Has anyone else seen the Phantom understudy and want to share their opinon? I saw him the other day and I just thought he was way too operatic. It sort of annoyed me. People forget that Phantom is a musical and should be sung musical theatre style with exception of CArlotta and the opera scenes like Think of Me and Poor Fool. Yeah, All I Ask of You and Music of the Night are all musical theatre songs. I better go back and check Hugh again. Nice to see the show is still doing well.
Everyone is welcome to their own opinion but I’ve never found Jim Romick’s voice to be too operatic.
Jim Romick and David Gaschen are both top notch and shine in ever role they perform. I believe they are both swings, not understudies.
I’ve seen Phantom of the Opera quite a few times and hardly ever attend unless I’m sure that Jim Romick will be donning the mask and the cape.
Last week, Jim was filling in for a vacationing Jeff Keller and performing the role of Monsieur Firmin. It’s fun to see him play other roles, other than just the Phantom because you get to see him use different mannerisms and so many different voices.
The one problem with seeing Jim play another role is that someone else will be performing the Phantom. And, without a doubt.... they’ll still be trying to get it right!
I know the tour doesn't have the same people, but everyone in the cast was very operatic, it was so beautiful. Rebecca Pitcher has a beautiful multi-tonal voice, and Gary Mauer, who is also an Opera major I believe, was beautiful.
Mr. Webber wrote it so that most of it was in Opera form or deeply influenced. The more Opera in Phantom, the better. Now it'd be different if it was Les Miz or something like that, but I think it adds so much more talent to the show.
I agree... I guess “too operatic” is a relative term. Jim Romick’s Phantom voice would be too operatic for Les Miz but NOT for The Phantom of the Opera.
LilMiZ ~ I never got to see Gary Mauer as Phantom but I saw his performance as Raoul many times. Every new Raoul, I compare to Gary. What a wonderful voice and such handsome man.
Yup. According to my sources, if you guys want to see David Gaschen and/or Jim Romick as the Phantom, go on Sat. Sept. 4th. David will be performing the matinee and Jim will be performing the evening show. Cheers! :)
Dont forget John Cudia. John is also a Phantom understudy. This past week I believe David Gaschen went on as the Phantom u/s.
I have seen Cudia, Romick, and Gaschen as phantom understudies (Boy I have no Life). Gaschen is one of my favorites, so is John. These men all have really great voices.
I saw David Gaschen at Bryant Park and Hugh Panaro at the show.
By the way, how is John Cudia as the Phantom? I am interested and curious in seeing him play that. It must be difficult to carry the two biggest parts in the show for men.
"We like to snark around here. Sometimes we actually talk about theater...but we try not to let that get in our way." - dramamama611
I am comparing all the phantoms to Michael Crawford who did NOT sing the phantom in an operatic style. He sang it in a normal "lemiz" musical theatre style and I prefer that better.
And you think of all of the things you've seen, and you wish that you could live in between ,and you're back again only different than before...
After the Sky.
-Into the Woods (Jack)