If you can't go see it live, this DVD is an excellent substitute. Though nothing compares to the live experience, this is a life saver for people like me who live in places where traveling productions of this caliber are few and far between. Little else can be said in it's favor simply because this is the genuine Lloyd Webber Phantom in all it's phantomy goodness, that alone ought to sell the product.
The special ending is almost tear-jerking for longtime fans of the show. It was unreal to see the epic guest appearances, albeit mildly somber by the obvious lack of Mr. Barton, may the generous and kind gentleman rest in peace.
As for the quality of the performances specifically, the vast majority were as wonderful and memorable as fans have come to expect from this show. Lovely, witty, perfectly pitched. I have only two complaints and bear in mind that these are merely my personal opinion and I hope that you go out and grab this DVD and judge for yourself.
I thought the character of Raoul seemed more pushy and abrasive, more like the Love Never Dies version, less like the romantic "hero" of Phantom. And as for the title role, although Ramin is a phenomenal singer who has played this role so successfully for so long, I found this particular performance of his to be more shouting and less singing, unwittingly conjuring up horrible visions of Gerard Butler's teeny bopper Phantom, much to my distaste. With significantly more emotion to his acting, of course.
All in all, those little complaints do very little to bring down the quality of this DVD. If you don't already own this, why in the world are you still reading reviews in IMDb? Go buy it!
The special ending is almost tear-jerking for longtime fans of the show. It was unreal to see the epic guest appearances, albeit mildly somber by the obvious lack of Mr. Barton, may the generous and kind gentleman rest in peace.
As for the quality of the performances specifically, the vast majority were as wonderful and memorable as fans have come to expect from this show. Lovely, witty, perfectly pitched. I have only two complaints and bear in mind that these are merely my personal opinion and I hope that you go out and grab this DVD and judge for yourself.
I thought the character of Raoul seemed more pushy and abrasive, more like the Love Never Dies version, less like the romantic "hero" of Phantom. And as for the title role, although Ramin is a phenomenal singer who has played this role so successfully for so long, I found this particular performance of his to be more shouting and less singing, unwittingly conjuring up horrible visions of Gerard Butler's teeny bopper Phantom, much to my distaste. With significantly more emotion to his acting, of course.
All in all, those little complaints do very little to bring down the quality of this DVD. If you don't already own this, why in the world are you still reading reviews in IMDb? Go buy it!