The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall (2011)

I just this version of Phantom of the Opera last night with one of my dearest friends and I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed it! Pretty much this is the best version I have seen so far! Everyone did a fabulous job at portraying their characters especially Ramin and Sierra. Towards the end of the show, my friend and I completely lost it because of the intense emotions that the two literally put into their characters so well that their performance will tug on your heartstrings. Ramin is by far the best Phantom in my opinion. He blew me away by not just his voice but the emotions he put into his character, showing his character's sensitive side and vulnerability with just a dose of sexuality. I do put him as my favorite above Gerard Butler's Phantom (Gerard was very good in the 2004 movie version, but he didn't have that intense emotion that Ramin has). Sierra was excellent and the best Christine I have seen so far (Emmy Rossum was also very good in the 2004 version, but sounded more classical than operatic to me). Towards the end, Sierra's emotions got the best of me and I did see she fought really hard to stay in character when she sang one last time to the Phantom. I have always been not a fan of Raoul and I still am not,but the guy who played him in this version has an amazing voice and played his character well! I think he exaggerated his performance just a tiny bit, but at least he didn't have an emotional breakdown on stage. For the lady who played Carlotta was hilarious and she is right up there next to Minnie Driver's 2004 version. It was great having Carlotta as the snobbish but sort of comedy reliever that makes the story less intense. All in all, like I said everyone on the stage performed well into their characters and I truly want to see them perform in other Broadway roles as well. Well worth watching on Netflix and be sure to have a box of tissues near you...just in case.

Fmovies: I have not yet gotten the chance to see this show live but I have always loved the music. I was excited when I heard the movie was being made but found it to be pretty disappointing. My biggest complaint with the film is the casting decisions. The phantom was terrible at singing and Christine was pretty weak too. That was that until I was on Netflix recently and came across this gem. I found myself getting teary eyed ten minutes in mostly as a reaction to how grand and powerfully this is executed. Every performer is kicking some serious ass and the stage production is mind- blowing. The sound it great as well as the editing and lighting. And if that wasn't enough there's a special 25th anniversary event at the end that is sure to be any Phantom of the Opera's fans wet dream. Watch this video!

I got this DVD as a gift a couple of years ago. I mistakenly thought I had already seen it and didn't have a strong desire to watch it again. I was content with watching the 2004 film whenever I felt the need to watch POTO. It had it's problems, but I was content. Well one night I got bored and decided for kicks and giggles I would watch it. I quickly realized I had never seen this performance before. I got excited and curious to see how this version would play out. And I was not disappointed.

Just a heads up to anyone curious - this is not a film version of POTO. This is a recording of a play performance. It's not shot like a film so if you hate seeing plays in film format, then skip this and go to the 2004 film. However, if you are curious to see what the heart of Phantom of the Opera is, I strongly encourage you to watch this production. It is stellar. The music is top notch - the live orchestra brings so much passion and warmth to the sound. The costumes are glorious and the excellent use of technology is well placed. The support cast is fantastic and made me all the more invested - fearing for them and laughing with them (though I am disappointed by the lack of an audience response at the humorous bits but that's nitpicking). But the real stars are Raoul, Christine, and the Phantom.

First Raoul - Hadley Fraser has a different take on the childhood sweetheart of Christine. Fraser brings an energy and eagerness to the character. I always found Raoul in every performance to be fairly bland - he promises to protect Christine and shelter her. But aside from the dialogue, there is not much else to draw me to him. I loved Fraser because he brings a new energy and charisma to the character. He is a great contrast to the dark and passionate Phantom. Sierra Boggess portrays the innocent and charming Christine Daaé and Boggess is my favorite Christine by far. Her voice has such a sweet and warm sound to it. She captures perfectly both the innocence and sexuality of the young chorus girl as her world is turned upside down. But what makes her stand out is her chemistry with both Fraser and Karimloo (the Phantom).

And finally, the Phantom himself, played by Ramin Karimloo. I am convinced that if Morgan Freeman is the voice of God, then Ramin Karimloo is the singing voice of God. Good Lord is his voice gorgeous. The way he goes from a growling baritone to a delicate tenor blows my mind. He is both very threatening and very vulnerable. He is both aggressor and victim. He captures the fragility of the Phantom's mind and the strength of the Phantom's will. His rage, his passion, his trepidation... it's breathtaking. His chemistry with Sierra Boggess is unbelievable. I could watch the two interact all day it's that good. By far, my favorite couple performance.

This movie is wonderful. I can't express enough how much I enjoyed it. It actually made me cry. The only movies I have ever cried in where Schindler's List, The Pianist, and Les Miserables. The emotions are so raw and beautifully executed that it was impossible for me not to be moved. If you are a phan, then this film is a definite watch. Enjoy the magic and prepare to be amazed.

The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall fmovies. Andrew Lloyd Webber's the phantom of the opera is the world's most successful entertainment event of all time to date grossing about 5.6 billion dollars worldwide and seen by over 130 million people. i personally love this musical, having seen it in London last year and became a "phan" i went on to check the 2004 film adaptation starring Gerard butler as the title role. and absolutely hated it. luckily for me i heard about this special royal Albert hall production released on DVD celebrating the show's 25th anniversary and when i saw it i absolutely loved it. it was spectacular in every sense of the word. the thing that matters most in any production such as phantom is the cast, since one cast member that isn't rightfully cast can ruin the entire show (for instance, butler's casting in the film), but here every cast member was brilliant. ramin karimloo's phantom was exactly what the phantom character needed, having a voice that is intimidating yet caring and tender at the same time, and his acting was also superb. sierra bogges was also perfect as Christine, with a great voice that completely blew my mind away. all the other cast members were also brilliant in their roles, and the casting was ideal in my opinion. the scenery and effects were good, but not perfect. the sets for example was replaced by screens (due to the fact that the royal Albert hall is a concert hall not a theatre, and the sets of phantom are enormous) which was okay, but not as jaw-dropping as in the original London production, also the chandelier effect was barely believable here, instead of rising over the audience like in the original production, the chandelier simply shoots some fireworks and move a little, and at the end of act I instead of crashing down the stage, it shoots fireworks again and turns off it' lights, which might have been effective for the audience sitting in the royal Albert hall, but not very effective for the DVD viewer. still those flaws didn't bother me from enjoying this tremendously. at the end of the show the composer Andrew Lloyd Webber (whose music is nearly perfect in every way no matter how much criticism it received over the years) says a few words about the show and introduces the creative teams and original London company to the stage, which was very exciting. the grand final consisted the original Christine daae, the wonderful Sarah brightman performing the mesmerizing title song with 4 phantoms from the past, present and future was wonderful despite the fact that you could hear her breath a little during the first part of the song, but she hit those really high notes at the end perfectly, then the phantoms performed the iconic "music of the night" for one huge encore. all n all this production was awesome, and the next best thing to seeing the show in person, it proves why phantom is so loved and appreciated around the world and why it celebrated 25 years. a huge recommendation to fans of the musical and i think people that aren't familiar with the stage musical will like it too (not everyone though, if they don't like musicals and don't like this kind of repetitive musicals, which doesn't bother me). Andrew Lloyd Webber's the phantom of the opera: the most successful musical of all time is as timeless and haunting as ever in a sweeping breathtaking production. well done to all the ones involved in it.

The Phantom of the Opera is one of my personal favourites, and for me easily Andrew Lloyd Webber's best musical(though I do have a soft spot for Joseph). Anybody who loves The Phantom of the Opera will fall in love with this Royal Albert Hall performance, and while I didn't hate the 2004 film as much as others did this performance is a huge improvement. The costumes and sets are sumptuous and exquisite to look at. The camera work allows you to admire the production design and does so unobtrusively, often it has a very cinematic look which I loved without feeling overblown. The sound is resonant and clear, giving the feeling that you are actually there at the ROH watching it live. The orchestra give the score the powerful sweep it should have, a great thing in itself as it is one of those musicals where every song works. The chorus enunciate clearly and have a vibrant and carefully-blended sound. The stage direction is hugely compelling all the way, you are thrilled, terrified and moved to tears throughout and you do empathise with the characters and are fully engaged in Phantom and Christine's love-hate relationship. Nothing feels overdone or stillborn, you do miss the falling chandelier set-piece but at the same time you can understand considering the venue why it wasn't done. The singing is fantastic, embracing the somewhat exposed- from my experience having performed at ROH with various choruses at 3 Christmas concerts, one concert as a guest choir and 2 prom performances- acoustic.

Ramin Karimloo is an incredibly powerful Phantom, imposing in stature, somewhat scary, somewhat seductive and very affecting, and he has a gorgeous voice, one of the most beautiful of anybody in the role in my opinion. His make-up is genuinely hideous, and Music of the Night is really heartfelt. Sierra Boggess' Christine is alluring, charming and her stage presence is as moving as Karimloo's. Her soprano voice is bright and lyrical with no breathy sound(despite some of her breathing having a gasping quality), and I personally prefer her high notes to Sarah Brightman's finding them much clearer. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again had me weeping buckets. Raoul is I agree more abrasive than usual, but Hadley Fraser still sings beautifully- especially in All I Ask of You- and doesn't forget to act. All the supporting roles are filled solidly, but I want to really credit Kiera Duffy, she is every bit the Prima-Donna diva Carlotta ought to be but displays also a sympathetic and vulnerable side that I have rarely if ever seen from past Carlottas, most of which are basically caricatures. We are also given the bonus of having the likes of Sarah Brightman, John Owen Jones, Anthony Warlow and Colm Wilkinson performing, Michael Crawford doesn't sing but it was still a pleasure to see him. I was less taken by Peter Joback, it is a rather a lightweight sound and sounds rather nasal, a sound that is not very easy to warm to. But he isn't enough to bring down the performance in any way because everything else is so good. The appearance also of Andrew Lloyd Webber himself was also very touching. In conclusion, amazing, if you love The Phantom of the Opera this is everything you could possibly want and more.

10/10 Bethany Cox

I've been an IMDb user for a few years now, but this title is the reason for which I write my first review here. This first review, as well as the 10 stars I give, I hope these will somehow (highest rated search, etc) attract at least one more person to this title, which is essentially flawless.

It's hard to review a title which is not really a movie. It combines the best of the cinema, theater and opera. The cinema, as after all it's still a movie. Secondly, as it's an opera, the actors and the crew perform live and you get most of their talent this way. The combining element is the emotion which you do not see without the close-ups in the traditional theater. The actors' play is simply excellent. Scenes depicting relationships between the main characters are played by them so perfectly, that simply cause tears in eyes (vide the final one of the first part).

It's just incredible, that this masterpiece remains so little-known.