When the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) opened two years ago, I was excited about the prospect of watching Broadway and West End performances in Mumbai. I have watched a couple of musicals at West End in London, but to experience them in my own city has been a treat. With the exception of ‘West Side Story’, I have watched every international production that staged at NMACC’s opulent Grand Theatre. Whether it was ‘The Sound of Music’ or ‘Mamma Mia!’ (both of which I watched twice). Or ‘Life of Pi’, ‘Matilda’, and more. But my favourite performance till date was ‘The Phantom of the Opera’. In fact, I watched it thrice during its recent nearly month-long run!
I also got a chance to interview some of the cast and crew and review the performance. However, the article was published very late. It was also heavily edited to reduce the word count. So — just for the record — here’s my full review of The Phantom of the Opera.
Beneath the Mask: A Mesmerising Masterpiece
It is a well-known story — a mysterious, disfigured musical genius who haunts the Paris Opera House becomes obsessed with a young soprano, Christine. Torn between her budding career, the Phantom’s intense mentorship, and her love for a childhood sweetheart, she finds herself caught in a web of passion, jealousy, and danger. Ultimately, Christine must navigate the darkness to make a choice that will shape her destiny and reveal the true power of love and sacrifice.
The backstory
Adapted from Gaston Leroux’s 1910 novel by Andrew Lloyd Webber, The Phantom of the Opera remains one of the most beloved musicals of all time. It premiered at Her Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End in 1986, and on Broadway in New York in 1988. With its dramatic score, opulent staging, and timeless themes of love and redemption, it is the longest running show in Broadway history and the second longest-running West End musical. It has been produced in 195 cities across 46 countries and has been translated into 21 languages. The international production of the musical made its India debut at The Grand Theatre at Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC) in Mumbai on March 5.
“I’m incredibly excited to bring Phantom to India for the first time. It’s hard to believe sometimes that after all these years, it is still making musical theatre history almost every step of the way. Bringing the show to Mumbai is without a doubt another historic milestone. The Grand Theatre is a beautiful, brand-new theatre with all the state-of-the-art facilities needed for a large show like Phantom,” says associate director Rainer Fried. The cast includes award-winning South African theatre actor Jonathan Roxmouth in the titular role, American actor Grace Roberts as Christine Daaé, and British-American actor Matt Leisy in the role of Viscount Raoul de Chagny.
The action
On stage, the Phantom makes a dramatic entrance — only his face half-covered with the signature white mask is visible in the mirror. His sinister aura is palpable as he employs devious ways to exert his influence over Christine. The mask allows him to appear mysterious and powerful, but when Christine rips it off to reveal his grotesque disfigurement, his deep insecurity and emotional pain is evident. “(To prepare for the role) I read the book and then focussed on the Phantom being an abandoned child who is trying to regain love. It adds a very poignant layer to it instead of just focussing on madness and murder,” says Roxmouth.
The Grand Theatre has hosted many acclaimed international shows since its opening two years ago, including The Sound of Music, Mamma Mia, and Life of Pi. However, the staging of The Phantom of the Opera is on a never-before-seen scale, whether it’s the sumptuously Baroque opera house setting or the eerie Gothic underground cavern where the Phantom lurks. In a feat of theatrical ingenuity, the stage transforms into a lake on which the Phantom and Christine ride in a boat amid the mist. “I love the transition between the Phantom stealing Christine away during Point of No Return into them suddenly driving the boat downstage. It’s so theatrical and exciting,” says Roxmouth.
The incident with the chandelier elicits gasps from the audience, and a collective “wow” reverberates around the theatre at the sheer grandiosity of the set during Masquerade, complete with a monumental golden staircase and lavishly costumed cast. Of course, it takes a village to put on this thrilling spectacle — nearly 120 people, including cast, orchestra, and backstage departments, work for every performance.
The music
But what really makes this musical is Andrew Lloyd Webber’s mighty operatic score. Haunting melodies, powerful orchestrations, and iconic numbers like The Music of the Night and the electrifying title track create an unforgettable experience. Music supervisor Kristen Blodgette has been associated with Phantom since 1987 when she was hired as a rehearsal pianist. Since then, she has supervised or associate-supervised 20 productions around the world. “I think the music still resonates because it’s timeless and brilliant! Andrew’s score reaches beyond language to every corner of the world. Yes, the songs are hummable, but they are also complex and constructed to push and pull the tragic narrative at a dramatic pace, which catches the audience off guard,” she says.
As we near the end of the show, the scenes take on a level of intensity. There’s murder and mayhem on the Opera stage, the Phantom drags Christine into his underground lair and offers her a choice — marry me or Raoul dies. Who will she choose? Will the Phantom live up to his monstrous reputation or will the man in him eventually do the right thing?
The Phantom of the Opera ran at NMACC from March 5 to 30, 2025. All images in this post are courtesy of NMACC, views my own.
