Review: THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA at Goteborgsoperan

I've seen The Phantom of the Opera around 25 times and it's really one of my favorite musicals. The music is amazing, the clothes are wonderful and the storyline is classic with the beauty and the beast, the hero. The fragile Christine, who is abducted by the horrible phantom but rescued by her youth love but the fragile side of the Phantom is shown and she is torn between them. It has been played the same way since 1986 and Andrew Lloyd Webber and The Really Useful Group have kept firm in how it gets played and staged, by who, where and when. But when the Finnish National Opera was going to play it, they got permission to make a new adoption of it.

The creative team, Tiina Puumalainen director, Teppo Järvinen scenographer, Marjaana Mutanen, costume designer, Osku Heiskane choreographer, Teemu Nurmelin light designer and Andreas "Stanley" Lönnquist and Sakari Kiiski sound designer, create a totally reworked musical. It started playing in Finland and was transferred the 23rd of September 2017 to Sweden and the Opera in Gothenburg. As I wanted to see Fred Johanson as the Phantom and John Martin Bengtsson as Raoul, I had to find a date when they played in the same performance, and the date was set for December 9th. Before I saw it, I had seen some pictures that appear on the website and in press and I have to say that I was both excited and curious about what to expect.

I've seen the musical so many times so it feels like I know every sequin on the fantastic dresses and when an eyebrow is to be raised so it was with mixed feelings I booked the ticket. Should I like the changes or not? I had no doubt that Fred and John Martin would deliver as I seen them several times. Fred lastest in Sunset Boulevard on West End in London. The same role as he did on Broadway this year with Glenn Close. John Martin was understudy to both The Phantom and Raoul in Stockholm this year and I had the privilege to see him as Phantom. Both has absolutely amazing voices. But for the new adoption I was not sure...

The opening of Act 1 with the auction is a little tentative, the crystal crown is less grand and does not feel as impressive. Raoul comes in from the right and walks with a stick, not in a wheelchair from the left as usually. And this is something that turns out to ongoing the entire performance that they have "mirrored" the staging so what uses to be on the left hand side is now on the right hand side of the stage. I found myself looking the wrong way more than once and for example wondering when will Raoul enter the box, just to find him sitting in the box on the "wrong" side.

The chandelier is raised up over the audience and time is reversed and we are moved to the setting of "Hannibal". Now it is more visible that it is not the normal staging, the sceneries are simpler and all the cloths designed by Marjaana Mutanen have a completely different style. The dancers wear simpler white / beige clothes and it gives a bleak and a bit boring impression. However, I liked Charlottas´ white dress even it was not as grand and glittery as usual. Piangi enters the elephant and the comical effect when he tries to climb it is gone.

I'm a little bit hesitant to this modern aspect of the show. But then it's time for "Think of me" with Christine (Hanna-Liina Vösa) and now comes one of the changes I like, Christine dressed in a white dress set against a blue background and it is so beautiful. Hanna-Liina sings incredibly well. This scenery felt really nice and modern. Was so enchanted by it so I almost missed seeing Raoul responding when he realized it's probably his childhood love Christine.

A scene I did not really like either is when the Phantom brings Christine down to his home for the first time. This is probably the first time I realize that most of the theatre magic is gone. The phantom and Christine walk on different stairs, but they change pairs so clearly that you know that there are several persons who play them in this scene. It feels a bit boring to show it that visible even if you know it.

And the stairs made me think of big saw blades. But when they came down to the home of the Phantom, it's modern and impressive again. No huge candlesticks appearing from the ground, but so beautiful with candles attached on twisting branches. Then it's a bit back and forth in the whole show and what I probably missed from the usual Phantom is probably the opening of the second Act, Masquerade. Not as grand and impressive. The entrance of the Phantom was not frightful at all.

Felt a bit cheap that he had just thrown a red cloud over himself and just left the scene at the side. But there were other scenes that were really impressive and modern in a good way that they balanced the sceneries that I did not like as much. "All I ask of you" on the roof is so beautiful with the Phantom hiding behind a big angel on the roof instead of in the angel hoisted down from the ceiling.

The presence of the Phantom felt more real when he sneaked up on the young couple in love. Really beautiful when he looks at their profiles through a window. The cemetery scenery is very beautifully built and has also been illuminated with the beautiful blue light. The fire stick handled by the Phantom is replace by a fencing duel between Raoul and the Phantom which is really awesome.

Another scene that I have to highlight is "The point of no return". They have created a huge corset in the middle of the stage, that has bright contours and everyone in the ensemble are dressed in black. The Phantom appears through the corset and dismiss everyone and then he and Christine is left alone on the stage. The corset changes to red and the scenery is really cool and the tension is even more intense between the Phantom and Christine. She is fully aware of that it is the Phantom that has entered the stage from the first moment. The scene is so intense and sexy.

The Phantom is played absolutely fantastic by Fred Johanson. His style is not as elegant as you are used to seeing the Phantom played, instead he is more rockn'roll with a long coat. The mask is not the traditional white but a metal mask. A darker and harder phantom. More human than myth.

Christine does not feel as girly and naïve. From the beginning she is more in command of her feelings and acting and does not let herself be seduced She has a stronger will. She doesn´t faint when she looks at the Phantom but walks freely with him into his bedroom with the red silky sheets... Raoul doesn't have the usual boyish appearance, he's more man and more equal to the Phantom, both voice and appearance. It seems like the director wanted to have another dynamic between the characters. Raoul are more modern dressed, like a businessman and Christine is wearing a bit more provocative and modern dresses in some scenes.

The design of the clothes does not always appears to be in line with the era. Piangi feels more like a mafia boss in his black and white striped suit than an opera singer. Other characters are more low keyed in the story line for example Madam Giry and Meg Giry. Monsieur Firmin and Monsieur André have less comic appearance. So, even if it's the same story and same characters, it's a completely different dynamic in this version.

Fred Johanson is absolutely superb as the Phantom. His voice gets a dark and scary tone, while at times there is a sensitivity and vulnerability. Hanna-Liina Vösa is new to me, but she has a wonderful voice and there is a strong tension between her Christine and Freds' Phantom. John Marin Bengtsson is, as said, a more male Raoul and his voice is deeper and more powerful than usually with Raoul. Directing and playing the characters in this way goes very well into this version and the modern adoption of the scenes.

There are some parts that are weaker than the traditional adoption of Phantom of the Opera, but at the same time some scenes are incredibly well made and feel so modern and they really gives the scenes a new fresh dimension. I grew to enjoy and love this version by every scene and I can highly recommend it. I will see it a least one more time as I like to be able to absorb all scenes one more time.

This modernized version of The Phantom of the Opera will be played at the Opera in Gothenburg until May 2018.

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