THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, national tour; a Theater League of Utah presentation at the Capitol Theatre; continues through July 31, with performances at 8 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays; 7 p.m., Sundays, and matinees at 2 p.m. on Saturdays & Sundays; plus additional performances at 2 p.m. on June 3 and July 2 and 8 p.m. on June 28 (no performances July 4). All seats reserved. Tickets range from $26.50 to $72.50; available through ArtTix outlets or by calling 355-2787 or 1-888-451-2787. Running time: 2 1/2 hours (one intermission).
After playing for nearly four months three years ago, the most famous masked man since the Lone Ranger and Zorro -- Andrew Lloyd Webber's decidedly non-heroic "Phantom of the Opera" -- is back at the Capitol Theatre for a 70-performance run through the end of July.The troupe stopping in Salt Lake City is known as "the Music Box company," and the ensemble is loaded with strong singers who've accumulated some impressive credits not only on Broadway and in regional theater, but in major opera productions as well.
The best thing about this production is the operatic level of singing involved -- along with the show's legendary staging.
Once you get past the script's weak points (a somewhat disjointed plot and Lloyd Webber's irritating penchant for constantly repeating the same musical themes), there is certainly much to enjoy in this spare-no-expenses retelling of the infamous Phantom of the Paris Opera House.
Plotwise, of course, "Phantom" isn't nearly as complicated as "Les Miserables." Mostly, it's a darker, brooding spin on "Beauty and the Beast," with a Faustian touch of "Damn Yankees" thrown in.
But during its journey from the opulence of the Opera House to the ominous, misty caverns far below, there are plenty of exciting moments -- and performances -- to savor:
-- Ted Keegan as the Phantom, bringing the audience to a well deserved standing ovation for his intense delivery of "The Music of the Night" and "Point of No Return."
-- Rebecca Pitcher (ingenue Christine Daae) and Richard Todd Adams (her handsome young suitor, Raoul), who also delivered the goods in a variety of solos and duets, including "Angel of Music," "All I Ask of You," "Think of Me" and "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."
-- Diane Jennings (opera diva Carlotta) and Steven Stein-Grainger (the Opera House's leading tenor, Ubaldo Piangi), both operatically trained, and both of whom give the show its needed comedic edge.
-- David Cryer, who was here in the 1996 production (and once a guest soloist with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir) and Ian Jon Bourg as, respectively, the Opera House's new owners, Monsieurs Firmin and Andre, whose best numbers are the segments in their office, comparing notes passed along from O.G. -- the Opera Ghost.
-- Jennine Jones as Madame Giry, the Opera House's ballet mistress, who knows more about the feared Phantom than anyone else.
Personally, the lesser known Yeston/Kopit operetta version of "Phantom" has a more pleasing score and easier-to-follow plot, but there's no denying that Lloyd Webber's "Phantom of the Opera" is a real crowd-pleaser.
Glenn Langdon's 17-piece touring orchestra was in top form.
A reminder for patrons of evening performances: If you used I-15 to get to the theater, you'll probably have to find another route to get home, as many sections of the freeway are closed after 10 p.m. for construction.