A lovable Broadway producer (relax, we are talking a TV show here) in “The Nanny” (that old one in its backwater reruns now) says in disbelief and awe, “Andrew Lloyd Webber is God!” Try to argue with that just minutes into “The Phantom of the Opera” at SHN Orpheum Theatre when a shining chandelier, unveiled in the notorious Auction prologue, flies up by pure magic of those shudder-inspiring chords. No matter how many times you hear it, no matter how much effort you apply to not humming along to the unforgettable melodies (and some viewers inevitably fail in that effort) the spectacle of this longest-running Broadway musical is too grand, too powerful—it’s always a revelation. I also love the idea for which Christine Daae’s character stands in the source novel by Gaston Leroux. No, not the idea of self-sacrifice and compassion, not the “pitiful creature of darkness, what kind of life have you known…” My favorite Phantom idea is about a woman caught between love and career—Christine torn between Raoul and the Angel of Music… “Angel of Music, I denied you, turning from true beauty…” Yes, she did turn from her calling, but for a brief moment she knew its power and its glory. (Lyrics by Charles Hart with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe). Great performances by amazingly genuine John Cudia (The Phantom of the Opera), Trista Moldovan (Christine Daae), Kyle Barisich (Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny) and the rest of the well-appointed cast, and generous stage design by Maria Bjornson and the whole production team make this SHN run of the Phantom the best holiday gift imaginable. Please give it to someone you love. The show runs through January 4, 2009 at Orpheum Theatre, 1192 Market Street, San Francisco. For tickets and information call 415-551-2000 or visit www.shnsf.com. Photo by Joan Marcus. John Cudia, The Phantom of the Opera at SHN.
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