El Fantasma de la Ópera (Phantom of the Opera) at Teatre Tívoli Barcelona Review
Photo by Sonia Ochoa
Written by Laura for Theatre & Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
After a very successful run in Madrid, El Fantasma de la Ópera embarks on a tour throughout Spain to bring this iconic show to a wider audience.
This is a non-replica production, and therefore, the costumes, choreography, and so on are different from those on the West End. It is certainly something to get used to if you have already seen the original production, but it does have its virtues creatively, and it also makes it easier for the current sets to be transported easily for a tour such as this.
This was my second time watching this production, and so I was able to stop looking for the differences and appreciate everything for what it is this time. For once, I thought it was really clever that for the title song, not only does the chandelier go back in time, but you actually see some of the scenes of the show played backwards, as well as the rotating stage turns and turns.
I also liked the use of doubles during the title song, as well as the ceiling going up as the characters descend the stairs to show just how far down they are travelling. They’re small but cinematic and very well thought-out details that I think bring this production a unique feel.
I do think, however, that some of the sets could do with some verticality, in my opinion. The Phantom is constantly at eye level with the rest of the characters, which makes him look a lot smaller and less intimidating than in the replica productions. Replacing his throne with a bed doesn’t really work either, in my opinion, especially if there’s a gondola that can be used to place Christine in already.
I loved the humour of the production, from Carlotta to the Managers, to little things here and there that give lightness to the action at times, although it never feels like too much.
This time around, I was very curious to see the main cast, as I had seen them both in other productions as well. Daniel Diges plays a complex Phantom, easy to empathise with at times, and very threatening in others. He darkened his voice for the role while maintaining its unique quality, and he soared beautifully through the score. Ana San Martín played Christine sweetly and beautifully, and she also had moments of true fire, especially towards the end, that I enjoyed immensely. She has such a clear, resonant quality to her voice, and her diction is impeccable. Both San Martín and Diges have a great dynamic and their voices work well together. Alberto Collado played a quite serious and even a bit angry Raoul, vocally flawless, but personally, I prefer Raoul to be a little sweeter and caring.
I was really impressed with Isabel Malavia as Madame Giry. Even though she was stern, as Madame Giry should be, I also found a very human side to her in some of her gestures and acting choices. You could tell she was truly worried, even though a part of her also sympathised with the Phantom, and that she cared for both Meg and Christine.
Finally, I also wanted to talk about the ensemble. They sounded flawless, so clear and so in synch, it almost felt like there were 20 people singing at the same time. I was really impressed with them, especially with their singing but also their acting and dancing.
El Fantasma de la Ópera is a spectacular show in all of its iterations, and the Spanish version is a good first watch, but also an interesting change for those who’ve already seen the show before.
El Fantasma de la Ópera will stay in Barcelona until February 1st, and afterwards it will be visiting Sevilla, Pamplona and Mallorca, amongst others.
★ ★ ★ ★
