The Phantom of the Opera

I chose this topic from BBC website.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/ouch/features/lucas_phantom.shtml


When I was young, I went to Her Majesty's Theater at the Piccadilly Circus station with my family. Then I watched the musical“THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA” for the first time. At that time, I was not able to understand a meaning of the conversation at all. However, I remember that I could almost understand the story by from their performance. The music that Andrew composed is in particular impressive. I went to watch the musical with my family many times afterwards. Therefore, the musical “THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA”is unforgettable for me.

I intend to introduce the musical a little this time.

If we hear “THE PHANNTOM OF THE OPERA”, many probably visualize the great hit musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber. He is a genius in composition who launched the hit musical “CATS” “EVITA” into the world. He recognized the musical “ THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA” as the best of his own.

But true original is that of mystery story by Gaston Leroux in 1911. Webber read it, and the story moved him. Then he determined to produce the stage of it. Originally, the story by Leroux was written as mystery, horror and revenge pray, but Webber distilled pure and romantic love story from it, and weaved the musical with his first splendid music.

The musical “THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA” was performed in London in 1986. It received high praise, and is a great hit long run in 18 country 100 city in the world. In Japan, national performance by “Shiki Theatre Company” mobilized 4 millions of people. Then, the immortal　masterpiece in the history of musical became a movie perfectly in 2004. The dream looked forward to by the world was reproduced in the perfect shape by hand of Webber.

In this story, a red rose have the most important meaning. On the cover of pamphlet, it was always drawn with mask of phantom. The red rose is, in a way, a symbol of “true love”.In the last scene of the movie, a red rose is put on the Christine’s grave. It means phantom’s true and eternal love for Christine.The sad and mad love that Phantom who has an ugly face give to Christine who is beautiful song stress, the change that Christine awake from innocent respect and love to affection as adult woman presently, and the waver of her mind that is attracted to the fresh love from Raoul who a young nobleman.

If you want to know more detailed content, please look at the above website of BBC.
Thank you for listening!