It all started last Thursday evening when me and Mark went to Esther's school production: The Sound of Musicals. It was my first time attending a school production and I am impressed. Impressed by the many many budding, young talents in singing, dancing and acting! Most of the students in the production are about Esther's age! 15!
As the name suggests, it's a production about a production. As we sat in our extremely uncomfortable blue plastic chairs, various actors and singers sang us through the behind-the-scenes of making a production. My, oh my, how much effort is needed to produce a 3.5 hour long production that runs for 3-4 days in a row...
Interspersed between some scenes were random 'fillers' which made no sense at all and only served one purpose: to fill time, to allow the crew to prepare the next scene. One particular filler was some guy in a hooded robe wearing a mask, posing like some demonic beast complete with dramatic lights, music and all slowly rising up from the floor (?) It was the Phantom of the Opera! The dramatic music from Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera musical.
That was the start of my curiosity. I've heard about POTO before but was never drawn to its story or its characters. Frankly I'd say I was a 'katak di bawah tempurung'. Shame of me! That very night after production (which ended at an unearthly hour of 11pm), I decided to watch the movie version which a dear friend gave me a year or so before, asking me to watch it. So watch it I did. I fell in love with it; fell in love with the characters, the story and the songs!
POTO: Music of the Night
One of my favourite songs from the movie.
Some might argue that Michael Crawford's (guy playing the Phantom from the original London cast) rendition is the best. But Gerard Butler portrays the Phantom better. Even though Gerry ain't a trained singer and his vocals aren't perfect but he pulled off a spectacular Phantom. A Phantom who's solitude, sadness and anger at the world is conveyed so strongly in Gerry's singing. I love his rough, sometimes bad, singing, it gives the Phantom more dimension to his character! I mean, the Phantom is supposed to be an angry, obsessive person, shunned and rejected by the world so you can't expect him to sing so angelically right? That's just my opinion...
POTO: No One Would Listen (excluded scene)
Can't believe they removed this scene. It's one of the more emotionally touching ones...people would've showed more compassion to the Phantom (even though he's a deranged, obsessive murderer) But see how nice the songs are and why I love it so much?! Andrew Lloyd Webber is a genius!
POTO: Masquerade/Why So Silent (Part 1)
*sings: "Masquerade! Paper faces on parade. Masquerade! Hide your face so the world will never find you..."*
POTO: Masquerade/Why so silent (Part 2)
Love this bit :D
Conclusion: GO WATCH THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA IF YOU HAVEN'T ALREADY! Or am I the only one who's been so behind...haha! I wanna watch Love Never Dies now...
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