A new production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera begins its run at Teatro Stabile del Friuli Venezia Giulia at the Politeama Rossetti in Trieste, Italy, July 4, with performances continuing through July 16. The staging will next play Tam Teatro Arcimboldi Milano in Milan, Italy, October 11-22. Produced by Broadway in Italy and presented in English under the direction of Federico Bellone, the production marks the first time Phantom has been staged in Italy.
After Italy, the production will play 20 performances at the Opéra de Monte-Carlo in Monaco December 16-31.
Ramin Karimloo returns to the title role of the Phantom. The actor previously played the leading role in London's West End and in the British 25th anniversary concert at Royal Albert Hall; he also continued in the role through its sequel, Love Never Dies. Karimloo currently stars as Nick Arnstein in the Broadway revival of Funny Girl.
Karimloo is joined by Italian-American soprano Amelia Milo as Christine, Bradley Jaden (Les Misérables) as Raoul, Earl Carpenter (Sunset Boulevard) as Monsieur André, Ian Mowat (The Phantom of the Opera) as Monsieur Firmin, opera singers Anna Corvino as Carlotta Giudicelli and Gian Luca Pasolini as Ubaldo Piangi, Alice Mistroni as Madame Giry, Zoe Nochi as Meg Giry, Matt Bond as Buquet/Reyer, and Jeremy Rose as Lefevre/Don Attilio with Mark Biocca, Marianna Bonansone, Martina Cenere, Nicola Ciulla, Robert Ediogu, Stefania Fratepietro, Laura Galigani, Luca Gaudiano, Jessica Lorusso, Marta Melchiorre, Antonio Orler, and Margherita Toso.
The Italian production features set design by director Bellone, choreography by Gillian Bruce, lighting design by Valerio Tiberi, and sound design by Roc Mate. Giovanni Maria Lori is the musical supervisor; Julio Awad conducts.
The Phantom of the Opera has music by Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Charles Hart (with additional lyrics by Richard Stilgoe), and a book by Stilgoe and Lloyd Webber. The original production featured musical staging and choreography by Gillian Lynne, scenic and costume design by Maria Björnson, lighting design by Andrew Bridge, and sound design by Martin Levan with David Caddick as music director. Cameron Mackintosh and Lloyd Webber's The Really Useful Group serve as producers. The late Harold Prince directed.
The Broadway staging of the London-originated show won seven 1988 Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Previews on Broadway began January 9, 1988, with an official opening January 26. The original Broadway cast featured Michael Crawford, Sarah Brightman, Judy Kaye, and the late Steve Barton. The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history January 9, 2006, when it surpassed the nearly 18-year run of Cats. The Broadway production ended its 35-year history-making run in April.
For more information, visit PhantomoftheOperaMusical.it. Visit Opera.mc for information on the Monaco run.
