Phantom filling the Melbourne stage
Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera has opened at Arts Centre Melbourne in November, following its record breaking season at the Sydney Opera House.
From November 2 until February 2023, audiences will experience one of the most successful and much loved musicals at the State Theatre, Arts Centre Melbourne.
This spectacular new staging by Cameron Mackintosh premiered with a record-breaking sell out tour of the UK followed by a 7-year tour of the United States which grossed over US$400 million and thrilled critics and audiences alike. Australia is now only the third country to see this new PHANTOM with its beloved and thrilling score including the hit songs The Music of the Night, All I Ask of You and Masquerade. With stunning new staging and scenic design, Maria Björnson’s iconic original costumes and many special effects including a spectacular new realisation of the show’s chandelier.
This production includes a 37 strong cast and 27 piece orchestra, making it one of the largest musical productions ever in Australia. The talented Australian cast is led by Josh Piterman in the coveted lead role of the Phantom while Amy Manford takes on the role of the ingénue Christine Daaé and Blake Bowden plays Raoul Vicomte de Chagny.
Josh Piterman scored a huge personal triumph with an impressive West End debut as he took on the most coveted role of Phantom in the London production in 2019. He is an established musical theatre performer and classical crossover artist who has been working consistently on Australian and UK stages over the past 15 years. His past credits include being a part of international pop opera group The Ten Tenors, Tony in the 2010 Australian production of Westside Story, Bustopher Jones/Gus/Growltiger in the 2015/16 Australian season of Cats (a role that won him the Green Room Award for best supporting actor in a Musical), Corny Collins in the UK tour of Hairspray and Gerry Goffin in the 2017/18 Australian tour of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. In June of this year, Josh released his new EP Loving You, a 4 track EP recorded between London and Melbourne, a musical collaboration with UK friend, producer and songwriter, Steve Anderson.
Born and raised in Perth, Amy Manford has had an exciting start to her career after graduating from WAAPA and making her way to London. She did a Masters degree at The Royal College of Music whilst landing her first role on the West End cast as the Christine alternate in the original London production of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA in 2017. During her time in London, she also had the privilege of performing for Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace and for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Blake Bowden has starred on many Australian stages with his most acclaimed performance to date, leading the cast in the Australian production of The Book of Mormon in the lead role of Elder Price which also garnered him a Helpmann Award nomination for Best Male Actor in a Musical in 2019. Blake has also starred in productions including Fiddler on the Roof, South Pacific, Sweeney Todd, West Side Story and The Boy From Oz Arena Spectacular with Hugh Jackman.
Australian musical theatre stalwart David Whitney will play Monsieur Firmin, Andy Morton returns to the stage as Monsieur Andrè and soprano Giuseppina Grech will play Carlotta Guidicelli. Madame Giry will be played by Jayde Westaby, while classical crossover artist Paul Tabone will revive the role he played to much acclaim on Sydney Harbour earlier this year as Ubaldo Piangi, and newcomer Mietta White will play young ballerina Meg Giry.
Joining them will be the talented ensemble cast including Elliot Baker, Anton Berezin, Laura Bianchi-Bishop, Eleanor Blythman, Gavin Brown, Ben Clark, Bridget Costello, Andrew Dunne, Lewis Francis, Christina Gibbs, Claudia Hastings, Olivia Jenkins, Daniel Koek, Naomi Livingston, Josephine Lonergan, Aaron Lynch, Imogen-Faith Malfitano, Kayleigh Marven, Emma McFarlane, Lachlan O’Brien, Brittany Page, Edward Smith, Anna Stephens, Tod Strike, Troy Sussman, Raphael Wong, Jack Wunsch and Elisha Zion Lee.
Directed by Laurence Connor with choreography by Scott Ambler, set design by Paul Brown, Tony Award®-winning original costume design by Maria Björnson®, lighting design by Tony Award®-winner Paule Constable and sound design by Mick Potter, The Phantom of the Opera has music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe), book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber, orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. This new production is overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh.
Cameron Mackintosh’s spectacular new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera is directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn and is presented by Opera Australia in association with The Really Useful Group.
Based on the classic novel Le Fantôme de L’Opéra by Gaston Leroux, THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the story of a masked figure who lurks beneath the catacombs of the Paris Opera House, exercising a reign of terror over all who inhabit it. He falls madly in love with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by employing all of the devious methods at his command.
Visit the official website to find out more information or purchase tickets.
