PHANTOM CELEBRATES TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY MILESTONE
As it celebrates its 2nd anniversary tonight (TUES) in its $40 million Venetian resort theater, the more than 20-year-old Phantom of the Opera mega musical is alive and well in its totally incredible and magnificent reincarnation; still spectacular in every sense of the word.
Your mouth will still remain open at the sight of the exploding four-part chandelier which weighs 2,100 pounds and falls at 32-feet per second over an audience that to me always looks terrorized, despite the fact it’s a very safely eight-metal-harness linked special effect. Even the Phantom himself hangs down from the chandelier dropping from the roof into the theater, and the pyrotechnics and fireworks are just two of the jaw-dropping feats. The Phantom’s candlelit lair in the below-ground waterways beneath the Opera house are staggeringly beautiful—all lit by the most elaborate display of floating candles, and chandeliered candles ever seen anywhere. And the boat that sails in from the back of the monstrous stage will make you want to keep it sailing on the resort hotel’s Grand Canal waterways! The entrance of Hannibal the elephant and the masked masquerade ball are visual stunners with colorful costumes and an extraordinary sound system. Without doubt the scenery is also stunning and contains the most extraordinary elements of theatrical design ever created in Vegas and the world! The 90-minute slightly trimmed mega-production retains every song from the original Phantom, but because the theatre was specifically built for the show features never before seen special effects. It’s the most technologically advanced Phantom playing anywhere in the world- and miles ahead of its London and Broadway parents. Having originally debuted in 1986 in the British capitol and in 1987 on the Great White Way, where both incidentally are still playing to capacity crowds, it is the world’s best known musical and now at home in the world’s best theater. (70,000-plus performances in 110 worldwide cities with a box office take heading towards $4 billion!) Miraculously actor Anthony Crivello who began the Phantom role two years ago here now takes on all 10-weekly performances himself without alternating with another star.
(Brent Barrett who had also started out here moved on from the Phantom role a few months ago to a new summer touring company of School for Scoundrels.
Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber‘s musical had an all-star glittering celebrity turnout for its premiere two years ago tonight: Carol Burnett, Linda Lavin, Siegfried & Roy, and their longtime manager Bernie Yuman, Rita Rudner, Gordie Brown, Clint Holmes, designer David Rockwell, The Venetian owner, Sheldon Adelson and his wife, Miriam, along with rival Cirque du Soleil founder Guy Laliberté. Other VIPs and celebrities are expected there this evening.
For those of you curious about that onstage chandelier which has become a talked about highlight attraction of the “popera,” it was made with 6,000 hand-strung crystals and 116 candle-lamps. The Venetian theater cost $45 million to transform from the previous Guggenheim motorcycle museum and the $35 million cost of staging the Phantom made it with advertising, marketing and promotion into a $100 million production gamble. In my earlier exclusive interview with Lord Webber he told me it was the culmination of a 20-year dream.
ALW: I have been coming to Vegas for over 35 years. I came here as a guest of RCA records, with Olivia Newton John and Tim Rice, and we went to see Elvis in 1970. I have always loved Vegas and it was an ambition of mine to get the Phantom here for 20 years. I don’t know why I’ve got affection for this place. I do like the architecture and entertainment. It is so over-the-top, so preposterous, so ludicrous that there’s something very effective about it. If it didn’t exist you wouldn’t believe that it could exist. People don’t always realize this, but I had the idea of bringing Phantom to Vegas before I had the idea of bringing it to Broadway. Back in 1991 we tried to buy the Aladdin and we had the whole idea of building a hotel here, which was going to be called the Fantasy, all the designs were going to be started and I don’t know and can’t tell you why, but it never happened. I think that bringing it here now to this purpose built theater complete with a box of tricks that couldn’t be don e anywhere else in the world is exactly the right time. We have remained true to its spirit, but it adds something when it is specifically built for your show other than moving into a theater that is already there.
RL: When was the moment that you realized that this was a classic that would run forever even after you are gone?
ALW: I don’t think one ever thinks that way. I knew we had something original with the Phantom quite early on in the London run. It was one of the first on Broadway where no changes happen from the first preview to the opening night. Most have to rewrite bits or move things around, but not with Phantom. We had the most extraordinary rehearsal period where very little was changed in the course of that. But I don’t think anybody had foreseen quite what the Phantom would turn in to, having done many interviews for the movie, I still can’t tell you why. It is high romance. I remember once I was sitting with a group of very beautiful top models and Phantom had just come out, and it was very big, and there was a party given by Elton John and they were all talking and all of them had said that they had something about themselves that they would prefer to alter. I think that we are always sympathizing with the Phantom.
It isn’t just the Broadway show. I am very excited because it is something I have wanted for more than 20 years and I wanted it in a new form here in Vegas. We didn’t want to just present a replica of something that had been done before. I wouldn’t want to do that. This Phantom had not been seen before. Cutting edge theater technology allows all the things that we naughty boys in the theater love when we have the budget to do it. I’ll call it a success and would be very happy if we make the five-year anniversary.
RL: Do you still have inkling about opening a hotel here in Vegas, or another show?
ALW: The hotel would have been a wonder. I would have put everything to shame that is here now. But we were ahead of our time. You know one day you might see a wonderful hotel here that is all about musical theater. The Fantasy was a very specific thing, but the idea was to have three theaters doing musicals although I would love to do one. If I came across the right idea I’d create an original title for Vegas. I’m fascinated with the idea of an interactive musical where the audience could determine the story twists and turns and possibly win prizes.”
Luxe Life will be front-row center for tonight’s celebration (TUES) and we’ll have the overnight photos of the anniversary fun right here tomorrow (WED).