The Phantom of the opera #thetasteofmusical by Vallì Homemade

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA

The musical on stage for 35 years non-stop.

When we talk about the Phantom of the Opera, like it or not, we are talking about a milestone in the history of musical theater. An intriguing musical that embraces you with its music and its history.

Let’s start from the beginning…

The show, loosely based on the Gaston Leroux novel, was born in the early 1980s from the creative mind of Andrew Lloyd Webber (the father of many musicals) with the help of Charles Hart and Richard Stilgo for the book and the lyrics… At that time, Webber and producer Mackintosh were united by the desire to create a new high-budget project to replicate the success of the previous one: CATS. The Phantom of the Opera first debuted in London in 1986 (pretty much the Phantom and I are the same age ?) and hit the spot.

… The plot in a nutshell …

Il fantasma dell'opera Paris, 1870. Christine is a young opera dancer with extraordinary singing skills. A mysterious Maestro, known as the Phantom, accompanies and guides her without ever being seen. She calls him the Angel of Music and believes that her father, who died prematurely, sent him to help her.

In reality, the mysterious man is a brilliant composer horribly disfigured, who lives in the basement of the theater, wandering like a shadow between the wings of the stage, frightening the singers and dancers of the company. It is he who sanctions Christine’s debut as a singer when she makes a backdrop fall from above touching the prima donna Carlotta, who leaves the stage in the middle of a dress rehearsal. Things get complicated when handsome Raoul, a childhood friend with whom Christine has always been in love, arrives in Paris. The jealousy of the Phantom sets off a whirlwind of death and destruction until the young woman is forced to choose between the two loves of her life …

…Tornando al musical…

After writing the piece, all that remained was to find the perfect team for the staging. The choice fell on Harold Prince for directing, Gillian Lynne for choreography, Andrew Bridge for lighting, and Maria Björnson for scenography and decor. Christine’s leading role in the very first edition was given to Sarah Brightman, Webber’s wife at the time. (Some rumors say that the score of the character in question was written specifically for her vocal skills.)

At the debut, the critics were divided into two factions: those who praised the success and those who criticized its structure, but soon this part had to change its mind in the face of astonishing numbers of this show. With its debut in ’86 in the West End (London) and in ’88 on Broadway (New York) The Phantom of the Opera is still on stage. 35 uninterrupted years (except for the forced break due to the situation our world is going through right now) of pure magic. A super-numerous cast almost touching the numbers of a cast for opera, for a total of 130 people involved between behind and above the stage.

…Indelible memories…

The Phantom was the first show I saw on my very first of many trips to New York. ? It was the distant 2010. It was very exciting. I was wandering to discover the beauties of the city all alone and to see as many shows as possible, everything in just a week… But that’s another story … ? You must know that I still keep the Playbill that they gave me at the entrance and the two souvenirs I bought … the ghost mask and the red rose that has now entered by right as primary decorations in my BROADWAY themed dinner. ?

Well, and after all the preamble it is time to discover in detail the dish dedicated to The Phantom of the Opera.

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THE OFFICIAL PLAYBILL

Click here to discover the original Playbill

DISCOVER THE FINAL DISH

WHAT’S THE PLAYBILL?

The Playbill is a booklet that is created specifically for each Broadway musical and that is delivered free of charge at the entrance to the theater where the show is staged. It acts as a real program where inside you can find all the information about the cast, the creative team, the production, the plot, and the list of titles of the musical numbers of the show.

Of course, there is no lack of advertising for local activities or promotions for other shows, but the Playbill, for musical fans, is a real collector’s item that acquires even more value if on its cover you manage to steal some autographs from the cast at the stage-door exit. As a lover and working inside the field I love it, I cherish with love all the ones I collected during the period I lived in New York, and every now and then I like to browse them dreaming that sooner or later even my show will have one.

“Cooking is the Theater of my emotions”

-Vallì Homemade

MUSIC OF THE NIGHT

For this dish I was inspired by this song

I wanted a dish that reflects romanticism and sensuality in its taste. If they asked me what dish the Phantom of the Opera musical would be… It would be like this to me: A bed of black rice with salmon and crunchy almonds flavored with chives and covered with a velvety mascarpone mask.

Each bite is like a delicate caress of the ghost… An enveloping taste that bewitches while the different textures tickle the palate… Also for this musical, a creation by my favorite artist, as well as assistant and companion in life and madness EDIVAD DRAWS.

Here is the work inspired by one of the original Playbills of the show made entirely with ballpoint pens. This as well as other works are available upon request here you to enter the world of lines and colors.

… Conclusions…

If you are curious to see this show you can definitely see the film released in 2004, where even the original songs have been translated into Italian but I can only advise you to see it at the theater when you are in London or NY. Do not worry about English because the show itself will take you on a magical journey and the skill of the artists will make you understand the trend of history… This is just one of those shows that must be experienced firsthand… in addition to the music, the 230 costumes, the 22 scene changes are full of surprises, trust me.

And after this magical musical who will be the next protagonist?

To be continued

Vallì Homemade

I’m Vallì Homemade a creative woman inside and outside the kitchen. I divide my life into two main passions: Cooking and Theater. On one side I’m an everyday chef who wants to share with amateurs and passioned people salt-free and sugar-free recipes, events, and secrets. On the other side, I’m a theatrical performer and a producer with an enormous love for every kind of art. In this section, I’ve decided to blend these two sides and give musicals another perspective… Which will be the taste of the next musical?

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