‘Phantom’ triumphs with emotion and beauty

When Tony Award-winners Maury Yeston and Arthur Kopit were developing “Phantom” for Broadway, they were neck-in-neck with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version, “Phantom of the Opera.” It was almost, but not quite. Backers, leaning towards Yeston and Kopit’s musical, wound up supporting Lloyd Webber’s walloping hit for Broadway, and the rest is history.

But we still have Yeston and Kopit’s musical, an emotionally searing jewel, with such astounding humanity and emotion, you can’t not be moved by Erik, the Phantom (Matthew Malecki Martinez)—his musical brilliance obscured in the lagoon under the Paris Opera House ( thus, its “ghost”) because of his disfigured face—and the anguished, heartfelt singing of his plight, falling in love with his soprano student, the beautiful Christine (Cassie Austin). It is Erik’s story.

This glittering powerhouse musical, centered in Paris’s Palais Garnier in the early 1900s, opened at the Gateway in Bellport last week, a gorgeous spectacle with leads Martinez’s and Austin’s projecting voices so spellbinding and heartrending, they transport you to that time and place. “Home,” the duet sung by the couple at the Gateway Gala, is their mutual declaration—that music is spiritually transforming and healing—and it bonds them.

Martinez’s Erik, who loves the poetry of William Blake (“That man knows my heart, he’s seen God”), creates a peaceful domain in his space. (He does have a dark side.) But he is witty, even has a bit of a sense of humor, and changes his elaborate masks in an attempt to be part of the opera milieu. When Martinez sings “Christine,” of his love and not being able to have her, his forceful, gut-wrenching baritone lament had audience patrons crying.

But there is beauty, levity, and wit in many of the extravagant and beautifully lit production scenes; the “Melodie De Paris” is an immediate eye-popping opener with Christine and Company.

“Dressing for the Night” onstage at the opera and patron salons, with the opera company and first-nighters, is an exuberant celebration of the excitement and elegance of anticipatory performance.

Oh, those luscious garnet and pink gowns fashioned with sequins and beading! Oh, those masks, top hats and tails, and hats with feathers. (Ah, the Phantom watches from above.) And oh, those voices.

The colorful, beautifully designed costumes and sets; the over-the-top comedic gestures of Carlotta (Gail Bennet), the hilariously ridiculous diva, and her fawning husband, Alain Cholet (Aaron De Jesus) as the new opera house owners; and the compassionate efforts of the graceful and kind former manager Gerard Carriere (Charles West), Erik’s guardian and mentor, are just some of the lead characters of this plot.

“The Story of Erik” that Carriere relates regarding the Phantom’s birth and of his mother Belladova’s love, is stirring in song and dance.

Now for more wow aspects. The Phantom rises up from the stage before the audience (they gasped) right after the first number. Mist swirls in the underground scenes, a beautiful barge transports Christine in the underground lake; there are moveable entrances, a sumptuous bistro and yes, that chandelier.

Yeston’s music and lyrics are Broadway beautiful. And given the operatic scenes, they could be challenging. But the music direction, under Anthony Brindisi, tackles the score with eight in the orchestra: keys, violin, trumpet, reeds, horn, bass and percussion making it soar.

This is a lovely, complicated story of another time with many parts, but director and choreographer Larry Rabin wrapped his arms around its essence, ensuring that the entire Broadway, national and regional tour cast of 25, including the youth ensemble, make it special.

Gateway’s “Phantom” is dusted with magic, for sure.

Phantom is playing to Aug.31. For tickets click on www.gateway.org.