James McKeon

Although there are a few moments when the old girl creaks slightly, for the most part the staging feels contemporary and interest is snapped to attention right from the very start, when the slightly menacing words of the auctioneer herald the commencement of proceedings. The sequences in the Phantom’s lair, complete with boat, candles and ornate organ are almost hypnotic; tendrils of smoke wrap around the imagination, infusing the action and music with intrigue. Harriet Jones is beautiful, petite and alluring, exactly as Christine Daaé should be. Vocally, as the Phantom, Kieran Brown’s fine, high-baritone is silky, seductive, and powerful.