Reid Spencer (left) and David Fertal teach the audience to sing along to Phantom
“Forget everything you’ve seen here!” roared the Phantom (played by Andrew Love), as Raoul (Derek Johnson) led Christine (Natalie Fagnan) away – but if you were in the audience at the Lantern Church on Friday night, you certainly won’t be able to forget.
Calgary’s Cowtown Opera had their opening night for their latest production, The Phantom of the Opera, and the crowd at the Lantern Church wasn’t just thrilled to see it – they had an opportunity to be a part of the show. Claiming to be the first ever sing-along performance to the famous Phantom opera, the formally attired audience was quick to warm to the concept, with the help of the the unofficial choir guides of the evening, Monsieurs Firmin (David Fertal) and Andre (Reid Spencer). The two welcomed the crowd and led them through an introduction to the concept, with great wit and humour, adding a light touch throughout to what can, at times, be an incredibly dark and serious work. Drawing comparisons to two other stalwarts of the theatre (minus the negativity) the pair stole the scenes they were in, even as part of the backing ensemble to several acts. But don’t be fooled by the frivolity, these were two serious singers in their own rights, and their strong vocals added to the depth and complexity of the overall sound. They were outstanding, both vocally and in their stage presence – well worth the price of admission all on their own.
Karen Minish as Carlotta
Another outstanding performance was shown by soprano Karen Minish as the established opera singer Carlotta that the Phantom cruelly discards in order to make room for his beloved Christine. Playful and powerful, she beautifully filled the role of the outlandish and unfortunate diva, her (scripted) croaking finale a perfect reminder of the stunning quality of her voice up until that point.
In the prologue to the original written work, Gaston Leroux describes Meg Giry as “the most charming star of our admirable corps de ballet”. He would have been thrilled with the casting, then, of soprano Lauren Woods, whose clear articulation and impressive projection were a sparkling gem. A Calgary native, Woods has done more than her fair share of touring, learning and teaching, and it shows in both her acting skills and her impressive vocals. Her pose at the end of the night with the Phantom’s mask was as iconic an image as the production could hope to achieve.
Going in, I assumed that there were three pivotal character in Phantom, but after that performance, I would add a fourth – the orchestra. Ably led by musical director Jason Erhardt, the instrumental accompaniment filled the Lantern Church to it’s pious rafters. The performance was impressively tight for an opening night, and were it not for the richness of the live performance, you would have sworn it was a recording of the finest calibre.
Towering above the rest of the cast (literally) was Derek Johnson, lending a heft and strength to the character of Raoul. Fresh from an Italian performance of La Boheme, this tenor talent was able to control his delivery with remarkable skill, working to match his on-stage love interest and causing the audience to pull forward in their seats, so as not to miss a single breath of their heartful exchanges. When given full rein, he was able to let lose the full power of his voice, and caused not but a little swooning in the audience.
Playing the pivotal part of Christine was soprano and newly minted Torontonian Natalie Fagnan, a former member of the Calgary Opera’s Emerging Artist Program. Her slight stature and youthful beauty led to a few intakes of breath when she first took to the stage and transformed from the shy, shawled girl to a full-fledged operatic powerhouse. Fagnan has a real knack for infusing emotion into her voice, and her chemistry with her Raoul could be felt in the warm intonation of her exchanges with him. She has real power and heart in her voice, and the audience was left in no doubt why both the leading men were so taken with her.
The loudest applause for the evening, by a slight margin, certainly went to the titular lead character. Andrew Love‘s performance as The Phantom was incredibly stirring, almost bringing a tear to my eye as he watched the love of his life walk away. With a voice that was perfectly cast to boom from the rafters, he wore the dark malevolence of the tortured soul with a flair that would almost lead one to hunt him down after the show and ask him what personal torment he had suffered in his own life to so aptly prepare him for this role. Another born and bred Calgarian, Love has played a number of important roles in a lot of different productions (Albert Herring, La Boheme, Maria Stuarda, Pagliacci, Le Nozze di Figaro), but this role seemed perfectly cast, and should he ever choose to don the half mask again, I would certainly go to see it.
And while the named parts get all of the attention, the performance would not be whole without the ensemble cast of Andrea Berg, Matt Burd, Winnifred Hume, Kelty Latos, Stuart Miller, Stephanie Plummer, Henry Remple, Taylor Robertson, Chelsey Steeves and Melanie Zimmer. Beyond adding their voices and bodies to the scenes, they were our sing-along cheerleaders as sang our hearts out.
The end result was a perfectly entertaining evening of local opera. The performance never dragged or plodded, the added wit lightening the way between the darker moments, and the sing-along aspect drawing the audience into the performance in a way that was unique and highly entertaining. It even drew the audience closer together, as several people in my section took the time to compliment the stronger singers in our general vicinity.
A few words of caution, for those who want to check out the remaining two performances on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon. Parking in Inglewood can be tricky at the best of times, so plan accordingly. And, don’t make the mistake of arriving just before the curtain rises. There is a refreshment area set up in the basement of the church that is open prior to the performance, stocked with some tasty Village Brewery selections (and a lovely prosecco). And don’t hesitate on buying your tickets ahead of time, as these performances might sell out, due to the intimate (and seating-limited) venue.
If you do miss out on this Phantom first, you can console yourself with an upcoming performance in late May of The Barber of Cowtown, also at the Lantern Church. But really, if you can make it to see this show, I highly recommend you go. You will never have more fun at a Phantom of the Opera performance – I guarantee you that.
Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!