler. everyone were one in saying it was such a great performance, deserving of the standing ovation it got from the audience. it brought us back to the world of the phantom, forgetting everything and just relishing the music, the love story, the production set, the choreography and the colors.
i especially liked the phantom (jonathan roxmouth) and raoul (anthony downing) who, i supposed, had to tone down his singing so as not to eclipse christine and everyone else he was onstage with.
the rest of the cast were not disappointing as well. and the orchestra, they were just heavenly.
the wallet may have hurt quite a bit by this but the experience was so very well worth it.
i hope my wallet recovers though before the last show in manila ends on october 16. and yes, seriously considering watching it again.
my take 