"Music of the Night"

Last night we went downtown Portland to Keller Auditorium to watch The Phantom of the Opera live!

... it was even better than I could have expected. I knew I was going to love it, but, wow. Watching the opera just increased my already great admiration for performing artists; the actors, actresses, ballerinas, everybody who played out this story for us.

Not to mention the stagehands and crew! Without their expertise in setting the stage - the changing of the backdrops, the perfect lighting, the special effects - the show wouldn't have been half as phenomenal as it was. And the orchestra and conductor! It's easy to forget that the perfect melodies you hear floating up from the stage are a live performance and not a recording.
I enjoyed watching the performance oh-so-much. Richard Todd Adams played a glorious Phantom; he had the voice, no doubt! But Adams was not only able to sing, but to act; he managed to pull off the lovesick, mentally disturbed attributes of his character beautifully. Hearing all my favorite Phantom songs live was like nothing else I could have experienced. Think of Me, Music of the Night, Angel of Music ... it was all so perfect. And the whole spectacle of it, the costumes and the singing and dancing and acting ... it was all just so great. I won't ever forget it.
This was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience; although I dearly hope this isn't the only opera I have the pleasure of attending! But seeing this gave me a whole new appreciation to the performing arts, and deepened my love for the story of the Phantom so much more.
Now I just can't wait for Sweeney Todd to come to town ;)