Cory Palmer

Professor Harris
Fine Arts 1090

A Mystery Unveiled at Majestic Theater

The Phantom of the Opera, performed at Majestic Theater, in New York City

ends in a thunder of applause. This year marks the 30th anniversary for Andrew Lloyd

Webber’s highly acclaimed musical and it is apparent that the performance was done

with talent and care. The props and effects brings the stage to life and cast compliments

each other while bringing different skills to the set. Ben Crawford as The Phantom and

Kaley Ann Voorhees as Christine Daaé beautifully execute their roles and remind all of

New York that there’s a reason why this musical is still on Broadway.

The Phantom is secrative and has a duality to his character which is physically

represented as the mask he dons. He’s manipulative, dark, and foreboding but he is

also gentle, passionate, and gifted in the arts. He’s a tragic character that is as

mysterious as he is seductive. The Phantom functions in the story as the main conflict

and gives underlying themes of revenge, identity, society, and obsession.

The timbre of his voice is smooth and deep as he sings with an incredible range.

He has a soothing voice that is very enticing, it pulls Christine in numerous times and

she finds herself attracted to The Phantom, but also afraid. He is articulate when he

speaks and is calculating with his words when he is around Christine. His posture and

movement depends on the scene and whether he dons his mask that hides his

deformity. With the mask on, he is confident and direct. He hovers over Christine and

gets very close to her, manipulating her movement as he trys to seduce her to the

power of his music. Without his mask he appears weak and shrivels away from
everyone in fear from exposing his marked face. The artistic elements in this character

all contribute to him having a seductive and mysterious energy that only make The

Phantom that more compelling.

Chritine Daaé is a chours girt urned soprano. She is remarkably beautiful and

posesses a voice that is very impressive, she can sing high notes like no other. As a

child her father passed away. WIthout any parents she was taken in by the opera house

and looked after by Madame Giry. Once discovered by The Phantom, Christine has

remained the subject of his obsession. She functions as being the love interest of both

the opera ghost and Raoul, a childhood friend. Christine finds herself being conflicted

with herself and The Phantom. Unsure if he is the angel of music sent by her father, she

empathizes for The Phantom, he was rejected by society and was shown no

compassion or love. However, as a murderer and deformed being, Christine is also

afraid of him.

Christine has a comforting and inviting timbre to her voice. She is able to hit high

notes and has a great singing endurance. She can hold a note without any interuptions

in her voice. Her timing and rhythm in her singing a little quicker than The Phantom’s

voice, but it is very clear and audible even in scenes where she is clearly in distress.

Christine’s movement and posture depends on who she is with. The Phantom has a

unique control over her. When together she seems to have no power and is drawn to

The Phantom as if she is in some kind of trance. She is easily manipulated by him as

her curiosity grows stronger for her mysterious angel of music. With Raoul, she is direct

with her movements and keeps her body pointing towards him and not away. She likes

to be close to him and keeps eye contact as the sing and talk to one another.
The artistic elements in this character are different from The Phantom’s but are vital due

to how they compliment each other.

The Phantom is a compelling and mysterious character, and it’s clear that he is

very talented in the arts as well as intellectual. He manipulates those around him and

enduces fear in the opera houses’s tennents. His smooth and deep voice adds to his

ability to be seductive and persuasive. His duality to his character keeps you on your

toes as you never know what he might do next to torment those around him. Christine is

caught in the middle of it all, and causes the audience to sympathize with her. Her

internal conflict makes the musical relatable and interesting. The artistic elements that

her character holds is very enticing. Her singing abilities are impressive and add to her

character as a whole. When paired with The Phantom, it adds a new dynamic. The

interactions and talents they bring to the stage leave you wanting more. Overall, The

Phantom of the Opera is phenomenal and the artisitic elements are apparent in this

1986 musical