Mani Raab stills from Shanghai Grand Theater performance in 2004
Since the announcement of the original version of "Phantom of the Theater " restarting its international tour and setting China as the first stop, "Phantom fever" has rapidly swept the domestic performance market, Shenzhen, Xi'an Sales are booming in cities such as , Shanghai and other cities where invoices have been issued. At the same time, as the show's casting work has concluded, the cast lineup that has attracted much attention has also emerged. In addition to the two previously announced actors who will play the Phantom and the Viscount, Christine, Carlotta, and Madame Giry The candidates for important roles in the play have also been assembled.
Among them, there are both "musical angels" who stood out in this round of global casting, as well as senior actors who have been on Broadway and international touring stages for 20 years. The fusion and collision of calm veterans and fresh blood is like leaving room for imagination on the classic background, raising expectations for "The Phantom of the Opera", which is about to restart its tour.
The old cast members collectively return to take the lead
It has been nearly 40 years since the birth of "The Phantom of the Opera" in London's West End. The international tour has covered more than 190 cities around the world. Although the cast lineup has been changed and iterated several times during this period, "Phantom" has not gone anywhere. All of them impress the audience with their high quality, which relies on the production team's mature casting system. After the global epidemic subsided, the original English version of "The Phantom of the Opera" immediately began preparations and casting for this round of international tour.
Recently, amid much anticipation, the show announced the cast of the main characters in the show. Raquel Suarez Glenn from Broadway, after briefly bidding farewell to the "Phantom" family in April 2023, will join the international tour this year as Carlotta Giudicelli. Prior to this, Raquel had played the role on Broadway for six consecutive years, making her well known to many Phantom fans.
Raquel Suarez Glenn performance stills
Marnie Raab, who plays Mrs. Geary this time, is also from Broadway. She was once one of the most perfect incarnations of Christine in the minds of many audiences. She has nearly 20 years of experience on the Phantom stage, has participated in North American and Asian tours, and played Christine in the Broadway version of "The Phantom of the Opera" for more than 3,000 performances. In addition, Marnie also has an indissoluble bond with Chinese audiences. In December 2004, she made her official debut as Christine in the Shanghai performance of "The Phantom of the Opera". More than a thousand Chinese audiences witnessed her debut at the Shanghai Grand Theater that night. Since then, Marnie has been appearing on the stage of The Phantom of the Opera as Christine.
Time has passed, and Marnie, who has entered middle age, will return as Mrs. Geary this time. Talking about her upcoming trip to China, she cannot conceal her excitement, saying that whether it was twenty years ago or now, she can communicate with the Chinese audience. She felt extremely honored to meet each other. "I thought that going to China to meet you would be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so I am really happy to come back again." Rainer Fury, executive director of the international tour of "The Phantom of the Opera" Deze said that Mrs. Geary, played by Mani Raab, has both insight and empathy, and her excellent voice condition makes her the perfect choice for this role.
Thabiso Masemani plays Pianji
James Borthwick plays Mr. Fairman
In addition, James Borthwick and Thabiso Masemani, who have long-term international touring experience, have also confirmed to return to the team. , they will play the two main roles of Mr. Fellman and Ubaldo Pianchi respectively. As the "ballast stone" for the new international tour of "The Phantom of the Opera", the collective return of senior actors not only enhances the classic quality of the show, but also evokes past scenes buried deep in the audience's memory.
"Little C" continues to write the story of China's debut
The heroine Christine, who is called "Little C" by drama fans, is one of the most core characters in the whole drama, whether it is Sarah Brightman in the first generation or Sarah Brightman in the first generation. Since then, Ciara Boggs and Ellie Everett have successfully restored the images of heroines who are fragile on the outside but strong on the inside with their precise and individual interpretations, both in and out of the play. It's love at first sight.Therefore, the role of the "little c" in each international tour of "The Phantom of the Opera" has naturally become one of the focuses of the audience's attention.
After multiple rounds of casting, Grace Roberts, a powerful newcomer from London's West End, stood out and became the role of Christine in the new round of international tour. After graduating from the Royal College of Music, University of London, Grace began to make a name for herself on the musical theater stage. Rainer Fried believes that Grace is a very talented actor. Years ago, during a casting event, Grace attracted his attention with her sweet voice and outstanding performance. We met Grace again at the casting scene in London, and we all agreed that she was the Christine we were looking for."
Reina did not hesitate to affirm and praise her: "Grace has what it takes to play this role. All the while, vulnerable and brave, strong and empathetic, she also brings a strong sense of freshness to the role, and the charisma she brings to the role is irresistible." Supervisor Christine Bloch and executive choreographer Dany Berry are highly recognized. Christine Bloch recalled the interview scene in London and said: "During the interview, she sang "somebody somewhere" from The Most Happy Fella. At that time, we thought, this is the Chris we are looking for. Ting! So we asked her to participate in subsequent rounds of re-tests until we determined that she was the perfect candidate for Christine, and her voice and emotions were spot on." Dani Berry couldn't help but praise Grace: "At first glance. It makes people feel girlish and charming, which coincides with Christine's fragile and charming temperament."
Grace Roberts
As the Chinese musical market matures, Chinese audiences are more professional and aesthetic. The high quality shown has made more and more top international musical actors look forward to the Chinese stage and regard the Chinese tour as an important opportunity to show and prove their talents and strength. Twenty years ago, Marnie Raab started her new journey on the musical stage with the role of "Little C" on the stage of the Shanghai Grand Theater. It was the Chinese audience who witnessed her first step towards success. , it was also such an "accident" that created a story in which the actors and the audience went in both directions and grew together. And when Grace steps on the Chinese stage, both she and the Chinese audience have more reason to believe that this will be the beginning of a new story.
In addition, Caitlin Fannie, who played the role of Christine in the Asian tour of "The Phantom of the Opera", will continue to participate in this international tour in this capacity. Caitlin has extensive experience in international touring musicals. In addition to "Phantom of the Opera", she also participated in the North American tour of "Les Misérables" and played the role of Cosette in the play.
Starting with the new lineup, everyone has a background
In addition to the newly announced actors in this round, the previously announced "Phantom" actors Jonathan Losmov and "Viscount Raul" Matt Lisi are also versions of past international tours "Old acquaintance" in . On the stage of "Phantom", they not only have rich performance experience, but also received praise from audiences all over the world.
An audience member from Malani commented: "Jonathan has a wealth of experience in interpreting characters. This can be seen from the way he stands, the way he stretches his fingers, and the dramatic changes in timbre. Even if he is not there, "His presence can also be felt on the stage." An audience member who watched Matt Lisi's performance in Singapore was impressed by the powerful aura of his role as Viscount Raul, "He interacts with the Phantom everywhere." The evenly matched confrontation makes this character even more capable of challenging the Phantom's control over Christine. "
Not only are the actors well-matched, but the core creative team of the international tour has also continued its long-standing "golden configuration." Executive director Rainer Freed has been working on the cast of "The Phantom of the Opera" for 30 years and has participated in multiple international tours and the production of the Chinese version of "The Phantom of the Opera"; music supervisor Christine Bloch and executive choreographer Dany Berry has been working on the crew for 36 years and can be regarded as "veteran" figures.Christine Bloch has participated in 20 production versions of "The Phantom of the Opera", while Dany Berry originally joined the Phantom team from the Broadway version, where her husband Steve Patton premiered in 1986 The first Viscount Raul Chagne in The Phantom of the Opera. The rich experience of the creative team will ensure the performance quality of this international tour.
Author: Jiang Fang
Text: Jiang Fang Picture: Performer Editor: Wang Yan Editor: Xing Xiaofang
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