An evening at the opera

FOR ONE night only, renowned Australian actors-singers Michael Cormick and Claire Lyon will perform songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic The Phantom of the Opera musical at the Manhattan Ballroom, Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.
The musical is based on the French novel Le Fantôme de l’Opéra by Gaston Leroux. It opened on London’s West End in 1986, and on Broadway in 1988, where it is currently the longest running musical.
An Evening with The Phantom of the Opera, brought here by Milestone Production, is in conjunction with the musical’s 30th anniversary.
The 75-minute-long concert, happening on April 18 at 8.30pm, will feature the very best of Phantom’s melodies, as well as other popular musical numbers.
Cormick and Lyon, who have performed in previous productions of the musical, will be led by award-winning music director Bernard Walz.
Lyon is an actress, singer and recording artiste who, from 2012 to 2015, played the lead female role of Christine Daaé in the world tour of The Phantom of the Opera in several countries.
She is also one of the few actresses in the world to have been involved in both The Phantom of the Opera and its sequel, Love Never Dies, in which she understudied and performed as Christine in the Australian national tour from 2011 to 2012.
Meanwhile, Cormick was part of the cast for the original 1988 Broadway production. He is also a TV star in Australia, with shows such as Reef Doctors and Sea Patrol, and recently played the title role in The Phantom of the Opera for Free Rain Theatre.
In an email interview, both singers explained their love for The Phantom.
Lyon was five years old when The Phantom of the Opera opened at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne.
She said: “My mother, who was a music teacher, took me to see it and I remember sitting right under the chandelier and being terrified when it came crashing down.

“We bought the song book after the show, and I loved learning the songs and looking at the photographs inside of Sarah Brightman in the beautiful costumes.”
Cormick recalled his experience performing in the original musical: “I was 24, living in London, when I first saw the original production of The Phantom of the Opera.
“I remember being totally overwhelmed by the musical score and the production itself. I felt honoured to be auditioning the next day.”
Speaking about her character, Lyon said: “Christine really develops during the show. She starts off as a timid young girl, a chorus ballet dancer that transforms into the Paris Opera house leading lady.
“It was very rewarding getting to show the growth in the character throughout the show and develop her into a strong young woman with a mind of her own by the end.”
Describing the Phantom, Cormick said: “The Phantom is a complex character, and one of my favourites to play. Having been shunned from the world, he isolated himself in the underworld of the Paris Opera House.
“He has a grand passion for music and is quite magical in his presence. His story of unrequited love is truly heartbreaking.”
Both agree that they have many favourite songs in the musical.
Lyons said: “In the previous Phantom of the Opera show, I particularly love singing Past the Point of No Return, which occurs in the second act, just before the final scene.
“It’s a very heated scene and the music is just glorious to sing. It’s very much like the opera Carmen.”
Cormick added: “Music of the Night is the song that resonates most with me. It is a joy to sing and its hypnotic quality has a great effect on the audience.
It’s a beautifully-crafted piece of writing.”
As to why the Phantom of the Opera still resonates 30 years later, Cormick said: “There is something magical about Phantom. I believe it is the right combination of craftsmanship. The story, the music, the direction, the set and costume design all align to make it a timeless piece of musical theatre that will be adored for many years to come.”
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