Rob Landes Accompanies THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA Silent Film at the Grand Tonight

The Grand 1894 Opera House welcomes keyboard marvel and Galveston favorite Rob Landes at the Allen Organ, performing his specially-created, totally-improvised musical score for the showing of Lon Chaney's 1925 silent film masterpiece, The Phantom of the Opera, tonight, November 1 at 8 pm. Tickets may be purchased at The Grand's Box Office, 2020 Postoffice Street, by calling 409.765.1894, 800.821.1894, or online at www.thegrand.com.

Before the age of digital sound and computerized special effects, silent film actors transported audiences to worlds of romance, comedy, adventure, and horror, without uttering a single word! Film star Lon Chaney's transformative (and highly secretive) makeup techniques earned him the nickname "The Man of a Thousand Faces." Combined with his exceptional acting abilities, Chaney created iconic big-screen characters that made him one of early Hollywood's biggest box office stars.

The earliest "sound" accompaniment to silent films was provided by a lone piano soloist, who improvised or performed compilations of classical or theatrical musical repertoire. Prior to the addition of orchestral musicians, it was the massive theatre organ that expanded the emotional content of the silent film, thrilling audiences with a wide range of simulated orchestral sounds and special effects ranging from galloping horses to rolling thunder!

Tickets are $20. Call The Grand's box office at 409.765.1894, 800.821.1894, or visit The Grand's web site at www.thegrand.com. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, The Grand 1894 Opera House is located at 2020 Postoffice Street in historic downtown Galveston's Cultural Arts District and is recognized as "The Official Opera House of the State of Texas." All major credit cards accepted.