Date with The Phantom

I almost purchased my own ticket to see the famed Phantom of the Opera at the CCP, after reading what my BFF had to say about it. Since it's only a few weeks before the show closes, the cheapest tickets available were on the steep 4,000 Peso mark. The last time I spent that much on a musical is for Wicked in Singapore, but then, I didn't bother so much to convert SG Dollars to Peso anymore, and I was there for a training anyway. It was also near my birthday, so Wicked seemed to be the perfect gift. I never regret a single minute (or dollar for that matter) I spent watching the show. I was in awe most of the two hours, teary eyed more than once, and so if Wicked is indeed coming to Manila, I'll be among the first to line up. Trust me, you SHOULD, too. :) 

Anyways, I decided to be practical and let go of The Phantom of the Opera, but I guess the heavens heard my inner longing for something to feed my soul and break me out of somber. This came to my mailbox the next day.

To make things more crazy, my team mates and I accepted this challenge, too. 

And we didn't stop at immortalizing just one character, it has to be the power three!

The Phantom, Christine and Raoul, whom we later changed to Carlotta escorted by the new opera owners! Haha. WE WON! Woot! Now we just have to think of ways to share the Blackberry Playbook.  

Of course I have to look more decent for my Phantom later that day.

OOTN: Meeting the Phantom

With my colleagues Tina, Jill and our Founder and CEO, Mr. Junie Del Mundo.

I'm no technical expert with musical shows, but I can definitely appreciate bonggang production, good musical arrangements and powerful performances. 

My takeaways for the night:

• I equally love Think of Me, All I Ask of You and Music of the Night - but the most striking song (and scene) for me is The Phantom of the Opera.  It's funny how my boyfriend told me I was singing this song while sleeping in the car! =D
• The production is impressive, seamless and really at par with what I've seen in Marina Bay Sands. To those who've seen this, don't you think the boat scene is just magnificent? My eyes were glued at the floating candles!
• Boys will be boys, well most of them. I watched with the whole EON Team, and while the girls are teary-eyed and raving nonstop during the 20-minute break, most of the boys were just nodding and smiling. I probably need to inject them with some hormones. 
• The Phantom of the Opera, like most musical shows with international cast, is admittedly expensive. Cheapest tickets still cost more or less Php 2,000. But coming from a very practical girl like me, it's still worth it. The music, life lessons, cultural gains and the overall experience of witnessing such a powerful display of talent, art and human nature is just priceless. With that, I'm willing to save up to see more musical shows. No more fancy lattes for now! =P
• The actors did a great job. Christine (Claire Lyon) , Raoul (Anthony Downing) and even Carlotta (Andrea Creighto) were amazing! But I have to say Phantom (Jonathan Roxmouth) made me, and the whole of Manila, fall in in love with him. He's complex and downright brilliant.  

Forgive the Fan Girl!

Thank you for gracing Manila! =)

Thank you to EON for the best Anniversary treat so far. It will be hard to match this next year, but I will be waiting! 

Cheers to more musical shows to hit Manila! 


From the Nook,
Dang