The Phantom of the Opera: My New Personal Angel of Music by Elizabeth Teskey

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(L to R) 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.


Thirty seven years after its Broadway debut, walking into the 2025 tour of Phantom of the Opera, I found myself wondering whether this Andrew Lloyd Webber mega-musical still earns its fame following its post-pandemic departure from Broadway. Two and a half hours of jaw dropping performance later, I couldn’t believe it took me this long to become thoroughly obsessed. Although not every seat in the house experienced a Phantom performance worth the price of their ticket, it was evident that Phantom’s enchanting cast, grandiose technical prowess, and spellbinding score is a rare treat to all. 


From the moment we set foot in the theater, this production immersed its audience into the world of the Paris Opera House. With its set exposed at top of show, and classic chandelier glistening over audience heads, there was no barrier between stage and seat. The very same pit performing this production’s iconic theme interacted with actors, actors spoke directly to their viewers, and audiences were fooled into practically feeling the Phantom run by them through a clever surround-sound design. Furthermore, the majestic enormity of Phantom’s +30 person ensemble, 20 semi-truck filling set, and +50 pyrotechnic effects accomplished otherworldly magnificence in ways aspiring blinged-out modern productions simply lacked (I’m looking at you, A Beautiful Noise).


Perfectly embodying this world’s darkness, magic, and mystery was Phantom’s cast, none more than Isaiah Bailey’s Phantom. Not only was he the vengeful puppet master, he explored his angel of music’s softer side, earning both panicked terror from his ensemble and sympathy from the audience. His naive counterpart, Christine (Jordan Lee Gilbert), angelically offset his malicious torment, her soprano voice pure, and her innocence thoroughly lovable. 


 In a word? This show was breathtaking. 


It was disappointing to realize, however, that some audience members couldn’t appreciate the full majesty of this spellbinding spectacle. Consistently disheartening, this production’s muddled sound quality made Act II nearly unintelligible for any unfortunate soul sitting in a seat that wasn’t the crystal clear front and center. Even more disappointing were the technical and staging effects that might only be appreciated when viewed head on. Massive plot reveals (a certain death during “The Point of No Return”) were placed too far behind the proscenium arch for those viewing from a severe angle to glimpse, while the famous mirror effect revealing The Phantom was completely obstructed by the doorway of Christine’s room. Yes: any Phantom production runs the risk of dropping lines performing this vibrato-filled pseudo-opera without subtitles, and yes: any audience member must expect a varied experience based on their seat’s location. But in a professional tour with a paying audience, Phantom’s treatment of certain seats felt nothing short of elementary. 


In all, Phantom is a production so intricately detailed and magically intoxicating, that one might thoroughly enjoy a second, or even third performance of this 150 minute production. But for those planning their experience in just one visit, it is well advised to purchase a better seat ahead of time, lest their experience ultimately pay the price. 

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