UK Opera Theatre Presents Lexington Premiere of 'Phantom'
LEXINGTON, Ky. (Oct. 3, 2012) — The chandelier will fall as University of Kentucky Opera Theatre presents Lexington's first-ever production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s beloved musical, "The Phantom of the Opera," featuring award winning vocalists from the university. The Phantom will haunt the Lexington Opera House stage Oct. 5-14.
"The Phantom of the Opera" is a box office champion and Broadway's longest running musical. It has enjoyed success all over the world and recently celebrated its 10,000th performance in New York, and its 25th anniversary in the West End of London. It is estimated that the musical has been performed in no fewer than 15 languages and has been seen by more than 130 million people worldwide in 145 cities and in more than 27 countries around the world, including the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Holland, Japan, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Russia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
The show has won more than 50 major theatre awards including three Olivier Awards, the most recent being the 2002 Olivier Audience Award for Most Popular Show; an Evening Standard Award; seven Tony Awards, including Best Musical; seven Drama Desk Awards; and three Outer Critic Circle Awards.
Based on the classic novel "Le Fantôme de l’Opéra" by Gaston Leroux, "The Phantom of the Opera" was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Charles Hart, additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe, and a book by Lloyd Webber and Stilgoe. The play tells the tales of a masked figure that lurks in the catacombs beneath the Paris Opera House, releasing a reign of terror over all who inhabit the theatre. He becomes infatuated with an innocent young soprano, Christine, and devotes himself to creating a new star by nurturing her extraordinary talents and by using all of the devious methods at his command.
"It’s a major achievement in the musical theater and a high water mark in the phenomenal Lloyd Webber career," wrote Richard Hummler in a 1988 issue of Variety. "The bonus this time is that the glittering technical wizardry and pop-opera music have been wedded to a strong story and characters. (It’s a) gloriously old fashioned romantic musical spectacle."
UK Opera Theatre, part of UK School of Music at the UK College of Fine Arts, is one of the first college programs to be granted the rights to perform this award-winning musical. The UK production of "The Phantom of the Opera" has been triple-cast and features more than 30 UK vocalists, including 20 winners of the Alltech Vocal Competition, and music performed by approximately 60 members of the UK Symphony Orchestra. Singing the lead roles of the Phantom and Christine will be junior Jacob Waid and senior Rebecca Farley; graduate student Michael Preacely and junior Elizabeth Maurey; and senior Monica Dewey.
"The Phantom of the Opera" takes the stage 7:30 p.m., Oct. 5-6 and 10-14, and 2 p.m., Oct. 7, 13 and 14. Tickets range in price from $40.50 to $75.50, with student tickets available for $20.50. To purchase tickets visit the Lexington Center Box Office, located at Rupp Arena, or contact the box office by phone at 859-233-3535. There is no ticketing fee for tickets bought in person at the box office.
MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Hale, (859) 257-8716
or whitney.hale@uky.edu
