The Phantom of the Opera

The Phantom of the Opera at KeyBank State Theatre

Few musicals arrive with this much atmosphere already built in. KeyBank State Theatre presents The Phantom of the Opera on Wednesday, April 14, the Andrew Lloyd Webber classic.

Andrew Lloyd Webber's score supplies the sweep, and the triangle between the Phantom, Christine and Raoul supplies the emotional pull. Spectacle and feeling arrive at the same time. The show's long-running reputation is part of the draw, but the bigger reason to go is simpler. This is a night built around music with real dramatic force, performed where every cue lands with weight. The touring production features new scenic design, choreography and staging, but the engine remains the same: the Phantom's dangerous devotion to Christine Daaé and the tension that grows when Raoul enters the picture. "The Music of the Night," "All I Ask of You" and the title song are not just famous on paper. They change when voices, orchestra and scenery are pressing forward together.

The Paris Opera becomes a place where beauty, obsession and secrecy collide in real time. That is the kind of atmosphere a screen can only suggest. The historic KeyBank State Theatre gives the evening a grand downtown Cleveland setting. Wednesday is a good night to treat yourself. It falls early in the run. Make it the night you finally see the legend in person. Get The Phantom of the Opera tickets for Wednesday, April 14.