Watch Nicole Scherzinger sing “The Phantom of the Opera”. You’ll be amazed
She’s sold over 70 million records worldwide as a popstar, and she here proves that her talents go way beyond what many have thought her capable of.
A smash hit
The Phantom of the Opera made its debut on London’s West End in 1986, launching one of the most successful musicals of all time. On Broadway alone it has been performed more than 13 000 times over the last three decades.
What made this Andrew Lloyd Webber musical such a smash hit?
The probable answer is that a whole host of crucially important factors, each brilliant in their own right, converged to create an iconic piece of musical theatre that has captured the imaginations of millions.
The music, the lyrics, the costume and set design, the plot and theme, and the quality of the three leads left audiences enthralled.
Caught between obession and love?
It’s impossible to briefly summarise its central themes, but we’ll make an awkward attempt.
The Phantom is set in the Paris Opéra House in 1881, and its heroine, Christine, is caught between the pull of two opposite forces.
The first, dark and mysterious, is embodied by the Phantom. He has tutored Christine in her vocal performances whilst never revealing himself to her in person.
She calls him her “Angel of Music”. In one of the musical’s most popular songs, “Music of the Night”, the Phantom implores Christine:
Slowly, gently, night unfurls its splendour
Grasp it, sense it…
Turn your face away from the garish light of day
Turn your thoughts away from cold, unfeeling light…
And listen to the music of the night
The second force is embodied in Raoul, a childhood friend who has recently become the patron of the Opéra in which she stars.
He falls in love with Christine, and she falls in love with him – despite the magnetism of the Phantom.
Raoul is the figure who pulls our star towards the light, and in “All I ask of You”, he promises to save her from the night:
No more talk of darkness…
Let daylight dry your tears…
Let me be your shelter
Let me be your light
This contrast, constituting just one central theme in the musical, explores the conflict between the dark and unrestrained passions of obession, seduction, jealously and revenge on the one hand; and the promise of a less possessive, more tempered and, conceivably, more enduring type of love on the other.
My power over you grows stronger yet
In the song, “The Phantom of the Opera”, here sung by Nicole Scherzinger, Christine meets the Phantom in person for the first time, and he takes her down into his lair beneath the Opéra House.
It is here that she is spellbound by the allure of her mysterious “Angel of Music”, and it is with this song that the battle for her love (and soul?) begins.
It would be unfair to compare Scherzinger with a Sarah Brightman or Sierra Boggess, but her performance here is certainly deserving of praise and merit (she achieves something very, very few can).
And, of course, her Phantoms are simply spectacular.
A bit extra for The Pantom‘s many fans
In addition to the above performance, we thought it’d be a good idea to throw in two wonderful excerpts taken from a 2004 film version of the musical, staring Emmy Rossum as Christine, Gerard Butler as Erik (the Phantom), and Patrick Wilson as Raoul. The music production and sets are stunning.
Definitely worth watching.
1. Softly, deftly music shall caress you
2. Say you love me every waking moment
Whether you’re team Phantom or team Raoul, both songs are just fantastic, right?
Ultimately, the cultural phenomenon’s entrancing music and lyrics will ensure that The Phantom of the Opera will be passed down for generations to come.
