Andrew Lloyd Webber's breathtaking musicalisation of the Gaston Leroux novel won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Musical Phantom of the Opera, which is now in its twenty first year on Broadway and is still as poignant as ever. This romantic musical masterpiece celebrates life beneath the stage of the Paris Opera House where the frightening and intimidating Phantom reigns.
As you walk in this most prestigious Majestic Theatre you can’t help notice the significant chandelier, the most spectacular detail of hundreds of shiny swarovski crystals and glass that sparkles right at you.
The Phantom of the opera a disfigured musical genius passes his time terrorizing the members of the Opera house and haunts the members of the audience sending a chill around the theatre that you can feel running down your spine. Although hideously deformed, and a fearsome cold character the Phantom possesses a rich, smooth velvety voice that draws you in and you almost have to pinch yourself to remember how wicked he really is. He falls in love with a chorus girl Christine. His voice calls to her, nurturing her and the incredibly moving and powerful music they perform together is infectious.
You find yourself singing along, drawing tears and feel the goose bumps surprise your skin throughout the entire performance. This extraordinary talent of Christine’s voice and beautiful appearance is mesmerising, she has the true voice of an angel.
The stunningly designed stage and gorgeous period costumes make you feel like your really an audience of the opera house and as the Masquerade forms on the grand foyer the gold, white, black and silver palate of colours combined with the dazzling diamonds just like those of the chandelier sparkle as they catch the lights on the stage draws you in. Then in a jealous rage the Phantom sets the stage for a dramatic crescendo.
He has fallen in love with Christine who only has eyes for Raoul in which his soaring passions, fierce jealousies, and obsessive love threaten to drive the fated lovers past “the point of no return”. The Phantom sends the beautiful shiny crystal set piece crashing down towards the audience. The fear rushes straight through you as the lights dim and flash, in slow motion you see it falling towards you and as you hold your breath waiting to hear it crash to the floor witnessing the crystals burst into the air and leaving the scent of burning glass around you, you open your eyes, and its there, rocking above you. This breathtaking theatrical effect has enthralled audiences across generations.
As you have learned to love Christine because her voice and character make you feel at home the furious Phantom lures her to a creepy colorless place, she takes a voyage on a gondola guided by the Phantom and you can feel the icy atmosphere around you, the smell in the air changes and leaves that chill on your spine again as he takes her through a series of locks that then reveals this dingy, gloomy looking grotto shaped like a harbor where he threatens to make her his forever.
Both romantic and scary, The Phantom of the Opera is a thrilling night of theater with grand emotions that you will only experience watching it before your very eyes.
As you walk in this most prestigious Majestic Theatre you can’t help notice the significant chandelier, the most spectacular detail of hundreds of shiny swarovski crystals and glass that sparkles right at you.
The Phantom of the opera a disfigured musical genius passes his time terrorizing the members of the Opera house and haunts the members of the audience sending a chill around the theatre that you can feel running down your spine. Although hideously deformed, and a fearsome cold character the Phantom possesses a rich, smooth velvety voice that draws you in and you almost have to pinch yourself to remember how wicked he really is. He falls in love with a chorus girl Christine. His voice calls to her, nurturing her and the incredibly moving and powerful music they perform together is infectious.
You find yourself singing along, drawing tears and feel the goose bumps surprise your skin throughout the entire performance. This extraordinary talent of Christine’s voice and beautiful appearance is mesmerising, she has the true voice of an angel.
The stunningly designed stage and gorgeous period costumes make you feel like your really an audience of the opera house and as the Masquerade forms on the grand foyer the gold, white, black and silver palate of colours combined with the dazzling diamonds just like those of the chandelier sparkle as they catch the lights on the stage draws you in. Then in a jealous rage the Phantom sets the stage for a dramatic crescendo.
He has fallen in love with Christine who only has eyes for Raoul in which his soaring passions, fierce jealousies, and obsessive love threaten to drive the fated lovers past “the point of no return”. The Phantom sends the beautiful shiny crystal set piece crashing down towards the audience. The fear rushes straight through you as the lights dim and flash, in slow motion you see it falling towards you and as you hold your breath waiting to hear it crash to the floor witnessing the crystals burst into the air and leaving the scent of burning glass around you, you open your eyes, and its there, rocking above you. This breathtaking theatrical effect has enthralled audiences across generations.
As you have learned to love Christine because her voice and character make you feel at home the furious Phantom lures her to a creepy colorless place, she takes a voyage on a gondola guided by the Phantom and you can feel the icy atmosphere around you, the smell in the air changes and leaves that chill on your spine again as he takes her through a series of locks that then reveals this dingy, gloomy looking grotto shaped like a harbor where he threatens to make her his forever.
Both romantic and scary, The Phantom of the Opera is a thrilling night of theater with grand emotions that you will only experience watching it before your very eyes.
This is clearly your descriptive piece. I really like the way you have written this piece. I can't believe I have'nt seen this timeless musical!! How did you find writting the 500 words? As I know you thought it would be hard. I felt engaged through out the piece and think you have achieved what you set out to with this piece. I'm interested to read your academic piece :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Danielle, i found 500 words easy with this style as i find this style of writing is in my comfort zone. I didn't find writing my marketing piece hard i just think thyat after 300 words it's easy to lose the reade as i personally feel thats to much writing to market something well.
ReplyDeleteWell my academic piece is going to be posted tonight and i have put it off because i dont find academic writing easy so if you coud coment on it and let me know what you honestly think i would appreciate it thanks xxx
hi abbi, a very engaging descriptive piece of writing, this is surely more than 500 words? Also, my favourite musical! Definitely your niche, were at the last campus meeting per chance?
ReplyDeleteYes your right it is but by 30 words!!
ReplyDeleteI couoldn't find anywhere to cut can you suggest somewhere? Is there any part you would edit?
I wasn't at the last meeting i had missed work because of swine flu so i couldn't have any more time off. It would have been nice though to put names to faces and actually meet you people in the flesh properly!
I really enjoyed reading this piece, Abbi. Not only because Phantom of the Opera is one of my favourite musicals, but because the way you have described it is very engaging for the reader. I believe you have achieved this by considering the effect that the production has on the audience, as well as portraying what is happening on stage. For instance, in paragraph four you explain the sensations that someone in the audience would be feeling. This makes it far easier for me to engage with the text, as not only can I visualise the on stage events, but I can imagine the emotions evoked by them too.
ReplyDeleteI haven't yet read your marketing piece, but I could imagine this technique also working for that particular written style, as it helps to draw the reader in.
Hello Laura i really wanted to create the atmosphere and the way you feel as watching it. Im glad that you liked this as it's what i wanted to achieve.
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you think about my marketing piece and i will consider using this use of emotions in it too. Thanks
Hi Abi,
ReplyDeleteI think this piece of "descriptive" writing is very strong and well written.
I had a vivid image in my mind of the story and of how the performance effects the audience, through the clear descriptions in your writing.
If you are wanting to reduce your word count, I would suggest cutting part of the first paragraph as it is not very inkeeping with the "descriptive" writing.
Another suggetion for how to improve it would be to add some photos - they often stimulate the readers imagination and encourage them to read on and apprecaite the beauty of The Phanom of the Opera.
Overall, I thought this was an extremely well written and enjoyable piece of writing!
Thank you very much. I will take out the first paragraph, after reading it again you are right it is a little informative rather than descriptive so I will take your advice. I will also add some more photographs and think I will insert a picture of the chandelier as I have seen a perfect photo of it.
ReplyDeleteThanks again, I appreciate your comment and certainly appreciated your comments on my academic piece, the more the merrier as this piece I found the most difficult so I welcome the good, the bad and the ugly! I would appreciate you commenting back on what I asked as I am interested in what you would say.