Customer Reviews

The Phantom of the Opera (Highlights from the 1989 Original Canadian Cast)

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(12)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(5)

 

 

I'm a Sarah Brightman fan(atic), but I owe it all to the original cast recording. My love for Sarah began with the Phantom of the Opera, which I first listened to as a child. Now an adult more than a decade later, I'm still not tired of those songs.

I'll assume that if you're interested in this recording, you're already familiar with the songs and are interested in knowing how this holds up to the OLC (original London cast) recording and/or the new movie soundtrack.

Rebecca Caine is a terrific Christine. It took a little getting used to her, but her vocal prowess is commendable. She also comes from a more classical background and her voice sounds much more operatic than either Sarah or Emmy Rossum, so perhaps that is why a lot of reviewers have accused her of sounding 'old.' Sarah Brightman's strength is her tone color. Her voice has a pure, crystalline tone, which was the greatest thing she brought to the role of Christine, because just the sound of her voice could convince you she was Christine. Emmy Rossum, being a teenager, had no problem sounding like one convincingly (not to mention that she did a fine job of acting). What Rebecca Caine brings is fantastic vocal agility and control. Caine's Christine is one who could easily, easily, easily have unseated Carlotta. Whereas Sarah slides into her notes, Rebecca hits them. It's also a delight to hear the emotional 'oomph' she puts behind her performance.

I actually liked Colm Wilkinson. Colm Wilkinson is no Michael Crawford. Heck, he's no Gerard Butler. I would have to agree with other reviewers that at times, he falls behind both Michael and Gerard. Michael's a terrific lyric tenor, Gerard's got a great rock tenor thing going on, and Colm's got a nice enough voice, but. he. tends. to. sing. like. this. and. it. gets. annoying. after. a. while. Unfortunately, he over-pronounces his words, too. So why did I start off this paragraph saying that I liked Colm then proceed to bash him? Well, it's all true, but I still appreciated that he brought something new to the table. Note that I said he falls behind Michael and Gerard "at times." This isn't the case during all the other times. Both Michael Crawford's and Colm Wilkinson's phantoms have a lilting quality to their singing which is both charming and haunting. I'm listening to Colm Wilkinson's 'Music of the Night' right now and it holds its own to other versions. Why? His style of singing fits the song. It may not work for some of the other songs, but it works for Music of the Night. Basically, Colm has the goods, but his performances are hit-and-misses because of his very distinct singing style. When he's good, the man is terrific... perhaps *gasp* better than Michael Crawford! When he's a little off, however, he's still enjoyable, which is much more than I can say for the next one...

Byron Nease. He overacts, and it's downright distracting and annoying. All my criticisms for Colm are overlookable and forgivable, because all his problems are mild. I wish I could say that about Byron Nease's performance. I honestly do not know why he was chosen to play Raoul. First off, his voice is too harsh and a bit boorish. If you've seen Disney's Beauty and the Beast, imagine the character Gaston singing opera. If they had a good Raoul for this recording, I could very well see the Canadian cast being on par with the OLC cast. The two recordings would be toe-to-toe, however, without a decent Raoul, the OLC version still wins out. The biggest problem with Byron's performance is his Raoul is devoid of the earnesty, gentility, and refinement we expect from Raoul. All Byron's Raoul has is enthusiasm, and too much of it! I had to keep from laughing from his exclamations during Think of Me. His sound is also more operatic, but where it works for Rebecca, it's a hit against Byron because he needed to tone down his acting. Add overacting on top of an operatic tenor and you have an overdone character. However, when he does tone it down for All I Ask of You, he does well. Regardless, he can't compare with Steve Barton or Patrick Wilson even when he's 'on.' What you basically have is a miscast actor in the case of Byron Nease. He just wasn't Raoul material to begin with.

I'm glad I purchased this soundtrack. It was delightful to get another taste of POTO from a different perspective with different voices. Colm Wilkinson's "Music of the Night" is spellbinding and Rebecca Caine's operatic soprano and vocal control is breathtaking. I just wish Angel of Music was included on this CD, but this was still fun to listen to. While the OLC recording still ranks as my favorite (everything just came together more successfully), the Canadian cast recording is still an achievement. Though it has its hit-and-miss moments, when it shines, it shines brightly.

I had owned the London cast recording of Phantom for some 7 years before I bought this one, and it is very hard to say which one is better. As with all different cast recordings of musicals, both have their strong and weak points.

The Canadian cast is headed up by Colm Wilkinson, who is a superb singer but often sounds like he has something in his mouth. However, he certainly brings a new depth to the role of the phantom, and one can easily imagine his strange enunciation being caused by disfiguring scars or the mask that hides them.

Caine is very easy on the ear as Christine, and many prefer her voice to Sarah Brightman's. However, at the end of the title song "Phantom of the Opera" when she sings along to the Phantom's exhortations, she sounds to me as if she is struggling for the breath to reach the notes. She pauses a split second too long for breath between each phrase. This gives the impression that she's struggling.

The Carlotta of this recording is exquisite. She sounds like a real opera singer, and not like a musical performer trying to sound like a diva.

The only real fault with this particular recording is the fact that they have left out the duet between Meg & Christine, "Angel of Music". That's the only reason I took away the final star.

I would've given this five stars, but a few songs are omitted. Other than that, though, it's absolutely excellent. Colm Wilkinson plays a terrific Phantom--worlds better than Michael Crawford could ever be. His voice positively soars, and "Music of the Night" is truly breathtaking.

For this Canadian version of Phantom, the role of Christine is played by the incredibly talented Rebecca Caine. Unlike Sarah Brightman, she is able to control her voice to the point that her vibrato isn't annoying. "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again," a song that has traditionally bored me to death, was suddenly more interesting when I heard Rebecca sing it. My one problem was that during "The Phantom's Lair" (as "Down Once More" and "Track Down this Murderer" are dubbed on this CD), she seemed to forget herself, and her vocals often turned to strangled gasps.

Byron Nease is one of the best Raouls I've ever heard. His voice is positively angelic, and "All I Ask of You" was a delight. The role is played very well.

Perhaps my favorite vocalist here, however, is the fantastic Lyse Guerin, who played a splendid Carlotta. Her voice is absolutely gorgeous, and she totally nailed her self-absorbed, irritable character. I can't even begin to prase her performance in "Prima Donna"--it is simply something you must experience yourself. She also tends to speed up passages that Rosemary Ashe, the original Carlotta, sang rather slowly. This may sound like it would be annoying, but it actually adds some more flavor to the songs.

Our dear managers, Firmin and Andre, left me a bit speechless. During the first act, they had clear Canadian accents...which promptly disappeared by the second act. During "Notes!" and "Prima Donna," they tended to drag out words a bit too extravagantly, but by "Masquerade," their voices had become clipped and restrained. Nevertheless, they sounded terrific, while not the best I've heard.

This CD does, as I've mentioned, leave out a few very good songs. However, the vocals are extraordinary, and this recording is a must for all Phantom fans. (Or phans, if you prefer.)

After reading many of the reviews I think it boils down to one thing.
Who was the first person you heard sing the phantom..Mr. Wilkinson or Mr. Crawford?
I was able to see Mr. Wilkinson perform and was blown away by his singing. I had to buy the tape(didn't have a CD player then) and listened to it until it wore out. When my tape broke my mother bought me the recording with Mr. Crawford. Personally, I hated it. Ms. Brightman does a horrid job of singing, and Mr. Crawford did not have the sensual voice that I thought the Phantom should have. But I believe that if I had heard Mr. Crawford first I would have thought he the better phantom.
For someone who has just seen the movie, I strongly suggest buying this CD. The singers are much better. Mr. Wilkinson draws you in with his voice, especially in Music of the Night. You won't be disappointed. Compared to the London cast, I would say this is by the far superior Phantom of the Opera CD.

From the opening moments of this CD, it is clear that everyone listening is in for a big treat. With tighter and clearer orchestrations, fine vocals, and a lovely booklet, this is a real winner for Phantom of the Opera fans. But why not just give you a track by track review?

1. Prologue- This is a rather boring, and unexplained track. The Auctioneer is too loud and boisterous for my liking, and only a short portion of the scene is included. This is the only track on the CD which should have been left off.

2. Overture- The thunderous Organ overture will leave chills running down your spine, with it's beautiful melody, and haunting beat. A wonderful beginning to the show, and if you close your eyes you can almost see the majestic chandelier rising up above your head.

3. Dress Rehearsal of Hannibal- It's so nice to have this song on the CD at all, much less done so nicely. The actor portraying Piangi is especially good. This song is not included on the Original London Cast Recording, so that makes it an even bigger bonus.

4. Think of Me- Rebecca Caine's gorgeous soprano lifts through the song, although her Raoul is a little too over the top, even for the stage. Still her cadanza saves the ending, and makes her a welcome break from Sarah Brightman.

5. The Mirror- I find it odd that Angel of Music was not included on the CD, as it is one of the key numbers, but no matter. Here's the first time we hear Colm Wilkinson as the Phantom, and he does a very nice job. He doesn't try to sound like Michael Crawford, and gives the Phantom a fresh, deeper voice, which is quite welcome, and works well with Rebecca Caine.

6. The Phantom of the Opera- One word- GORGEOUS. Rebecca's wide range comes in handy here, and her cadanza at the end is gorgeous, in addition to her lovely low notes in the beginning. Colm is entrancing with his "Sing my Angel" at the end, and the acting in their voices is remarkable. Again, a welcome break from the OLC.

7. The Music of the Night- Sooooo superior to Michael Crawford's it's not even funny. The song works soo much better with Colm's deeper baritone, though his falsetto and final note are inferior to MC's his overall singing and acting through his voice is amazing.

8. Notes/ Prima Donna- Very nice to have Notes on the CD, even though the Raoul and Carlotta here are rather bland, the Managers are funny, and the song still sounds nice. More of the story is unfolded by the inclusion of Notes, which is definately a plus if you are not familiar with the story. Another lovely track, with Colm's haunting threats at the end.

9. All I Ask of You- A gorgeous love song. Rebecca is amazing as usual, and her Raoul is nice here. Lower than the OLC, but equally as beautiful, and you can just feel the chemistry leaping from the disc.

10. I Gave You My Music- A nice track to be sure, but definately not something to stand up and cheer for. Colm's emotions are nice, but the singing here is just not appealing. The entire thing is sung in falsetto, something Colm Wilkinson does not have. Could have been cut, but sadly is vital to the story.

11. Entr'acte- Fine, beautiful orchestrations. Most people tend to skip over it, but listen to it, because it is a nice opening for Act 2.

12. Masquerade- Pretty much identical to the OLC, still gorgeous, though sadly Why So Silent is not included.

13. Graveyard- Frankly this should have been included at the begining of the next track, because it's just too short to be an entire track. Still beautiful though, and deserving of being on the CD, just not in its own track.

14. Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again- Gorgeous, Rebecca Caine's big showcase. Her voice moves beautifully through the melody, including some impressive high notes at the end.

15. Wandering Child- Another beautiful duet between the Phantom and Christine, and helps along with the story. Nothing exceptional here, but it's nice to have to explain the upcoming events.

16. Point of No Return- Wow! Can you just hear the sizzling sensuality? This is the most amazing song on the CD, the voices blending perfectly in a mix of gorgeous notes, with Rebecca and Colm showing off everything they have, and making this a real showstopper.

17. The Lair- The ending of the show. The orchestrations are fine, but the vocals lack in places, and the whole thing is very over-acted. Still it's VERY important to the story, so it needs to be here, it just lacks.

All in all, this is a very beautiful CD, definately a must for all Phantom Phanatics, and a nice addition to all theatre collectors' shelf.

I became a POTO fan by listening to the OLC recording, for years I thought that noone could compare to Crawford and Brightman. While they are both good, Colm Wilkinson and Rebecca Caine are perfect in the roles. Intead of just singing the roles (as did MC and SB) they truely act and bring new depth to the charactrs. I can see why Colm was Webber's first pick for the title role (and indeed he was. Prior commitments prevented him from starring in POTO on the West End) Colm's potrayal of Erik is perfect. He obviously read the book before taking the role. His voice is soft and full of compassion when it's suppose to be and powerful and tinged with insanity and jealousy at other times (Anyone who'sread the book knows that erik was extremely jealous of Raoul and more than a bit insane at times) For the record, he sound very little like Val Jean on this CDRebecca Caine's Christine is also perfect. Her voice is so rich and sweet. She makes Christine seem like a real prodigy. Contrary to what other reviews say, she does not struggle with any note Byron Nease gets a bad rap in these reviews. He's got a rich baritone voice and is no more boring than any other person ever to play the role. Sadly, it's just not as interesting a role as in the bookThe music on this CD is amazing (if a bit different) and some of the lyic changes can catch you off guard but it doesn't detract from the worth of the CD at all. If you love POTO then get a copy of this CD it's a nice variation from the OLC if nothing else. You might love it, you might hate it, but give it a chance. You might be as suprised as I was. I wasn't sure about getting it based on some of these reviews, but I'm glad I decided to give it a chance. It's now my favorite recording

The first thing you have to know is that this recording is not the entire musical. A few songs have been omitted. However, it's still worth a purchase, as the cast is absolutely fantastic.

Okay, first off is Rebecca Caine as Christine. While other women have attempted to play the awkward, timid teenager that Christine is, Caine takes a different approach. Her vocals are smooth and confident, and while it's impossible to believe that she's a teenager, she sings like an angel. Her voice is also very controlled--it doesn't quiver, like Sarah Brightman's, or croak unexpectedly, like Emmy Rossum's. She's a fantastic Christine.

Colm Wilkinson as the Phantom was a pleasant surprise. Of course, imagining Jean Valjean seducing Cosette is more than a bit disturbing, but Wilkinson and Caine play off each other superbly, and it's particularly evident during "Wandering Child." But the real highlight of Wilkinson's performance is "The Music of the Night." His vocals are indescribably gorgeous, and he brings a passion to the role that will make even the most hardcore Raoul sympathizer see the Phantom in a different light. Maybe it's just me, but I found Wilkinson's performance more believable than that of the original London Phantom, Michael Crawford. While Crawford's voice is thin, feminine and nearly emotionless, Wilkinson sings the role with a hypnotic intensity that is truly beyond compare. There's so much emotion in every line he sings--if you loved him in Les Miserables, you'll be swooning here.

Byron Nease plays RAOUL! The main problem with HIM is that EVERY LINE is so OVEREMPHASIZED that ALL HIS VOCALS end up SOUNDING LIKE THIS!!!

Okay, enough of that. In all seriousness, Nease's vocals are nicely operatic, but he overemphasizes things that really are not supposed to be overemphasized. He's a bit painful in "Prima Donna," but "All I Ask of You" is bearable.

Firmin and Andre (Gregory Gross and Paul Massel) are just weird on this soundtrack. I've always heard the managers' voices as light and airy with just a hint of a British accent, but here their voices are very deep and broad. They're talented, but not right for their roles.

And then we have the fabulous Lyse Guerin as Carlotta. While her voice is very different from Carlottas such as Rosemary Ashe and Margaret Preece, she takes on the role with grace and charm, and she has some wonderful moments during "Prima Donna" and "Hannibal."

Overall, this is a good recording. If Byron Nease had been replaced with a more talented singer, I'd venture to call it perfect.

I had the privelige of seeing this cast in '94 and it was totally wicked awesome. This recording is worth buying simply for variation. After a while, the London cast gets a bit boring. Colm Wilkinson totally rocked as The Phantom when I saw it live and he delivers on this recording as well.

Colm Wilkinson is one of the better Phantoms that I have heard in my day (and trust me, I have heard over thirty of them). He has a gorgeous voice, and yes, it is different from some other recorded Phantoms that you may have heard. However, different does not mean bad- I find it very important that you hear lots of different interpretations of a role to fully understand all of the aspects of it that can be portrayed differently by different actors. Sorry, but that means that just hearing Michael Crawford and *shudder* Gerard Butler is NOT enough (ohhhh, I hate Gerard Butler!), and the two of them, in my opinion, are NOT the best portrayers of the role! Rebecca Caine is also a fantastic Christine- beautiful voice. By the way- if you want a really quality Phantom- Hugh Panaro (who just recently left Phantom on Broadway to star in Lestat) is absolutely FABULOUS- listen to any recordings of him that you can find.

Arguably Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber's finest musical production, the Phantom of the Opera takes ones breath away. The sweeping, dazzling score transport the listener to a world full of passion and intrigue. Inspired lyrics add tremendously to the overall magic that is the Phantom of the Opera.

Colm Wilkinson brings sensuality to the grotesque character of the Phantom of the Opera. Emotion and passion radiate from every eloquently held note. One need not be in Mr. Wilkinson's presence to be touched by his stirring, masterful performance. Through Mr. Wilkinson's brilliant performance the Phantom is brought to life, not only as a conniving monster, but also as gentle soul yearning for passion and forgiveness.

Rebecca Caine's angelic voice adds to the innocence of her character. Her ability to captivate her audience is unquestionable. Her powerful soprano voice is an instrument of perfection. No one can bring Christine Diae to life as flawlessly and as sensuously as Ms. Caine.

A tortured soul, a young starlet, and a dashing beau combine forces to tell a skillfully woven tale of enchantment and romance. Let the mysterious world of the Phantom envelop you. Close your eyes and succumb to the music of the night.