Phantom of the Opera: Keith reviews the Adelaide production staged in the City region of South Australia

The Phantom of the Opera is an international success story with a number of Adelaide connections. It's an epic tale of a disfigured musical genius that haunts the depths of a Grand Opera House. But there's more - he falls in love with a beautiful young woman - welcome to Phantom of the Opera now playing at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's masterpiece has been wowing audiences for 21 years and shows no sign of fading. It's played to over 80 million people in 25 countries around the world - grossing a staggering 5-billion dollars. The original cast recording was the first in British musical history to enter the charts at number one.

The Entertainment centre is undergoing a transformation. It's being turned into the Paris Opera House - and that's no mean feat when you consider there's a cast of more than 130 people, pulling off 22 scene changes and showcasing 230 costumes. This is truly a triumph of logistics… every one, every thing and every cue needs to be spot on…

It's an enchanting story set in the Paris Opera House, home of a tragic and disfigured musical genius known only as 'The Phantom' - played by Anthony Warlow. He's besotted with young soprano, Christine, Anna Marina. Unaware of her love for another, the Phantom's obsession sets the scene for jealousy, madness and passion.

The Phantom was last in Adelaide 13 years ago and there's still a strong Adelaide connection - the sets for the Australian and South East Asia production were all built right here in Adelaide and are still maintained by the Adelaide Festival Centre Workshop.

A feature of the show is the spectacular replica of the Paris Opera House chandelier. It's made up of 6,000 individual beads - 35 on each string. It's a massive 3 metres wide and weighs one ton. Five people built the original in 4 weeks.

The Phantom of the Opera lives again in Adelaide with 8 performances a week including matinees on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. It's a strictly limited season - to book phone Ticketek.

Phantom of the Opera
Adelaide Entertainment Centre
Ticketek 1300 795 012

Published 3rd May 2009