‘The Phantom of the Opera’ Lands in Minneapolis, Haunting and Stunning as Ever by Peyton Webb

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Daniel Lopez as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour

Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Over a year after the conclusion of its record-breaking Broadway run, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera is back to enchant theater-goers across the nation. The North American tour hit the Orpheum last Friday, November 21, the second stop of its highly-anticipated return. Producer Cameron Mackintosh promised “a dazzlingly fresh version of the much-loved original,” and dazzlingly fresh he delivered, indeed. This updated Phantom reopened in 2021 at His Majesty’s Royal Theatre and was applauded by London critics and everyday fans alike. Now, the production has come to haunt American stages, and it’d be a shame to miss the wondrous horrors it brings.

The newer version maintains much of the late Maria Björnson’s original award-winning designs. Her magnificent sets feature the grandness and ornamentation of an operahouse while avoiding crossing into gaudy territory. The stage was slightly crowded from time to time as a result of the looming setpieces, particularly in large-group numbers like “Masquerade,” though it’s an excusable fault in a touring production. One key element of the original design, however, was amended for this specific production, sparking controversy among Broadway fans. The Phantom’s stark-white mask was replaced with a tan one better suited for Black actor Isaiah Bailey’s skin tone. (Bailey is not the first Black Phantom, but previous productions have used the traditional white mask regardless of the actor’s skin color.) Though the new mask was a hot topic for online discourse, I found it hardly noticeable during the performance. The change is logical for the Phantom’s storyline: he wants to conceal his appearance, and the darker mask blends in with his skin to accomplish that.

Phantom may be renowned for its jaw-dropping (or chandelier-dropping) visuals, but the characters are what have kept audiences coming back for nearly four decades. I’d be negligent not to mention the delightful Midori Marsh as Carlotta, the opera’s resident diva. Marsh’s wonderful voice in “Think of Me” was nothing to sneeze at, but she was at her best in “Prima Donna,” when Carlotta’s snark and wit came out hilariously. On the other hand, Daniel Lopez’s portrayal of Raoul missed the mark. A character meant to be charming and seductive was disappointingly… unsexy. His stiff movement and nasally timbre ruined the romance of “All I Ask of You” and left me wondering why Christine fell for him.

Isaiah Bailey as The Phantom and Jordan Lee Gilbert as Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera North American Tour

Photo: Matthew Murphy and Evan Zimmerman

Christine herself, though not quite as dreadfully underwhelming, didn’t meet expectations either. Actor Jordan Lee Gilbert’s singing was undeniably lovely, but often lacked tenacity and character and made Christine’s ballads unfortunately dull. Contrastingly, there was nothing dull about Bailey’s performance as the Phantom. His chilling baritone shifted hazily between tantalizing and terrifying in “Music of the Night” and “Stranger Than You Dreamt It,” and ended the show with a sucker-punch to the heart in “Down Once More.” I felt firsthand Christine’s fear of him and simultaneously understood why she is still helplessly drawn to him.

Whether you’re a diehard fan who knows every lyric or a casual attendee looking for a good story, you’ll find Phantom of the Opera to be an evening full of chills and delights. It’s become a pillar of musical theater for good reason, and the latest version certainly hasn’t lost the magic. The Phantom of the Opera is in Minneapolis through Sunday, December 7.

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