What a thrill for the French public to finally see Gaston LEROUX‘s work adapted for the stage in one of the longest runs in the history of the musical, in one of its enclaves, Monaco.

Let’s start by talking about the impeccable casting of this production, led by Ramin KARIMLOO. If many consider him to be the best ghost in the history of this musical, after the performance he gives in this version, we can only agree. His long notes, low notes and high notes are indecently accurate and precise. The point of No return will delight you later, as it is without doubt the best version there is.

Which brings us to Christine. Amelia MILO‘s voice as Christine, first of all sparkling in Think of me, comes as a shock. What’s more, she holds the high notes like no one else. The last note of The Phantom of the Opera, for example, is produced without the use of a tape recorder or synthesiser, unlike other London performances, for those whose ears are sharp enough to notice this detail. If she gives her voice, we are left speechless before a sustained round of applause.

But there are two wonderful discoveries we made with The Phantom of the Opera. Firstly, there was Anna CORVINO as Carlotta, more human in her foibles and measured eccentricities, more accurate in her appropriation of the role and above all divine in her soprano solos. Vinny COYLE is the real « coup de coeur » as the Vicomte de Chagny, with a charm so bewitching that it makes him the perfect rival to the Phantom. He is brilliant in his love affair with Christine. He and Anna thrill us with their vocal performance of a moving All I ask of you.

The songs, sung in chorus, in canons and in off-beat, are as complex as they are beautiful.

If you’ve already seen The Phantom of the Opera in its original version, you’ll be disappointed by the set design, which doesn’t set the bar so high for such cult scenes as the fall of the chandelier, the masquerade tableau and, of course, the scene of Christine’s abduction in the opera house’s flooded underground passageways. We would have expected phenomenal financial resources from Monte-Carlo, and although the special effects, interesting though they are, try to mask these weaknesses, we are left wanting more. It’s all the more of a shame because the mobile set was a pleasant surprise, but it quickly made us realise that it would also be a straitjacket for the expected effects.

Another regret is the original stage curtain, which raises hopes of a host of fantastic uses that never materialise. Nevertheless, let’s be delighted to have this kind of means when in France most other productions wouldn’t offer half of what is here.

Since we’re in France, the version of Il muto, an opera within an opera, plays on subtleties reminiscent of French boulevard theatre.The other little nods to France are welcome.The brief rewrites of the book in such small touches that they are barely perceptible and appreciable.

The lighting is perfect in its elegance and mystery, using at times the lighting of the sublime Salle Garnier at the Monte-Carlo Opera. In this way, the scenes, the artists and even the details of the auditorium are brought to the fore, providing a more than welcome immersion in this sumptuous opera house.A famous medium and colleague would have used his favourite expression « mise en abîme ».

In addition to the stellar cast, the new orchestrations further enhance Andrew Lloyd WEBBER‘s work. Of course, you’ll be thrilled – after the jolt that precedes the audience room – from the first chords of the magical, vibrant overture. Vibrations that continue to resonate like shockwaves throughout the show.

In this staging created for Opera de Monte-Carlo, The Phantom of the Opera captivates, despite a few reservations, thanks to a score and book as magical as ever. A must-see musical to discover or rediscover in a new form.