Re: Love Never Dies - all views allowed

Helen Sat Oct 03, 2009 11:53 pm

SenorSwanky wrote:
Second, to me, he hasn't written a good score in more than a decade and a half (Sunset Boulevard was his last really good musical; Woman in White had only fleeting moments of quality, and the rest were crap).

I hope and pray that Love Never Dies is better than The Woman in White, especially in the lyrics department!

Callie Daae Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:41 am

I kinda don't think there should be a sequal. But I do wanna see it and I'm EXTREMELY excited about Sierra being in it!!!! Everything she does is fantastic!!!! Very Happy

Scorp Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:00 am

Andrew Lloyd Webber attempts to make history with Phantom of the Opera sequel
Andrew Lloyd Webber faces his greatest challenge yet this week when he launches the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera.

By Roya Nikkhah, Arts Correspondent for the DAILY TELEGRAPH
04 Oct 2009

Tickets to Love Never Dies are expected to go on sale on Thursday. The show, which is scheduled to open at the Adelphi Theatre in March 2010, will be the first ever West End musical sequel.

In a move that some theatre experts have described as "risky", Lloyd Webber will also attempt to make history by staging the first successful sequel to a musical anywhere in the world. All previous bids to repeat the triumph of original productions have failed miserably.

Love Never Dies continues the story of Christine Daaé, the beautiful Parisienne soprano who becomes the protégée of Erik (Note by Scorp: does this mean the Phantom gets a name in this musical?), a mysterious, disfigured musical genius also known as the Phantom.

Billed as "a roller-coaster ride of obsession and intrigue", the sequel is set in 1907, 10 years after the mysterious disappearance of the Phantom from the Paris Opera House. The story unfolds as Christine accepts an invitation to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction at New York's Coney Island.

But when she arrives in New York with her husband, Raoul and their young son Gustave, she soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her away from Paris

The original musical, which was based on the 1909 novel The Phantom of the Opera by the French author Gaston Leroux, opened in London in October 1986 at Her Majesty's Theatre. Composed by Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe, it initially starred Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman in the leading roles.

The most successful live entertainment event of all time, it has spawned more than 20 productions around the world, taking over £3.5 billion at the box office and playing to more than 100 million people.

It also holds the record for the longest-running production on Broadway and the second-longest running in West End musical history, after Les Misérables.

Fans of The Phantom of the Opera have been hoping for a sequel since 1999 (Note by Scorp:...um...), when the author Frederick Forsyth published the novel The Phantom of Manhattan with Lloyd Webber's approval. But plans to adapt the book for the stage were abandoned when it was poorly received by critics (Note by Scorp: AND the fans...).

Lyrics to the £10 million production of Love Never Dies, which will feature a life-size automaton of Christine (Note by Scorp...oh. dear.), have been written by Glenn Slater, who also wrote the songs for the hit West End show Sister Act.

It will star Sierra Boggess, the American soprano, and Ramin Karimloo, the Iranian-born baritone who is currently playing the lead in the London production of The Phantom of the Opera. If successful, the show is expected to open on Broadway next autumn.

Ken Davenport, a theatre producer whose shows include the Broadway musical 13 and Altar Boyz, the longest-running off-Broadway musical to open in the last 10 years, said that musical sequels were "a risky proposition".

"Nobody has attempted a musical sequel in a long time because there have been some really dismal failures in the past," he said. "It is an incredibly risky proposition and I was nervous when Andrew announced it.

"You could argue that sequels should only ever be done if the audience has had enough of the first run. But the Phantom is both a powerful global brand and a very romantic and mysterious character, so a lot of people will want to know what happened next.

"Certainly there is always the chance for a flop. People said in the past that Andrew could never write anything that wouldn't be a success, but then we got Whistle Down the Wind."

Whistle Down the Wind, Lloyd Webber's adaptation of the 1961 film about three children who discover a fugitive hiding in their barn, opened in Washington DC in 1996 to scathing reviews. Nicknamed "Whistle Down the Drain" by critics, its Broadway transfer was cancelled.

Musical sequels in the theatre have a woeful track record. The original production of Annie opened on Broadway in 1977 and ran for 2,377 performances, with similar success soon afterwards in the West End.

But a 1989 sequel, Annie 2: Miss Hannigan's Revenge opened to disastrous reviews and never made it to Broadway. In 1993, a second attempt at a sequel, Annie Warbucks, opened off-Broadway but fared little better, closing after only 200 performances.

The 1960 hit Broadway musical Bye Bye Birdie, a satire of Elvis Presley, opened to critical acclaim and ran for 607 performances. But in 1981, the same creative team staged a sequel called Bring Back Birdie, which folded after just four performances.

A similar fate awaited the sequel to the 1978 Broadway musical The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, which ran for 1,584 performances. Its successor, The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, opened in 1994 and closed after just two weeks.

Musicals with film sequels have avoided repeating the venture in the theatre. Grease and Dirty Dancing are both long-running West End productions as well as successful films. Their film sequels, Grease 2 and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights, were commercial flops; neither has spawned a stage sequel.

Sir Tim Rice, the Oscar-wining lyricist who has collaborated with Lloyd Webber on musicals including Jesus Christ Superstar and Evita, said that the fate of previous musical sequels was "irrelevant".

He said: "Rules are made to be broken and whether a musical is a sequel or original is irrelevant. All that matters is whether or not it is any good and word of mouth."

operafantomet Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:08 am

Scorp wrote:Fans of The Phantom of the Opera have been hoping for a sequel since 1999 (Note by Scorp:...um...), when the author Frederick Forsyth published the novel The Phantom of Manhattan with Lloyd Webber's approval. But plans to adapt the book for the stage were abandoned when it was poorly received by critics (Note by Scorp: AND the fans...).

Agree with your comments, Scorp... Mad

carlottawannabe Sun Oct 04, 2009 12:52 pm

That book was shite to be honest! Yet please let me still be excited bout being at the launch thursday

Phantomlove Sun Oct 04, 2009 1:04 pm

operafantomet wrote:
Scorp wrote:Fans of The Phantom of the Opera have been hoping for a sequel since 1999 (Note by Scorp:...um...), when the author Frederick Forsyth published the novel The Phantom of Manhattan with Lloyd Webber's approval. But plans to adapt the book for the stage were abandoned when it was poorly received by critics (Note by Scorp: AND the fans...).
Agree with your comments, Scorp...

I realise now that I have been longing for a sequel since 1999... Rolling Eyes

HDKingsbury Sun Oct 04, 2009 2:48 pm

We've been awaiting a sequel since...what? PoM? Well...perhaps some have, and for them I hope this sequel is everything they've been waiting for. As for me? This so-called sequel turned me off from the moment I read Forsyth's statement that Leroux got the story wrong. I sure hope he meant that with tongue firmly placed in his cheek...because excuse me, but how can the originator of the story get it wrong? Rolling Eyes

As for the rest? I'm not sure if Andy's suffering from a late-life crisis and wants to recapture those halcyon days when Phantom took the stage and the world by storm...or if he's just in it for the money. I know; I'm a cynic about these kinds of things. Maybe I should just remain silent and watch this play itself out. silent

On the plus side, I do not have to worry about any possible lure to go see LND; I live too far away from any of the opening venues and frankly, have better things to spend my money on.

EarlFan Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:11 pm

The story unfolds as Christine accepts an invitation to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction at New York's Coney Island. But when she arrives in New York with her husband, Raoul and their young son Gustave, she soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her away from Paris

The place is called Phantasma? Hmm, shouldn't that remind Christine of something...

Fans of The Phantom of the Opera have been hoping for a sequel since 1999

Yeah, sure

"You could argue that sequels should only ever be done if the audience has had enough of the first run. But the Phantom is both a powerful global brand and a very romantic and mysterious character, so a lot of people will want to know what happened next.

Well...he dies. There's not that many things that could happen next.

Oh my, this article makes me laugh and cry at the same time

HDKingsbury Sun Oct 04, 2009 6:18 pm

The story unfolds as Christine accepts an invitation to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction at New York's Coney Island. But when she arrives in New York with her husband, Raoul and their young son Gustave, she soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her away from Paris.

Phantasma? Sounds an awful lot like Fangtasia! Are we sure this isn't really a True Blood tie-in?? Laughing

LadyCDaae Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:52 pm

"You could argue that sequels should only ever be done if the audience has had enough of the first run. But the Phantom is both a powerful global brand and a very romantic and mysterious character, so a lot of people will want to know what happened next.

I would argue that sequels should only be done if there is legitimate room for expansion and development of the story's characters and themes, and not because it's a cash cow. But as far as the entertainment industry is concerned I'm in the minority. tongue

~LCD

SenorSwanky Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:59 pm

Stupid article wrote:Ramin Karimloo, the Iranian-born baritone

Please stop referring to him as a baritone. He's a frickin' tenor if there ever was one.

Paula74 Sun Oct 04, 2009 11:56 pm

HDKingsbury wrote:
The story unfolds as Christine accepts an invitation to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction at New York's Coney Island. But when she arrives in New York with her husband, Raoul and their young son Gustave, she soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her away from Paris.

Phantasma? Sounds an awful lot like Fangtasia! Are we sure this isn't really a True Blood tie-in??

Phantasma just sounds awful. And cheesy. And just plain silly.

SenorSwanky Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:19 am

This is one of those stupid plots Hal referred to in his Phan Week keynote.

**Raphael** Mon Oct 05, 2009 12:38 am

Paula74 wrote:Phantasma just sounds awful. And cheesy. And just plain silly.

Isn't Phantasma the name of the Las Vegas hotel casino he considered building around Phantom?

R.

LadyCDaae Mon Oct 05, 2009 2:08 am

Paula74 wrote:
HDKingsbury wrote:
The story unfolds as Christine accepts an invitation to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction at New York's Coney Island. But when she arrives in New York with her husband, Raoul and their young son Gustave, she soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her away from Paris.

Phantasma? Sounds an awful lot like Fangtasia! Are we sure this isn't really a True Blood tie-in??

Phantasma just sounds awful. And cheesy. And just plain silly.

I agree. It's yet another aspect of this that sounds like it came from a third-rate phanfic.

~LCD

Paula74 Mon Oct 05, 2009 2:09 am

LadyCDaae wrote:
I agree. It's yet another aspect of this that sounds like it came from a third-rate phanfic.

At this point, third-rate sounds rather generous.

Even if I'd wanted a sequel all along, stuff like this would be enough to change my mind.

operafantomet Mon Oct 05, 2009 5:47 am

LadyCDaae wrote:
Paula74 wrote:
HDKingsbury wrote:
The story unfolds as Christine accepts an invitation to perform at Phantasma, a new attraction at New York's Coney Island. But when she arrives in New York with her husband, Raoul and their young son Gustave, she soon discovers the identity of the anonymous impresario who has lured her away from Paris.
Phantasma? Sounds an awful lot like Fantasia! Are we sure this isn't really a True Blood tie-in??
Phantasma just sounds awful. And cheesy. And just plain silly.
I agree. It's yet another aspect of this that sounds like it came from a third-rate phanfic.

But it's very in-sync with his strange Latin ambitions... Phantasma is Latin for illusion, ghost, and just an elder form of Phantom (fantôme - fantosme - phantasme - phantasma - φάντασμα)

Scorp Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:05 am

Raphael wrote:
Paula74 wrote:Phantasma just sounds awful. And cheesy. And just plain silly.
Isn't Phantasma the name of the Las Vegas hotel casino he considered building around Phantom?

R.

I think that was intended to be called "Phantasy", IIRC.

If the tickets are to go on sale on Thursday, would the opening of the box office coincide with the announcement at 11am, or do people reckon they'd go on sale later that day? I doubt I'll be able to, but I want to see if I can get tickets to the opening night so I can attend it absolutely plastered.

Paula74 Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:48 am

The latest tweet...

I am encouraged by my composer's work. The Phantom.

Somehow, that's *not* terribly encouraging!

LadyCDaae Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:29 pm

Oh really, what is he going to say, anyway? "The score is nothing more than amateurish twiddling and should never see the light of day"?

....Actually, that would be more in keeping with the Erik I know and love...

~LCD

HDKingsbury Tue Oct 06, 2009 2:46 pm

I'm concerned that all this fame and notoriety has gone to Erik's head. I mean...what the heck? He's not composing his own music?

The Phantom of Coney Island ==> clown

**Raphael** Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:44 pm

operafantomet wrote:
From one of the article posted above:
Ramin Karimloo will play the Phantom - although for a while in Love Never Dies he's a mysterious figure known as Mr Y who runs the Phantasma funfair attraction on Coney Island where the action, set in 1907, takes place.

Mr. Y? As in "Y the #*%@ did I agree to be in this #*%@ing sequel?"

I would have preferred Mr. T -- at least that would have been interesting.

R.

HDKingsbury Tue Oct 06, 2009 11:52 pm

I would have preferred Mr. T -- at least that would have been interesting.

And now I'm laughing my head off, imagining the Phantom ranting and raving, shouting "I pity the fool!" (no doubt referring to Andy and this non-sequel sequel).

Rebecca Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:22 pm

Admittedly, I am far from being on top of things as far as news in the phan world... but trying to catch up, as you can see!

I do recall there was talk of the show opening in Toronto as well? Has anyone heard anything further about that? Looks like I may give in and taking a look at whatever info may be on RUGs site.

Please note that though I am asking about the possibility of a Toronto opening it is NOT due to my overwhelming excitement for the project. I maintain my 'WTF?!?' reaction to the storyline, as I have since reading PoM in 1999. After which I hoped it would fall into obscurity, not be mounted onstage... oh dear....

~Rebecca

InkedAlchemist Wed Oct 07, 2009 3:33 pm

*groans*

I really hate the fact that I have a morbid curiosity over this travesty. Mad

LadyCDaae Wed Oct 07, 2009 4:47 pm

Don't feel too bad, Alchemist; everybody has the impulse to gape at a train wreck.

~LCD

Christine's Shadow Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:32 pm

Rebecca wrote:
I do recall there was talk of the show opening in Toronto as well? Has anyone heard anything further about that? Looks like I may give in and taking a look at whatever info may be on RUGs site.

Please note that though I am asking about the possibility of a Toronto opening it is NOT due to my overwhelming excitement for the project. I maintain my 'WTF?!?' reaction to the storyline, as I have since reading PoM in 1999. After which I hoped it would fall into obscurity, not be mounted onstage... oh dear....

~Rebecca

it was briefly discussed and promptly abandoned. they must have seen my rather ... colourful status updates on facebook lol!

the idea was out there when they originally said that it was looking at an october release way back when.

other train of thought: the press release is tomorrow isn't it? or at least the website thing?

HDKingsbury Wed Oct 07, 2009 7:47 pm

Oh, that's right. Tomorrow's the 8th. You don't suppose the Phantom is going to announce that I have to take my mother to her appointment with the urologist (also scheduled for the 8th), do you? Laughing

Becky Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:13 pm

HDKingsbury wrote:Oh, that's right. Tomorrow's the 8th. You don't suppose the Phantom is going to announce that I have to take my mother to her appointment with the urologist (also scheduled for the 8th), do you?

I'm hoping the announcement will be something more like "This has all been one big elaborate joke!" But then again, I've been waiting for that announcement for quite some time now.

HDKingsbury Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:15 pm

*sigh*

If only our wishes would come true... Sad

Sponsored content